If being a world champion truly matters to a fighter...

[Hougigo]

Unifying is ******ed. It's near impossible with the sanctioning body politics. And most of the times the belt holders aren't the best or the most proven of the division.

Plus they don't want to fight each other most the time

[The Big Dunn]

Good tread/idea. But that's the problem with boxing today. The belt organization & promoters have turned boxing into a business 1st, sport second.

Which is why I'm glad that Bradley & Devon stepped up to 147. Both were unified champion & Devon is going after his strap next. Watch, these boys along with Paulie & the new guys are gonna bring prestige back to welterweight which has been held hostage by Floyd & Pacman for far too long.

Bush, at what point in the sport's history was professional boxing not a business?

[purecyse]

We have multiple belts due to multiple organizations being able to make money off said belt so, as someone that acknowledges that boxing is also a very, very profitable business, I can't say there should only be one belt.

One belt also makes it a possibility that deserving fighters may never get their chance. Four belts having different rankings and, thus, different mandatories has its upside in that regard.

We can say that the sanctioning bodies don't want this or that but we have a concrete example of a fighter that makes in work in Wladimir.

There are several other fighters that could also make it work but just choose not to. Mayweather and Pacquiao could have already made it work. There have been multiple worldwide accepted talents that chose not to gather all the recognized belts.

I also see that the belt organizations aren't even hiding their corruption anymore but few champions are even trying nowadays so I whole-heartedly support Donaire's current quest. If he succeeds, he could have three belts within a year's time and he would be a talented fighter with a modest fanbase that reaffirms the faith of fighters and fans that it can work at the lower weights.

Btw, I don't think Dawson beating Hopkins, who beat Pascal, who beat Dawson, makes Dawson THE MAN at 175. He's leaving the weight without even trying to meet Cloud,Campillo, Cleverly or even Pascal WHO BEAT HIM AT THE WEIGHT.

[The Big Dunn]

We have multiple belts due to multiple organizations being able to make money off said belt so, as someone that acknowledges that boxing is also a very, very profitable business, I can't say there should only be one belt.

One belt also makes it a possibility that deserving fighters may never get their chance. Four belts having different rankings and, thus, different mandatories has its upside in that regard.

We can say that the sanctioning bodies don't want this or that but we have a concrete example of a fighter that makes in work in Wladimir.

There are several other fighters that could also make it work but just choose not to. Mayweather and Pacquiao could have already made it work. There have been multiple worldwide accepted talents that chose not to gather all the recognized belts.

I also see that the belt organizations aren't even hiding their corruption anymore but few champions are even trying nowadays so I whole-heartedly support Donaire's current quest. If he succeeds, he could have three belts within a year's time and he would be a talented fighter with a modest fanbase that reaffirms the faith of fighters and fans that it can work at the lower weights.

Btw, I don't think Dawson beating Hopkins, who beat Pascal, who beat Dawson, makes Dawson THE MAN at 175. He's leaving the weight without even trying to meet Cloud,Campillo, Cleverly or even Pascal WHO BEAT HIM AT THE WEIGHT.

Reminder, floyd unified all belts once, after he beat baldo and zab.

[purecyse]

Reminder, floyd unified all belts once, after he beat baldo and zab.

If I recall correctly, he dropped the belt he beat out of Judah right after he received it. It was tainted.

In fact, I think Judah was the last person to hold three of the four significant belts at welterweight when he knocked the WBC, WBA and IBF belts out of Spinks. The WBO was the only one he lacked.

[The Big Dunn]

If I recall correctly, he dropped the belt he beat out of Judah right after he received it. It was tainted.

In fact, I think Judah was the last person to hold three of the four significant belts at welterweight when he knocked the WBC, WBA and IBF belts out of Spinks. The WBO was the only one he lacked.

Belt wasn't tainted. Zab lost to Baldo, but IBF wasn't being defended. Floyd beat baldo for WBA/WBC belts then beat zab for the IBF belt. WBO belt isn't significant back then.

[bojangles1987]

Unifying is ******ed. It's near impossible with the sanctioning body politics. And most of the times the belt holders aren't the best or the most proven of the division.

I can't believe you were the first person to say this. This should have been the first post in the thread. Even when fighters do try to unify, the sanctioning bodies prevent it. Unifying is pointless, because belts mean nothing anymore.

[purecyse]

Belt wasn't tainted. Zab lost to Baldo, but IBF wasn't being defended. Floyd beat baldo for WBA/WBC belts then beat zab for the IBF belt. WBO belt isn't significant back then.

The IBF wasn't being defended only because Baldomir didn't pay the sanctioning fee for the belt or some such.

Floyd was already ready to fight Judah so he went ahead with the fight and, of course, was criticized for the decision to fight Judah so he ended up dropping his belt and fighting the, now, lineal champion at welterweight in Baldomir.

[The Big Dunn]

The IBF wasn't being defended only because Baldomir didn't pay the sanctioning fee for the belt or some such.

Floyd was already ready to fight Judah so he went ahead with the fight and, of course, was criticized for the decision to fight Judah so he ended up dropping his belt and fighting the, now, lineal champion at welterweight in Baldomir.

Agreed. Zab fight was signed prior to zab/baldo. Point is floyd unified ww titles already. I just think you should point that out. If you want him to do it again, ok.

[purecyse]

I can't believe you were the first person to say this. This should have been the first post in the thread. Even when fighters do try to unify, the sanctioning bodies prevent it. Unifying is pointless, because belts mean nothing anymore.

The belts can't mean nothing anymore when every fighter of note has one (aside from Pacquiao) and every fighter coming up wants one.

Mayweather is supposedly beyond needing belts but paid the fees for the WBC belt to be put on the line against Ortiz AND the WBA belt to be put on the line against Cotto.

Even if the belts are just for accomplishments to be added to their legacies, unifying has always been a big deal among even the purist of boxing fans due to the want for the belts to stand for something again.