NEW YORK, NY — Unity, a part of boxing that has contributed to a downfall and more than one champion. More than one weight class with a confused title picture that continues to plague a sport in need of attention. Even the experts who follow on a daily basis have difficulty identifying who is who? What weight class? What title is around his or her waist?
It’s enough to cause more division. Confusion and more skeptics who won’t give boxing attention. Yes, the fighters deserve better but as they say this is boxing politics with alphabet sanctioning organizations of the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, NABF, and so on.
You get the picture, boxing has no unity with a champion and promoters that stage big time fights adhere to the alphabet soup. They have no choice in the matter as sanctioning bodies dictate mandatory opponents for their titles and purse bid deadlines.
Image Credit: Ring Magazine
Another example this week, Dmitry Bivol who regained the so-called unified light heavyweight titles from Artur Betervbiev. He has been mandated by the WBC to defend his titles versus David Benavidez, the No. 1 contender. If not, Bivol will be forced to abide by a purse bid and promoters will come to the table. More politics, one or more of Bivol’s titles could be stripped if he doesn’t follow the alphabet soup rules.
Benavidez, an interim champion would prefer Bivol. Then again Beterbiev is looking for a trilogy after his first two fights with Bivol that were classics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the new fight capital of the world. Again, boxing politics will dictate if a trilogy takes place and fans are all for it.
But the sport is in that transition, more mega fights streamed on DAZN from the UK, Saudi Arabia. South America. Australia has quickly had a love fest with promoters and fighters. Here in the United States, void of the mega fight and mainstream headlines, boxing is not popular. The demographics show, and television networks have dropped boxing from their programming, a contributing factor when HBO and Showtime went another route.
Image Credit: Ring Magazine
So boxing needed some revival. The Kings and Princes as I call them, in particular, Turki Al-Sheikh (Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority) sought changes. He lures major promoters and fighters to Riyadh. He has the money, owns and revived Ring Magazine, with venues to fit a King. Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk had two epic fights for the undisputed heavyweight title, over 90,000 at the Kingdom Arena.
Saudi Arabia and the Turki have become a leader of boxing. It’s no longer Eddie Hearn (Matchroom), Oscar De La Hoya (Golden Boy), or Frank Warren of Queensberry in the UK, Or Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum and Top Rank.
Yeah, they will work with the Turki because he can make the fights happen. Fans want that, the Turki says he is for the fans and evidence speak for itself. He puts promoters together, they work as a unified unit, and in boxing that is difficult to accomplish.
Image Credit: Ring Magazine
So here we are. The Turki says boxing is “too broken” with a proliferation of alphabet governing bodies, mismatches of fight cards. Too many title belts or championships he says, confused divisions, enough to test a boxing expert and novice.
In steps Dana White, the head honcho of UFC valued at $12 billion, once a boxing promoter and successful ties working with Turki. White aligned with WWE under one banner known as TKO, a conglomerate of sorts in combat sports.
He said boxing was losing popularity and interest.
Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images
The Turki was the perfect partner, forming a new boxing league under one banner. They say there will be one champion for every division, a task in itself because fighters with alphabet titles believe they have accomplished something. Though very few get the opportunity to fight for one unified title in this confusing four-belt era.
Promoters such as Hearn and De La Hoya have a different perspective, though they could be forced and lured into the money a new fight league has to offer. DAZN has been the leader among streaming networks and works in unison with Hearn and De La Hoya, also streaming over 500 boxing events last year on the network.
Image Credit: Golden Boy Promotions
De La Hoya, a Hall of Fame fighter, said “I feel a little offended.” Another was quoted as saying to ESPN, “If (TKO) wants to get everyone together to squeeze them out, I think everyone would be on board.”
Of course they would have to be on board, especially if boxing needs attention and unity. It’s a totally different perspective of the sport and how it has worked over the years with sanctioning organizations. The Mexico based WBC among the most reputed.
“I have absolutely no concern or no negative views whatsoever about,” said Mauricio Sulaimán about the TKO alliance with The Turki. “I think anything that comes into boxing is sensational.”
Image Credit: Ring Magazine
He said the Turki has done great things for the sport. He referenced how the fights are made. Fighters with the WBC championship belt continue to say competing in Saudi Arabia is what boxing needs. Of course the purses and their respective promoters are satisfied.
Boxing indeed needs a bolt of unity though there will be skeptics. The sanctioning organizations will eventually all come on board. They may not have a choice and promoters have bounced for unity. There is that reality of more mega fights.
A reality of one champion that boxing once had and less the confusion of who is the champion or what weight class. This can work but will there be ramifications?
I leave you with this. I am for one unified champion, fewer weight classes, even if it means less fights in the United States.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and contributor at LatinoSports.com
Rich Mancuso hosts Keep It In The Ring Thursday evening live 8pmET – Boxing, wrestling, MMA analysis, and more. Subscribe Rich Mancuso @YouTube
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