Do Unifications Make For Better Divisions?

[Tony Trick-Pony]

Two of boxing's most stacked divisions are middleweight and light heavyweight.

Middleweight has been all but unified since 2016 and Light Heavyweight was nearly unified for a long time. In that time, these divisions have grown to be much more stacked than before.

Now, there are exceptions of course. 140 is all but unified but it isn't looking great. However, it only got unified very recently. Given time, who knows but with TC moving up, we probably won't know.

Heavyweight also was nearly unified for a good while, but I will say that it did more exciting and built up than before.

I think all this helps to illustrate that fewer belts get you better divisions and ultimately better fights and even better fighters.

Thoughts?

['b']

In unified divisions it gives the appearance that everyone else is a bum, which may or may not be true.

I agree that LHW is stacked but I always thought that MW was really weak, though it does seem to be 'heating up' after an on form BJS, Canelo, Charlo, Andrade and Jacobs has shown he is the real deal. Not all are proven commodities at MW though

[Tony Trick-Pony]

In unified divisions it gives the appearance that everyone else is a bum, which may or may not be true.

I agree that LHW is stacked but I always thought that MW was really weak, though it does seem to be 'heating up' after an on form BJS, Canelo, Charlo, Andrade and Jacobs has shown he is the real deal. Not all are proven commodities at MW though

Very true, but it seems like it was pretty dead in 2015 but is definitely making a comeback.

I think when titles get in the hands of one or two guys instead of four, more guys are willing to step up-especially those who haven't won a title before. A guy who's held them before may not be in such a hurry, but if you've never won a title and one guy has three or all of the belts, you'll try to fight whoever you have to in order to get the shot instead of just taking it easy until your shot from the four champions comes along. If guys aren't forced to test themselves, most won't. Don't get me wrong. Some still would, but I think the majority will take the safer road most times.

[GhostofDempsey]

It didn't seem to do much for 140. We never got Crawford vs. Broner or Crawford vs. Mikey. Crawford unified in a very weak division. Unifications should make for better divisions, but it doesn't always pan out that way if each champions hold titles hostage and refuse to fight the best. Wilder will milk that WBC strap for as long as possible by pricing himself out. I don't see an undisputed champion at WW ever. Especially when promoters want to have at least one champion in their stable. If Crawford wins the WBO from Horn, I don't expect Haymon will want to risk Thurman's titles against him, but I also don't expect Arum would want to risk Bud's title against Spence.

[club fighter]

I think all this helps to illustrate that fewer belts get you better divisions and ultimately better fights and even better fighters.

Thoughts?

That is "dead on the money"!!!, it probably will never go back to the old days of one belt, one organization, so I think unifications are the only alternative we have to see the cream of the crop.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

Two of boxing's most stacked divisions are middleweight and light heavyweight.

Middleweight has been all but unified since 2016 and Light Heavyweight was nearly unified for a long time. In that time, these divisions have grown to be much more stacked than before.

Now, there are exceptions of course. 140 is all but unified but it isn't looking great. However, it only got unified very recently. Given time, who knows but with TC moving up, we probably won't know.

Heavyweight also was nearly unified for a good while, but I will say that it did more exciting and built up than before.

I think all this helps to illustrate that fewer belts get you better divisions and ultimately better fights and even better fighters.

Thoughts?

I prefer when divisions are unified cause I like their to be a “man to beat” in each division. However I don’t think it massively impacts the depth or quality of a division. It’s more to do with money and earning potential tbh. The middleweight division for example has begun to heat up cause GGG and especially Canelo are now big money fights, so you get guys like Charlo, Andrade etc moving up looking for these big fights and big paydays. The same thing happened for years at 147 cause of Floyd, Pac and before then ODLH etc.
I think the belts being unified can create better non title match ups as top contenders may have to fight one another just to get to a title shot or to earn money as they can’t just pick up a belt and milk it making meaningless defenses. But as I said I don’t think it directly influences the depth of the division. I mean look at HW, under the Klitschko’s the belts remained unified for years and the division always remained pretty weak.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

I prefer when divisions are unified cause I like their to be a “man to beat” in each division. However I don’t think it massively impacts the depth or quality of a division. It’s more to do with money and earning potential tbh. The middleweight division for example has begun to heat up cause GGG and especially Canelo are now big money fights, so you get guys like Charlo, Andrade etc moving up looking for these big fights and big paydays. The same thing happened for years at 147 cause of Floyd, Pac and before then ODLH etc.
I think the belts being unified can create better non title match ups as top contenders may have to fight one another just to get to a title shot or to earn money as they can’t just pick up a belt and milk it making meaningless defenses. But as I said I don’t think it directly influences the depth of the division. I mean look at HW, under the Klitschko’s the belts remained unified for years and the division always remained pretty weak.

