Is there any shame in a Champ taking a tune-up fight?

[crowntowntaps]

Ive heard before, champs dont take tune ups. But lets say you have a fighter that holds an alphabet title, and the linear champ of that division has a very difficult style. Would it be wrong if the alphabet champ took 1 or 2 fights with lesser opponents with a similar style to prep himself?

And I am talking about actual tune up fights not TBD's and give me fights with ex sparring partner and Rob Salkas.

[-PBP-]

In the old days it was common. Not even really old days, Whitaker, Chavez, De La Hoya and others did it as well.

What I look for is how often is he fighting every year, is he still fighting his mandatories and other top contenders, is he coming off a loss/tough fight, is he moving up a weight division, do I have to pay for it and what happens next?

I would have had no problem with Garcia vs. Salka if it wasn't a headliner on ShowTime.

[Jsmooth9876]

When you're fighting 2 times a year there shouldn't be any tune ups involved. 4 or 5 times a year then sure, I don't think you'd be able to land 4-5 big name fights a year anyway so lesser names would be ok.
When you're a champion and fighting twice a year one should be your mandatory and the other the biggest fight you can make in your division or the division below or above you.. Just IMO.

[brettWall]

If you stop attacking Mayweather's or Pacquiao's opponents in virtually every fight they take, then it's probably okay. These two are no longer young and in their primes, but guys like Garcia, Thurman, Broner, etc. are. Can you imagine Mayweather or Pacquiao fighting Rees, Karass, Malignaggi, Salka, etc.? Hell will break loose.

[f15bone]

Tune up fights aren't just acceptable but necessary...

[GeneralZod]

No, it simply depends on how often it's done and how outmatched the opponent is.

[vorgaphe]

I agree with the previous comments - it depends entirely on how often a champ is fighting. If you only have 2-3 a year then it's unacceptable, but anymore then you should allowed them. Also special exceptions can be made for returns from injury and jumps in weight classes.

[gmc_rfc_06]

It's alright, on occassion.

If you want to go the Santa Cruz route (Stevenson doing the same atm) of fighting bum after bum then it's a problem. A tune up between big fights though? No problem.

[SilverMiles]

When you're fighting 2 times a year there shouldn't be any tune ups involved. 4 or 5 times a year then sure, I don't think you'd be able to land 4-5 big name fights a year anyway so lesser names would be ok.
When you're a champion and fighting twice a year one should be your mandatory and the other the biggest fight you can make in your division or the division below or above you.. Just IMO.

This, it's killing the sport when the best fights take 2 years to make because fighters want to fight only twice a year and would rather pad their records with tune ups rather than serious comp.

If fighters fought more than I would have zero issues with a tune up or two in-between big fights but they shouldn't be title fights.

[brettWall]

This, it's killing the sport when the best fights take 2 years to make because fighters want to fight only twice a year and would rather pad their records with tune ups rather than serious comp.

If fighters fought more than I would have zero issues with a tune up or two in-between big fights but they shouldn't be title fights.

That's why fantasy fights remain fantasy fights. People assume that they will eventually happen. They won't by the rate things are going, even if you have multiple lifetimes. I don't think it's possible if they only take one big fight for every 2 years or so. By the time they fight, if at all, they're no longer in their primes.