margarito-cotto should be for the ring magazine world championship

[sentido común]

No not true. They didn't rank Mayweather at 154 when he was moving up to fight De La Hoya. Mayweather sure as hell belonged in the top 10 of the Jr.Middleweight division.

Ricky Hatton belonged in the top 10 in the welterweight division. Also, Jose Luis Castillo had previous fights at 140 before being ranked by The Ring. Nice try though.

im sorry man i am a hatton fan and he is a true warrior but he had a hard fight with collazo and collazo aint nowhere close to top 10 in the welterweight division. mosley took him to school.

[Mr. Ryan]

Here is the dilemma: When does Ring Magazine cease to be a publication and become a sanctioning body? Surely if Ring Magazine starts imposing mandatories and stripping fighters, it takes on the form of the very thing they have denounced, sanctioning bodies.

I agree that the winner of Cotto-Margarito becomes the most meritorious welterweight and will have some unofficial foot-up over Mayweather. Mayweather has not fought a fighter ranked by Ring Magazine at welterweight since Carlos Baldomir and is semi-retired. Under those circumstances, I'd say to hell with the guy, strip him and let someone else fight for the belt.

Ring Magazine's championship is unlike the sanctioning organizations in that it has set guidelines for stripping a fighter of their recognition:

"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."
-Ring Magazine

On the first two criteria, you could make a case that Mayweather should have given up rights to the Ring Magazine belt after the de la Hoya fight when he moved up in weight to fight for another title and afterwards vacated it by announcing his retirement.

Then again, Ring would most likely wish to keep it's hands clean of boxing politics and avoid such a controversial move. With a flawed system in place, other avenues for legitimizing boxing rankings must be explored.

[sunny31]

No not true. They didn't rank Mayweather at 154 when he was moving up to fight De La Hoya. Mayweather sure as hell belonged in the top 10 of the Jr.Middleweight division.

Ricky Hatton belonged in the top 10 in the welterweight division. Also, Jose Luis Castillo had previous fights at 140 before being ranked by The Ring. Nice try though.

I ask you too use a little bit of common sense here though, How many top 10 ww do you think ricky hatton could beat? Id say 1 or 2, 3 at a push. Thats not a reflection of ricky being a bad fighter he just doesn't move up in weight so well cos of his style, thus why I say floyd should retain his pound 4 pound status because he did have a hell of a 2007, and beat an ageing hall of famer, and a top 10 pound 4 pounder, but he has defended his ww title once since 2006 against a natural and linear junior welter champ, in my opinion the ring wouldn't be wrong if they took it away from him especially if its cotto that wins.

[Ras44]

Here is the dilemma: When does Ring Magazine cease to be a publication and become a sanctioning body? Surely if Ring Magazine starts imposing mandatories and stripping fighters, it takes on the form of the very thing they have denounced, sanctioning bodies.

I agree that the winner of Cotto-Margarito becomes the most meritorious welterweight and will have some unofficial foot-up over Mayweather. Mayweather has not fought a fighter ranked by Ring Magazine at welterweight since Carlos Baldomir and is semi-retired. Under those circumstances, I'd say to hell with the guy, strip him and let someone else fight for the belt.

Ring Magazine's championship is unlike the sanctioning organizations in that it has set guidelines for stripping a fighter of their recognition:

"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."
-Ring Magazine

On the first two criteria, you could make a case that Mayweather should have given up rights to the Ring Magazine belt after the de la Hoya fight when he moved up in weight to fight for another title and afterwards vacated it by announcing his retirement.

Then again, Ring would most likely wish to keep it's hands clean of boxing politics and avoid such a controversial move. With a flawed system in place, other avenues for legitimizing boxing rankings must be explored.

Well, they should have stripped Hatton also, since he moved to 147 to fight with Mayweather. However, one quick look at the Ring rankings and you'll see Hatton as the champion at 140.

[Mr. Ryan]

Well, they should have stripped Hatton also, since he moved to 147 to fight with Mayweather. However, one quick look at the Ring rankings and you'll see Hatton as the champion at 140.

As I concluded, the system they use is flawed and with every passing day the Ring ratings and belts mean less and less.

Hatton moved back down immediately and will be fighting Paulie Malignaggi in the near future, so his stake in the picture is more credible than is Mayweather's.

[sunny31]

Well, they should have stripped Hatton also, since he moved to 147 to fight with Mayweather. However, one quick look at the Ring rankings and you'll see Hatton as the champion at 140.

Your right in both cases I think the ring title should be vacant, until there is a big unification, it would encourage the alphabet champions to fight each other also

[ElGranLuchador]

dont forget the ring its owned by de la hoya now there goes its credibility
true fans will consider the winner of this fight the best welterweight no need for a paper belt like the ring

[Ras44]

Hatton moved back down immediately and will be fighting Paulie Malignaggi in the near future, so his stake in the picture is more credible than is Mayweather's.

While I agree with you, remember that Hatton first went to 147 to fight Collazo, came back to 140, went to 147 again against Mayweather, LOST, and then came back to 140.

[Mr. Ryan]

Ever since Ring Magazine went out of it's way to make Vitali Klitschko champion after beating Corrie Sanders, the belts have meant even less.

You have a system in place that gives Casamayor and his inactivity a reason to avoid Nate Campbell, who has three of the four belts. Something isn't kosher there.

[Mr. Ryan]

While I agree with you, remember that Hatton first went to 147 to fight Collazo, came back to 140, went to 147 again against Mayweather, LOST, and then came back to 140.

True, boxing itself is a mess.

Edit: But it is our mess. We can only hope to tidy it up enough to enjoy.