Undisputed Belt

[Toffee]

Just watching the presser from today... and the reveal of the Saudis' tacky looking belt.

It sounds like it was said that the winner of Joshua v Ngannou will fight the winner of Fury v Usyk. Did I hear that right?

Back to the belt. The four world bodies were listed on the visual they put on screen... do we then assume that they are on board? Therefore do we assume that, for example, the IBF won't strip their belt so that the next fight is still for Undisputed?

[dan-b]

Therefore do we assume that, for example, the IBF won't strip their belt so that the next fight is still for Undisputed?

It's an interesting question. There's been a definite shift in language from Hearn in recent weeks from talking about AJ fighting for "the world heavyweight championship" (i.e. a vacant IBF) to fighting for "undisputed". Clearly if a deal can be made for AJ to fight the Fury - Usyk winner (especially if it's Fury) that's preferable to fighting Hrgovic.

Quite how the IBF situation could be negotiated is unclear. They called their mandatory as far back as November 2022 before rescinding it in acknowledgement they'd jumped the rotation order. They've made concessions to allow Fury - Usyk, it would require something exceptional for them not to call a mandatory afterwards.

Just theorising, if Hrgovic could be given a big fight which made him unavailable, would that give the IBF pause? Would they still be inclined to strip and sanction two fighters outside the top two for the vacant title? I would need to read their rules to get a clearer picture.

[Toffee]

Just theorising, if Hrgovic could be given a big fight which made him unavailable, would that give the IBF pause? Would they still be inclined to strip and sanction two fighters outside the top two for the vacant title? I would need to read their rules to get a clearer picture.

'His Excellency' seems to think everyone will do what he wants, or pays for.

Mind you, the IBF didn't play ball with Opetaia and the Day of Reckoning fight.

Maybe Hearn and others are foreshadowing the Undisputed Belt actually being up for grabs. Undisputed effectively becoming lineal. While I don't mind someone rendering the orgs obsolete, I don't particularly want it to be Saudi Arabia.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

I reckon the IBF still strip the Fury-Usyk winner. If Fury wins I’m sure he’s said he’ll vacate because of how they stripped him back in 2015, but Fury says a lot of things so I’d take that with a pinch of salt. The IBF always follow their rules though tbf, so I can’t see them bending and allowing AJ to jump in front of Hrgovic, unless he maybe takes step aside money, which would likely be a considerable amount if Fury-AJ is potentially on the table.

I think this “undisputed belt” is going to be like a WBC special belt for the Fury-Usyk winner, but who knows how things develop from there. It’ll be interesting to see if they make another one for Beterbiev-Bivol and/or any other undisputed fight that happens in Saudi.

[dan-b]

While I don't mind someone rendering the orgs obsolete, I don't particularly want it to be Saudi Arabia.

Championing Saudi Arabia to displace the sanctioning bodies is not dissimilar to the politically disillusioned supporting billionaires and entrusting them to work for the general good rather than their own interests.

With that said, the sanctioning bodies have always been premised on arbitrary authority so seeing someone upset that will be quite funny, even if it doesn't last.

[Combat Talk Radio]

Saudis are clearly wrestling fans as well.

[Marchegiano]

We're just talking about that image right? Did I miss the actual physical belt? All I've seen is a picture that does not look any better than my ****ty belts I give out for my game.

I don't think this is anything more than a one-off trinket. Unless the four bodies lay out a path for mandatories and unis then all a transferable belt for an undisputed will ever be is like the Ring belt. Not lineal, but a close approximation.

We don't need to see a time when one man holds four belts but another holds one called undisputed. That'd be stupid. So it's either a trinket or they're about to lay out a unis path similar to their mandos path.

imo

[Toffee]

https://queensberry.co.uk/history-in-the-making/

What an incentive for all four fighters! H.E. also proudly put on display the newly created Undisputed belt, which is an excellent innovation, in my book.
Look, we all know keeping all four belts in one place following an undisputed fight is often a nigh on impossible proposition. This being the case, it is completely appropriate for the achievement to be marked with a special belt so the recognition of reaching the pinnacle is maintained until such a time when the champion either loses or calls it a day.

So there you go... the 'Undisputed' belt will effectively be a new lineal designation. Transferable in fights regardless of what organisation's belts a fighter holds.

When Eddie talks about Joshua becoming Undisputed... I'm now assuming he's talking about this belt rather than the four orgs... because it's a much more realistic possibility.

If the main promoters are on board and the fighters are being paid well to be on board... then it stands to reason that this is going to carry more and more weight. Maybe so much so that the orgs might need to fall in line and not strip fighters.

Or maybe there's a massive power play... Fury or Usyk immediately drop the other belts and render them obsolete?

The Saudis have decided after just a few fights that now is the time to take over the division.

[daggum]

Thank you for saving boxing Saudi Arabia, you did what haymon pretended to do, I forgive 9/11

[MulaKO]

'His Excellency' seems to think everyone will do what he wants, or pays for.

Mind you, the IBF didn't play ball with Opetaia and the Day of Reckoning fight.

Maybe Hearn and others are foreshadowing the Undisputed Belt actually being up for grabs. Undisputed effectively becoming lineal. While I don't mind someone rendering the orgs obsolete, I don't particularly want it to be Saudi Arabia.

'His Excellency' seems to think everyone will do what he wants, or pays for.

Maybe now everyone can understand the thread I started , his excellency flexing his power

Toffee seems to understand what I meant and seems to be getting my feeling that we need to bow to his excellency cause of his cash

Toffee , now do you get me and unfortunately I don’t know how to retrieve my post of his excellency flexing his power