WBO belts

[Exciterx30]

I already posted this on another thread but to make sure that some members read it, I'll post it here.

Why is the WBO so lightly regarded? I've heard about the fishy rankings and all that but still,some of the top fighters in their divisions are currently WBO champs. Some are Ivan Calderón(105),Diego Corrales(135),Miguel Cotto(140),Antonio Margarito(147),Bernard Hopkins(160),and Joe Calzaghe(168).

[Neuraxis]

Not to mention that the light heavyweight linear champion only had the WBO belt because all of the other belts either screwed or bent over for Roy Jones Jr.

[neils7147933]

The WBO belt used to be a paper belt. If the champion fought for one of the "Big 3" belts, the WBO would strip them.

I hope they discontinue this practice. Having Cotto or Corrales carry their belt is a credit to their organization.

When the WBA will strip the champ, call them "super" and then set up another "title" fight, the WBO is becoming much more legitimate.

Even HBO & Showtime acknowledge when it is a WBO title fight, unlike the IBA, WBU, NABF,etc.

They even call Lamon Brewster one of 4 heavyweight "Champs", which is a new thing. No one was calling W. Klitschko or Sanders "champ"

[Neuraxis]

The WBO belt used to be a paper belt. If the champion fought for one of the "Big 3" belts, the WBO would strip them.

I hope they discontinue this practice. Having Cotto or Corrales carry their belt is a credit to their organization.

When the WBA will strip the champ, call them "super" and then set up another "title" fight, the WBO is becoming much more legitimate.

Even HBO & Showtime acknowledge when it is a WBO title fight, unlike the IBA, WBU, NABF,etc.

They even call Lamon Brewster one of 4 heavyweight "Champs", which is a new thing. No one was calling W. Klitschko or Sanders "champ"

I guess the folks at Showtime don't count.

[neils7147933]

I guess the folks at Showtime don't count.

Sorry, I don't follow you.

[Neuraxis]

I think it was Vitali against Obed Sullivan on Showtime and they were talking about he was the only with a heavyweight title belt besides Lewis.

[neils7147933]

My bad - I didn't remember that. A lot of stations always made the distinction between "titleholders" and "champs". When Vitali fought Sanders, I remember seeing the other 3 champs in the online poll for HBO as to who was the real champ and was surprised to see Brewster there. The people I were watching with agreed with me.

Sorry about the false information- I'll own up to it when I'm wrong.

[Neuraxis]

My bad - I didn't remember that. A lot of stations always made the distinction between "titleholders" and "champs". When Vitali fought Sanders, I remember seeing the other 3 champs in the online poll for HBO as to who was the real champ and was surprised to see Brewster there. The people I were watching with agreed with me.

Sorry about the false information- I'll own up to it when I'm wrong.

Yeah HBO really contradicted itself that night too. When Sanders was making his entrance they said that it was his first title fight.

[Neuraxis]

My bad - I didn't remember that. A lot of stations always made the distinction between "titleholders" and "champs". When Vitali fought Sanders, I remember seeing the other 3 champs in the online poll for HBO as to who was the real champ and was surprised to see Brewster there. The people I were watching with agreed with me.

Sorry about the false information- I'll own up to it when I'm wrong.

You would have had to have seen the fight to have made a mistake. It seems like Showtime because it has more WBO beltholders than HBO that it would want the WBO belt to be considered as good as the others.

[neils7147933]

Did you notice during the previews for DLH/Hopkins that Hopkins held his three belts but Oscar didn't his? I wonder if it was because it was a minor belt - or that Oscar wanted people to forget how he "won" that belt.

I see the WBO belt becoming one of the big 4 very soon. That being said, belts are less and less important anyway. I think it was the Rico Hoye vs. Montell Griffin fight where Hoye was fighting to earn the #1 contender spot for the IBF light heavyweight belt (bad decision win for Hoye - but off topic). This "prospect" looking for his shot at being a "champ" already was carrying multiple belts to the ring.

Though the WBA belt used to be a great one to hold, those working below the "super" champ have to be self-conscious about carrying it to the ring. Maybe the WBO belt will surpass that one as one of the 3 most prestigious titles.