Since when did "earning the fight" become a thing?

[Chrismart]

Yeah, it's daft. Every fighter who says 'so and so needs to earn the fight' will no doubt fight a guy in the not to distant future, who hasn't himself done anything to 'earn the fight'.

Even boxing fans throw that term around now.

[jas]

best fight the best..........

just go by the rankings

real simple

[Eff Pandas]

With all the mismatches from the bottom to the top of boxing this is usually the case is the reality. When its a champion or top ten guy saying it about a another title holder or top ten guy its usually some degree of bull**** doe. I mean anyone in the top 10 should already be in the "earned" any fight place in their career. Granted there maybe a better earned it guy option & often that is the valid reason this is being said, but usually its not from what I see.

For example, Stevenson acting like Pascal, a legit top ten guy, is beneath him while fighting some virtually unknown non-top ten guy is bs (after fighting two previous guys who weren't in the top ten @ his weight, not talking about the alphabet top ten, talking about a indie top ten before I get someone saying but dude was #9 in the WBA).

[soul_survivor]

best fight the best..........

just go by the rankings

real simple

But the rankings aren't always accurate, at one stage, Ring had Thurman 3rd or 4th, over a bunch of more proven guys at the weight. Should Thurman be in line for a Pac/May shot before Bradley or Brook or even Porter? Hell no.

[MBE]

Champions recognise other skilled fighters, and those skilled fighters have to earn the right for a champion to risk his title by facing them and not a soft touch instead. Pretty simple.

[mikinoki]

All I see is fighters saying x,y,z hasn't "earned" a fight with them. Yet in their immediate previous fights they usually fought at least a couple of guys who shouldn't have been in the ring with them.

That's what happens when you don't have a gov body...

[mikinoki]

best fight the best..........

just go by the rankings

real simple

that's UFC gay logic bro.This is boxing outplay,outsmart,outduck!

[BigAlexSand]

Sadly not many fighters have the choice of a goodbye fight but retire after a lose to lesser opposition. Personally I have no problem with a vet champ getting a goodbye fight. In my view, every damn fighter deserves one!

[BrometheusBob.]

It's usually a diversion to justify a fight against someone who has earned the fight even less than the fighters the fans would choose.

[jqSide]

This thread is dumb

You know Al haymon has been holding back thurman and now tmt is trying to weasel spence in. Spence just got off a guy who was on a 2 year lay off in 1 weeks notice. Gtfoh with your slurping agenda . :wank:

But you have to admit Thurman used to say he'll fight anyone that's put in front of him. I'm sure you've seen a video of an unknown Thurman railing at Malignaggi for not fighting him. What happened?

Anyone have a link of that video?