What does it mean to be a champion in boxing today?

[-Kev-]

There’s 973 titles to win. There’s no uniformity among sanctioning bodies because they don’t rank the same fighters. So we get obscure, unknown fighters in their “top 10” rankings. We get entitled fighters who are ranked as #1 contenders out of nowhere, pushing for fights via lawsuits and emails. We then get paper champions holding titles hostage. The best rankings are by The Ring, which is ignored by sanctioning bodies. Finally, we have boxers who would never be champion in an era of 1 title per weight class, winning a title.

It’s messed up that fans can’t get one true champion per weight class, and fights are not forced because of different networks and promoters.

Without fans, boxers/networks can’t get paid. But we still have these greedy sanctioning bodies ruining boxing every year. A new title over here, a new title over there. You get a title, and you get a title, and you get a title, everybody gets a title.

I am surprised WBC hasn’t created a title for exhibition matches. Why haven’t they stuck their dirty little hands in all of these exhibitions? Or have they and I just missed it? We need exhibition champions too.

[-Kev-]

Lopez vs Haney:

Lopez: I’m the champion. I beat the champion.

Haney: No! I’m the champion, the champion dropped the title and I picked it up from the floor. So i’m the real champ.

Lopez: No, look, I got the WBC title physically in my possession. Look

Haney: Me too! Look !

Lopez: No way, that’s fake.

Haney: Na bruh, it’s real. Yours is fake.

Lopez: Sulaiman told me I got the real one. Joke’s on you.

Haney: Na, Sulaiman told me I have the real one and he only told you that so you can leave him alone.

Lopez: Bro, I beat the man of the division. The Ring champion of the division. You wrote an email to get your title.

Haney: I earned it by beating that one dude with the name and the hair, who wore them trunks, forgot his name.

Lopez: Exactly you don’t even know his name. You have to use Boxrec to remember your own title win. I beat Vasyl Lomachenko.

[BoxingIsGreat]

Most divisions have no clear champ, IMO. It's all a mess. Belts also mean less than crap. Screw them.

[Willie Pep 229]

There’s 973 titles to win. There’s no uniformity among sanctioning bodies because they don’t rank the same fighters. So we get obscure, unknown fighters in their “top 10” rankings. We get entitled fighters who are ranked as #1 contenders out of nowhere, pushing for fights via lawsuits and emails. We then get paper champions holding titles hostage. The best rankings are by The Ring, which is ignored by sanctioning bodies. Finally, we have boxers who would never be champion in an era of 1 title per weight class, winning a title.

It’s messed up that fans can’t get one true champion per weight class, and fights are not forced because of different networks and promoters.

Without fans, boxers/networks can’t get paid. But we still have these greedy sanctioning bodies ruining boxing every year. A new title over here, a new title over there. You get a title, and you get a title, and you get a title, everybody gets a title.

I am surprised WBC hasn’t created a title for exhibition matches. Why haven’t they stuck their dirty little hands in all of these exhibitions? Or have they and I just missed it? We need exhibition champions too.

What does it man to be a champion today?

In the 1940s it meant you were somebody, you were a contender.

It is nebulous today but we have a few champions out there (fan perception wise) Fury; Canelo; Lopez; Inoue, maybe a few others. The multiple available belts only impress the non-fight fans and make TV happy; every fight is a championship fight.

But to try and look at it in a positive light the claimant belts become a way to line up the 'true' championship fights with worthy contenders.

[QueensburyRules]

Most divisions have no clear champ, IMO. It's all a mess. Belts also mean less than crap. Screw them.

- -Gary Russet Jr makes 1mil per defense and puts his entire family to work on the card. The Charlene sistas and Androgynous can't even buy fans, but get enough for the same.

[Fists_of_Fury]

It means f**k all anymore. Email everyone a title and get rid of the sport.

[IronDanHamza]

Doesn’t mean anything to be honest.

Boxing is becoming more of a joke by the day.

[Mammoth]

Lopez vs Haney:

Lopez: I’m the champion. I beat the champion.

Haney: No! I’m the champion, the champion dropped the title and I picked it up from the floor. So i’m the real champ.

Lopez: No, look, I got the WBC title physically in my possession. Look

Haney: Me too! Look !

Lopez: No way, that’s fake.

Haney: Na bruh, it’s real. Yours is fake.

Lopez: Sulaiman told me I got the real one. Joke’s on you.

Haney: Na, Sulaiman told me I have the real one and he only told you that so you can leave him alone.

Lopez: Bro, I beat the man of the division. The Ring champion of the division. You wrote an email to get your title.

Haney: I earned it by beating that one dude with the name and the hair, who wore them trunks, forgot his name.

Lopez: Exactly you don’t even know his name. You have to use Boxrec to remember your own title win. I beat Vasyl Lomachenko.

You're pretty passionate for Lopez but Haney's just one of so many people we've seen elevated over the years. Not sure what's different about this situation.

[Toffee]

Having a belt means you can promote a fight as a title bout.

It's a commercial thing. And that's why we have so many belts.

[The Big Dunn]

Lopez vs Haney:

Lopez: I’m the champion. I beat the champion.

Haney: No! I’m the champion, the champion dropped the title and I picked it up from the floor. So i’m the real champ.

Lopez: No, look, I got the WBC title physically in my possession. Look

Haney: Me too! Look !

Lopez: No way, that’s fake.

Haney: Na bruh, it’s real. Yours is fake.

Lopez: Sulaiman told me I got the real one. Joke’s on you.

Haney: Na, Sulaiman told me I have the real one and he only told you that so you can leave him alone.

Lopez: Bro, I beat the man of the division. The Ring champion of the division. You wrote an email to get your title.

Haney: I earned it by beating that one dude with the name and the hair, who wore them trunks, forgot his name.

Lopez: Exactly you don’t even know his name. You have to use Boxrec to remember your own title win. I beat Vasyl Lomachenko.

I get your point, but Loma gave away the belt because he wasn’t confident he could beat Haney. A loss would’ve meant no big money Teo fight.

I get that promoters and sanctioning bodies rank guys that often don’t deserve it, but those same promoters get big names title fights ahead of more deserving guys as well.

Haney shouldn’t be celebrated as a champ but what Loma and Bob worked out with the wbc should be greatly scorned and criticized.