Would you oppose a PBC world title?

[LacedUp]

Yes definitely. Waste of time and wouldn't mean anything.

[kafkod]

And PBC is the only chance there is of that happening.

Any boxing fan that wants one champion per division should be supporting PBC and encouraging fighters to join PBC.

If PBC is successful, boxing fans will have the one champion per division they desire, boxing fans won't have to buy PPVs or pay for premium subscriptions anymore, boxing fans will be able to see all of the match ups they desire, etc.

The current fragmented four belt system benefits the fighters, networks and promoters, but is terrible for FANS.

For the boxing fan, PBC is the hope that nobody really thought would ever come along. There will obviously be growing pains. PBC is trying to take over a sport ruled by decades of corruption. It's not going to be easy. But if they pull it off, the fans benefit more than anybody.

What you are talking about there, with boxers having to sign with Haymon to fight for the PBC belt, is the UFC model, and that will never work in boxing. There is so much more money in the sport worldwide than there ever was in MMA before the UFC arrived.

The best boxing prospects know they can earn 6 figure purses without signing with Haymon, so there is no incentive for them to do it and give him a cut. Especially as they know it could possibly block them from getting big money fights or title opportunities against fighters handled by promoters Haymon won't do business with.

If Al allowed anybody to fight for a PBC belt, and invited the highest ranked fighters in every division to come and have a shot, whether they were signed with him or not, and played it strictly by the book, no favouritism shown, then eventually you might end up with a situation where the PBC belt became the most respected title in boxing. Which would make the alphabet boys redundant and superflous.

It would take a while though, and there would be many obstacles to overcome.

But who knows. Maybe what Haymon is aiming for, as his ultimate objective, is for the PBC to become the boxing equivalent of FIFA, the world governing body of football (soccer), rather than boxing's UFC.

[M Bison]

Then we will have a HBO belt a TR Belt, MR Belt... lol
Those belts mean nothing, we want rival promotions to meet to make big fights happen!

[techliam]

Techliam -

Reforming themselves how? You honestly thing the four organizations consolidating into one without another organization springing up is more likely than the smartest man in boxing with a 500 million dollar war chest and TV on every major network managing to cut them out of the equation?

As for Japan... the lower divisions ARE the minor league. What is a guy at 108 pounds getting paid compared to a guy at 160 pounds? How much more of a minor league could you be?

I wouldn't expect them to consolidate into one, at least not straight away. Them creating a unified championship between themselves is plausible however, a lot more plausible than the PBC taking over the entire sport (or in your argument, the select parts of the sport the US has any say in).

The comment regarding pay is a big shift in the goal posts then. You once argued it was about hoarding the prospects, if you want to be the champion you'll have to fight in the PBC, give the next generation would be the champions - has now become the PBC would be the place you'd get paid most. Am I wrong there? Whats your argument? Using what you've said makes no sense.... as the 'minor league' as you put it gets paid enough to remain where it is, well away from the PBC. Given PBC would literally have no equivalant down there, it'd be the only league.

Would your vision of PBC titles only affect a few divisions, then? What about Carl Froch, who made millions fighting in Wembley, how would PBC aim to snatch him? I doubt the US audience mattered too much in that scenario, apart from a new few extra notes in Hearn's pocket. He wouldn't make anywhere near as much fighting in the US, much less on PBC. Foreign stars are well placed to fight in their home countries, at least thats how the progression seems to be going. Heavyweight? Well the irony here is that Haymon loves the WBC title up there. But other than him (a top 5 HW) its a European dominated division, with BIG money coming from Russia. How do you see PBC challenging that? In the long term, the heavier divisions look to be absolutely dominated by Eastern Europe. Talking about the most powerful man in Boxing, Haymon couldn't lay a finger on Ryabinsky, hence a reasonable chance that Wilder, the US Hw titleholder could fight in Russia. That would have been unimaginable a few years ago.

[RoyJonesJrp4pno1]

Long term it's a good idea. Just eliminate all of the rediculous sanctioning bodies.

Haymon signs all of the talent. PBC on Fox, PBC on CBS, PBC on NBC and PBC on ESPN.

Long term it's the best thing that can be done. Don't recognise any titles, don't pay the sanctioning fees and make it 1 champion per weight class.

[Eff Pandas]

PBC is a sham. It will continue to grow smaller and smaller as it has been. Ratings keep sliding.

If the only thing you consider are ratings then you aren't considering the overall plan in play.

PBC is clearly expanding its influence. They have more shows, they are adding Fox as a network in 2016 & they will be dipping their toe in the UK market soon. If they go belly up it won't be for years & in years who knows what sorta top fighters they'll have or how all the TV time they have have created popular fighters that fans enjoy watching (I still believe Artur Beterbiev could be massive if pushed well + they need to get him speaking English sooner rather than later). This is a long term play yet people continual act like a L or a claimed L means all that much yet.

[daggum]

pbc is just the XFL. did anyone take the XFL champs seriously? no but they still had a championship so why not. they already lost half their value and thats why haymon is subsidizing his fighters by having most of the big money guys fight on showtime. so are the pbc champs going to fight on showtime and still be the champs or will they make a showtime championship too? the unified pbc-showtime champ

[bojangles1987]

Completely against it. It gives Haymon fighters even more of a reason not to fight anyone that isn't a Haymon fighter or a threat. Guys like Quillin and Jacobs can fight and have the winner be marketed as the best middleweight.

[deanrw]

Sure let's add them on. We need at least one world title for every fighter. If everyone is a world champion, then think of all the unification fights we could have

[Eff Pandas]

Would your vision of PBC titles only affect a few divisions, then? What about Carl Froch, who made millions fighting in Wembley, how would PBC aim to snatch him?

PBC is moving into the UK in 2016. They've been working with Hearn for months.

But other than him (a top 5 HW) its a European dominated division, with BIG money coming from Russia. How do you see PBC challenging that? In the long term, the heavier divisions look to be absolutely dominated by Eastern Europe. Talking about the most powerful man in Boxing, Haymon couldn't lay a finger on Ryabinsky, hence a reasonable chance that Wilder, the US Hw titleholder could fight in Russia. That would have been unimaginable a few years ago

I don't think this is a money thing as much of an idea thing. I think the promoters with PBC right now have made a decision that working with PBC for a flat fee (one would assume thats whats happening) & still doing their own side shows also is a very favorable position for them & greatly reducing their risk. I don't see why more promoters all over the globe would be opposed to that. What exactly is all being shared or how money is all being split up is unknown but the influence that PBC has gotten already is some unheard of **** in the boxing business so if nothing else Haymon is an epic closer to get so many people on board in the first 8 months. With that said I don't think its crazy to suggest that Haymon & Ryabinsky could end up working together at some point or maybe Ryabinsky even becomes an investor in PBC. I mean a reasonable assumption if this is all about money than Ryabinsky would already own boxing or have a failed attempt at it if he was capable of it or driven to attempt it.