Hypothetically, if GGG becomes a star does the IBO belt go up in value?

[Cloud]

If Lennox Lewis couldn't raise its value back in the day.. I like the IBO. It's a pain in the ass they use BoxRec rankings but they only have one title for their divisions so.. They're below the big four but above the rest.

IBO > every other belt for me.

[SlySlickSmooth]

If Lennox Lewis couldn't raise its value back in the day.. I like the IBO. It's a pain in the ass they use BoxRec rankings but they only have one title for their divisions so.. They're below the big four but above the rest.

IBO > every other belt for me.

Their most notable champions (that I recognize) right now:

Klitschko - Heavyweight
Chakhkiev - Cruiserweight
Golovkin - Middleweight
Lara - Super Welterweight
Payano (beat Rau'Shee Warren) - Bantamweight

[SlySlickSmooth]

slyslicksmooth -

IF klitschko and golovkin unify the WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO/IBO and then throw the big four in the garbage and insist the IBO title is the only credible belt (due to the computer rankings), the industry would have no choice but to recognize the IBO. it would be pretty close to instant, like what the IBF pulled off with holmes.

but i don't think K2 would do that in a million years, so it's a moot point.

interesting point. but highly unlikely it happens now with four other belts in the equation. the next champions would just have to target the belt i suppose.

[BattleAxePurist]

Their most notable champions (that I recognize) right now:

Klitschko - Heavyweight
Chakhkiev - Cruiserweight
Golovkin - Middleweight
Lara - Super Welterweight
Payano (beat Rau'Shee Warren) - Bantamweight

How dare you leave off Hekkie Budler from that list after all the only reason Golovkin went after the IBO belt was when he heard Budler had one and we know how he's basically a MW version of the Hexecutioner

[Grimmer]

Belts are only as credible as the boxers who hold them.

In the heavyweight division the IBO belt is a bigger prize than the WBC, because the fighter who holds it is better.

[Grimmer]

In any division, the IBO belt is an afterthought. It's not recognized by the fighters, media, promoters or sanctioning bodies. It's not recognized by anybody except a few websites that the IBO happens to buy advertising from.

Fair point, it doesn't have the glamour of the others.

However at the moment it's held by the long standing heavyweight champion of the world, if Wlad was stripped of all his other belts and only held the IBO then it would still be more worthwhile winning than the other belts due to the credibility of the holder.

But my point is really that the mentality that "one belt means more than another" is fruitless and detracts from observing who the best actual boxer is in a division. Because if you rely on belts to understand who the best fighters are you'll be often fooled.

[Finito2K]

The IBO has had many fighters wear their straps in the past at least once, even Pacquiao and Mayweather have fought for their straps.

Klitschko owns the IBO strap. When Fury wins he will own the strap and when he unifies with the WBC he'll own 5 organization belts + The Ring belt.

Golovkin as well owns an IBO belt and seeks to unify the division and it looks likely it will happen for him.

Is the IBO gaining in value? 15 years ago the WBO wasn't on the same level of prestige.

No. If he becomes a star, Golovkin will then be recognized as the newly minted IBO Super Cubic Zirconium Middleweight Champion.