Ring vs Alphabet Soup

[MANGLER]

Talking/watching boxing wit some peeps right now which got me lookin at the Ring website. Used the HW rankings to make a thread which got an "uneducated" fight fan/friend askin me about the Ring and its relationship to the alphabet organizations. Question basically was "which is most prestigious?" A lot of people who liked the Ring before **** on its legitimacy now cuz Oscar bought it, but I still go wit the Ring cuz of their policy:
~Championship vacancies can be filled by winning a box-off between The Ring’s number-one and number-two contenders, or, in certain instances, a box-off between our number-one and number-three contenders. The only three occasions when a fighter will lose his championship status are when he retires, moves to another weight division, or is defeated in a championship bout.~
Of the alphabet organizations, WBC is always doin crooked ****, WBO I respect more than most people do but gets less cred just cuz it's the newest, WBA drives me nuts with the whole "Super and Regular" thing. IBF is just as greedy and bogus as the rest but I guess I respect them the most out of the "big 4" sanctioning bodies. Wondering what everybody else thinks. Do you support the Ring championship policy and its rankings? If not, which governing body do you respect the most? Explain your choice if you wish.

[AntonTheMeh]

i found a ring in my alphabet soup once.

[Sin City]

It's not the title you carry its who you beat..

[MANGLER]

It's not the title you carry its who you beat.

Co-sign. I was talkin about the whole title thing in terms of official recognition, but I agree 100% beatin the best is what makes you the best.

[horge]

So, like...
who maintains an updated, concensually-recognized list of lineal champs?

Regarding RING champs...
A glaring weakness of the Ring rankings was exposed by warp1432 :

http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144419

regarding the LACK of mandatory defenses vs. #1 contenders...
don'tcha think so?



h.

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

So, like...
who maintains an updated, concensually-recognized list of lineal champs?

Regarding RING champs...
A glaring weakness of the Ring rankings was exposed by poster warp 1324:

http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144419

regarding the LACK of mandatory defenses vs. #1 contenders...
don'tcha think so?



h.

Exactly, like Hopkins (who retired and still kept the title) has yet to face a ranked light heavyweight or Mayweather failing to face a ranked welterweight. Hatton has not faced a top junior welterweight in years, maybe since Tszyu in 05.

[warp1432]

Except Mausua, Lacanzo, and other fighters were all in their top 10 for Hatton.

Fighters coming up in weight count as title defenses (whether you like it or not...) The Ring was hesistant to withdraw the title from Hopkins because there was a strong possibilty he would come back and he did.

The Ring has a lot more credilbility then the alphabet soups. I don't know about you, but I'd rather see Bernard Hopkins vs Joe Calzaghe, insted of Bernard Hopkins vs Zslot Erdei (The #1 rating for the ring who's fought **** competition).

The only time the Alphabet soups enforce mandatories is when they get money to do so or they have **** for mandatories anyway. Like Morrade Hakkar was actually the number one contender. Not to mention the IBF's pushaside of Mike Oliver and Joshua Clottey.

[JakeNDaBox]

So, like...
who maintains an updated, concensually-recognized list of lineal champs?

Sadly, nobody. It's either writers blindly following The Ring's lead, or other writers continuing to honor the alphabets.

Cliff maintains a terrific balance of implementing both into BoxingScene rankings, and is also one of the few who recognizes true linear champs in instances where the consensus is either unaware, or can't be bothered (Daisuke Naito at flyweight, as one example).

It's not the title you carry its who you beat..

Game. Set. Match. This has been my stance forever. **** a champ at top, rank 'em 1-10, with #1 always up for grabs and made available to the fighter presenty and continually proving himself.

[BattlingNelson]

It's not the title you carry its who you beat..

Sure. Thats the perfect stance.... If you are a hardcore boxing fan. If you are Joe Average the television companys believe that they can easier sell you a fight if it carries the championship-label.

Thats how the governing bodies came to existence; making money from fights by sanctioning the fight as a 'world' championship.

Money makes the world go round and everybody is happy... except the hardcore fan who doesn't get to see the top guys (usually champs in different organizations) fight each other as often as he would like. But who cares since it's not the hardcore fan who brings the revenue.

BatAutotext: Damn alphabetboys.