Do you think that mandatory title defenses should be enforced?

Yes.

But in boxing, as you know, everything is corrupt.

The best must be forced to fight the best. If you don't, you should face penalties.

We are living in a new era where the best don't want to compete with the best at their best ... They rather wait until the opponent declines or just duck the opponent altogether and make a myriad of excuses ...

In the past the best always competed against the best, regardless of sport. Today you have guys teaming up with each other in certain sports. It's getting out of control and honestly messing up a lot of sports ... Athletes today just want to take the easy most lucrative path.

 

In theory yes. Absolutely.

The problem starts when the door swings both ways. A guy with powerful backing can be put into the #1 slot, and sometimes it's nothing but behind the scenes politics.
If the champ fails to fight him, he gets stripped and then that #1 guy will get to fight for the vacant title... which is probably what his powerful backers wanted in the first place.

I do agree in principle though. Rankings are there for a reason, and if the #1 contender is bypassed in favour of lesser opponents, then by all means, the champ should be stripped and the title declared vacant.
The alphabet boys used to stipulate that the #1 contender should get a title shot within 9 months. I think that's reasonable, though I doubt that rule still applies.

Fighters don't fight often enough to honour such a ruling today.

 

@Richard M Murrieta is this in regards to the AJ v Fury situation, or just in general?

I'm speaking about myself only, but I'm fed up with the situation. I'm tired of hearing from that ponce Hearn about getting the deal 'over the line.'
I'm also getting fed up with Fury, telling the world what he's going to do to AJ, but sitting on his fat backside for nearly two years, doing nothing but talking and boasting.
He could have fought at least twice during this period.
I like Fury, but in a way I hope AJ gives him a good hiding, just to shut him up.

 

Agree 100℅.

 

Yeah but it should be reserved for actually outstanding contenders.

Fighters shouldn't be stripped because they don't fight a mandatory that doesn't belong in the top 10

 

Teoretically they are.

 

My personal favourite system would be:

- One universal world champion (no different belts), but more prestigious continental/national titles again.
- One mandatory title defense per year against a mandatory challenger (possible time delays due to injuries)
- Title eliminator bouts to decide the mandatory challenger (or even an Elimination Tournament)
- non limited voluntary defenses
- A fair rating system (might be not easy), for instance by independent body(ies) or maybe a calculated rating system (like Elo)...
- maybe reduce the number of weight classes (not too sure about that though)

 

You are correct

 

Once a year for sure!

 

Yes. It is essential nowadays because,as has been already stated,too many top fighters avoid each other.

 

*Cough* super teams in the NBA and NFL. It's not just boxing, this current generation of athletes are allergic to competition for some reason. If a guy beat me, I made it my mission to try and settle the score. Nowadays people will literally call the person that defeated them and ask to join their team. I get that they get paid lots of money by joining a big organization, but money at the cost of legacy isn't worth it in the long run. People will never get over Kevin Durant's departure to Golden State unless he manages to win big without them.

As for boxing, I have no idea how the sport has gotten away with his for decades. It all started when all the various sanctioning bodies kept popping up. Then when big PPVs became a thing we got all the "I'm the A side! No, I'm the A side" back and forth nonsense.

And it doesn't help when idiot fanboys defend the ducking

 

Good thread topic Richard. We have all seen how promoters can manipulate the sanctioning bodies to force unworthy mandatories with their deep pockets.

In some cases, mandatories are a good thing when you have guys that earn their way to that title shot but might not have the most exciting style or personality but can absolutely fight. No one was ever lining up face guy's like Winky Wright or Sergio Martinez but because of mandatories they got their opportunities.

All this said, I find that the Ring Magazine ratings are the most accurate for who is truly worthy of title shots.