So, how do guys get world title shots?

[soul_survivor]

This is a bit of a rhetorical question and also a critique of the modern system. I know promoters and managers have always paid off officials to move their guys up rankings but at least at one stage it meant the best guys were getting themselves into a position to fight the other best guy, leading to becoming a contender and then a title shot. Nowadays we have guys who have lost their previous fight or not fought for years getting titles shots.

Case in point, Lomachenko is about to defend his world "championship" against a guy who has lost his previous fight. There is Stiverne who hasn't had a fight since 2015 or a genuine world level win since ...well ever. And yet he is in line for a shot at Wilder.

The reality is, inactive guys or guys coming off of losses are getting world title shots, not only does that devalue the fight, it devalues the importance of the defended championship.

[MasterPlan]

Money.

Not enough money guaranteed for the opponent they really want so they pass.

Promoters pay money to get their fighter to move up in the rankings to get a title shot.

[Luilun]

If you ask Wilder he finds them in a alley drinking Thunder Bird

[GhostofDempsey]

Good question. I think it speaks more to the power and control that certain fighters inherit once they are title holders. Many are and have been allowed to chose their own challengers. Then you have the corrupt sanctioning bodies that insist that Stiverne is a mandatory for Wilder after two years of inactivity and ones that ranked Jeff Horn #2 in the world. Garbage.

[soul_survivor]

If you ask Wilder he finds them in a alley drinking Thunder Bird

hahahaha green k sent

Good question. I think it speaks more to the power and control that certain fighters inherit once they are title holders. Many are and have been allowed to chose their own challengers. Then you have the corrupt sanctioning bodies that insist that Stiverne is a mandatory for Wilder after two years of inactivity and ones that ranked Jeff Horn #2 in the world. Garbage.

Yep. The champions themselves are another issue. They can turn down opponents if they wish and sanctioning bodies often resist stripping them of titles because they want the sanctioning fees, especially is a fighter is being heavily promoted or is already a star.

A sad state of affairs.