This is something else I've noticed. Even guys like Lemiuex and Curtis Stevens fought each other and as sad as it is to say, had the belts been freed up, I doubt even that would happen.

I can see the money aspect being the most important doe. Lots of guys are moving in to cash out with a GGG or Canelo fight. Makes perfect sense.

Yeah, the heavyweights didn't really take off. I guess the fact that the Klitschkos mainly fought in Germany had a lot to do with it. They were never that famous over here in the states. Too bad though. I think they could compete in any era and would have made for some big money fights if they ever took off over here.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

It didn't seem to do much for 140. We never got Crawford vs. Broner or Crawford vs. Mikey. Crawford unified in a very weak division. Unifications should make for better divisions, but it doesn't always pan out that way if each champions hold titles hostage and refuse to fight the best. Wilder will milk that WBC strap for as long as possible by pricing himself out. I don't see an undisputed champion at WW ever. Especially when promoters want to have at least one champion in their stable. If Crawford wins the WBO from Horn, I don't expect Haymon will want to risk Thurman's titles against him, but I also don't expect Arum would want to risk Bud's title against Spence.

The 140 thing to me was pretty crazy. As of June 2016, there are four champions. As of August 2017, there is one champion. I don't think I've ever seen four titles unified so quickly like that. Either way doe, I think it would help build up the division and more of your better fighters would be fighting each other since they have no choice but to do that for a shot or move up. However, it seems Bud will move up and then there'll be four again. A real shame. I wish he had a couple of good fighters to keep him there. Would be interesting to watch a unified division for a while. Middleweight's getting deeper doe...

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

This is something else I've noticed. Even guys like Lemiuex and Curtis Stevens fought each other and as sad as it is to say, had the belts been freed up, I doubt even that would happen.

I can see the money aspect being the most important doe. Lots of guys are moving in to cash out with a GGG or Canelo fight. Makes perfect sense.

Yeah, the heavyweights didn't really take off. I guess the fact that the Klitschkos mainly fought in Germany had a lot to do with it. They were never that famous over here in the states. Too bad though. I think they could compete in any era and would have made for some big money fights if they ever took off over here.

Completely agree man, hopefully we get more of these top contender fights starting with guys like Jacobs/Charlo/Andrade etc.
As for the Klitschko’s I feel they were unlucky in the fact that they never really had any true competitors in the division that weren’t blood related to them. Their (Wlad’s mainly) style was also a negative factor for them, the safety approach didn’t sit well with a lot of powerful boxing men and boxing media in the US. I agree they could hang (certainly Vitali cause of his chin) with most but not all of the HW greats

[Tony Trick-Pony]

Completely agree man, hopefully we get more of these top contender fights starting with guys like Jacobs/Charlo/Andrade etc.
As for the Klitschko’s I feel they were unlucky in the fact that they never really had any true competitors in the division that weren’t blood related to them. Their (Wlad’s mainly) style was also a negative factor for them, the safety approach didn’t sit well with a lot of powerful boxing men and boxing media in the US. I agree they could hang (certainly Vitali cause of his chin) with most but not all of the HW greats

Top contender fights would help the sport a lot in my opinion. When every single fight is for a belt, the belts just don't mean much. Tournaments and top contender fights are a lot of fun and help build the story for the next title fights because every great fight needs a good story to hype it up.

True enough, their style didn't sit too well, but I mean, they usually did get the KO. Everyone likes KOs, but of course, they never went tooth and nail like Holyfield-Bowe or anything. However, I think you have to give Wlad plenty of credit for the Joshua fight. They did go after each other. Best heavy fight I've seen in years.