How Much Does It Really Mean, To Be A World Champion Nowadays?

[Long jabber]

You're frame of mind is outdated and obsolete.

Please update your firmware as soon as possible!

sorry but real boxing fans know whats up. just because you have the belt doesnt mean youre the champion. the real champion is the one who holds all the belts.

[CubanGuyNYC]

It was probably a good idea to evolve past the original eight divisions, but having more than one so-called champion per division undeniably hurt the sport. Sadly, that’s not likely to ever change. At least most serious fans tend to recognize the top dog in each division. Of course, there are sometimes more than one guy who can arguably be called “the man.” And, once again — sadly — in today’s world, we usually have to wait years before those guys meet in the ring...if ever.

[N/A]

There are 4 belts per division, and we're always seeing undeserving fighters holding one of them.

Well, to be fair, there are a lot more than 4 belts. We simply choose to recognize 4 of them as world championships. The problem is, that's at least one too many and probably two too many. I know you'll say there should only be 1, but there's never only been 1 and 1 is totally unrealistic.

Not only that, but these sanctioning bodies are sus.

All big businesses are "sus." Every sports organization is "sus." The problem is that by not having one dominant league, fans get frustrated and lose interest. Boxing desperately needs a UFC model that leaves all four sanctioning bodies in the dust.

What happened to there only being 1 world title per division

When was that? It's a fantasy that never actually existed.

[N/A]

People with belts aren't champions. It's the one who holds them all that's the true champion.

Sounds good on the surface, but doesn't really make any sense when you break it down.

If someone holds the USBA belt, then they are the USBA champion. No different than a basketball team winning their division and being the Southeast division champion. To insist the fighter is a "beltholder" or the basketball team is the "bannerholder" is nerdy semantics that is ultimately pedantic.

If a fighter holds all four world titles, they are the undisputed champion. If you want to make the case that a fighter who holds one world title is simply the champion of the organization and not the champion of the world, that's fine. They're still a champion. To insist the WBO champion isn't a champion is pretty ******. They're the champion of the WBO, just as the New York City ping pong champion is still a champion.

[Long jabber]

Sounds good on the surface, but doesn't really make any sense when you break it down.

If someone holds the USBA belt, then they are the USBA champion. No different than a basketball team winning their division and being the Southeast division champion. To insist the fighter is a "beltholder" or the basketball team is the "bannerholder" is nerdy semantics that is ultimately pedantic.

If a fighter holds all four world titles, they are the undisputed champion. If you want to make the case that a fighter who holds won world title is simply the champion of the organization and not the champion of the world, that's fine. They're still a champion. To insist the WBO champion isn't a champion is pretty ******. They're the champion of the WBO, just as the New York City ping pong champion is still a champion.

The thread is about being a world champ not a organizational champ. I mean the definition of champion is defeating all rivals and competition. And you can't do that at a world level without taking all the belts.

[N/A]

Guys like Joshua & Canelo would barely hurt if not improve their upside by never holding a title ever again in their career & just making the best choices for opponents here on out & immediately vacating any title they happened to win.

Canelo has shown he can vacate and duck, cherry pick easier belts, etc. and his Mexican fans will fall for it.

But it would do massive damage to Joshua's drawing power if he refused to fight for the titles. The titles are precisely what has made him so big. His desire to unify and reign as the supreme heavyweight champion is part of what has made him so popular.

Here in the US, the media has spent decades ****ting all over the championships of the sport. Overseas is a bit different. a British or European championship fight can be a huge deal over there. The world championships are largely treated with respect.

Imagine a "domestic clash" for the USBA title being treated by HBO or Showtime as a major prestigious championship? You'd never see it. But things are different in other countries. Where the industry hasn't tried to commit suicide by convincing the public that the fighters' accomplishments are meaningless.

[Long jabber]

Canelo has shown he can vacate and duck, cherry pick easier belts, etc. and his Mexican fans will fall for it.

But it would do massive damage to Joshua's drawing power if he refused to fight for the titles. The titles are precisely what has made him so big. His desire to unify and reign as the supreme heavyweight champion is part of what has made him so popular.

Here in the US, the media has spent decades ****ting all over the championships of the sport. Overseas is a bit different. a British or European championship fight can be a huge deal over there. The world championships are largely treated with respect.

Imagine a "domestic clash" for the USBA title being treated by HBO or Showtime as a major prestigious championship? You'd never see it. But things are different in other countries. Where the industry hasn't tried to commit suicide by convincing the public that the fighters' accomplishments are meaningless.

What made Joshua big imo wass the fight with wlad, not the belts he received after. I admit it helps with the fame.

[N/A]

Well there are weird rankings and like 1000 versions of each belt

The rankings really aren't that weird once you understand them. The organizations don't rank the top 15 fighters in the world. They each rank the top 15 fighters in the world who are currently pursuing their title. Big difference.

Depending on how many fighters are pursuing multiple titles, you could have dozens of fighters in the top 15 of at least one of the four leagues. Being #15 in the IBF doesn't mean you're #15 in the world, it means you're #15 in the IBF. Which means you might be #30 in the world.

There aren't a thousand versions of each belt. Only the WBA has multiple world titles in the same division. The WBO super title is in place of the world title, not in addition to. The WBC diamond title is an honorary award, not a world title.

[N/A]

I visit a boxing forum every day and would struggle to tell you who the formalchampions are in any given division/belt org.

You seriously don't know who the WBC heavyweight champion is? Or who the IBF heavyweight champion is?

[N/A]

no theyre not champions theyre belt holders. youre telling me a division has 4 champions?

A weight class may have a hundred champions. Doesn't mean they aren't champions. Just means they aren't undisputed world champions.

The AFC champions are champions. Champions of the AFC. You can call them "trophyholders" if you want, but it's pretty silly.

The WBO champion is the champion of the WBO. Calling them a "beltholder" instead of a champion is incorrect, nerdy, and ******.