17 weightclasses, only 4 Ring champions left.

It was like that in 2009/2010. Then it filled up until just real recently.

RING titles aren't relevant since the change of their rules. The whole notion of the lineal title, ever since the expanding of multiple "recognized organization belts," has been up to each individual spectator's opinion and ranking of whom fits the criteria of #1 and #2 to fill vacancy and when the belt should be vacated from inactivity, retirement, etc. But one must be consistent and hopefully logical in determining such.

Either way, the lineal title is always special. Thinking that only 4 of 17 divisions having properly determined a lineal champion is representative of something negative is silly. Because only 4 of 17 fighters have it shows how good it is for Fury, Canelo, Roman, Nietes (if someone were to be in agreement with The RING here). Credit to those who currently have and manage to achieve it.

Having 17 divisions and the weight jumping prevents a lot of the match ups. International and national television rights prevent a lot of match ups. Promoters and managers prevent a lot of match ups. Fighters fighting far less often. Those magnified compared to eras of the past are all among the top of many reasons the lack of lineal titles and the lack of solid decisive reigns in recent years have been so disappointing. It's nothing new but without question has been notably poor of late.

 

Transnational Boxing Rankings divisional champions:
HW- Fury
175- Stevenson
168- Ward
160- Alvarez
122- Rigondeaux
112- Roman

So there are varying opinions. For example I think most agree with Rigondeaux being lineal champ at 122 but few agree with Ward still being lineal champ at 168.

 

Well, those points kind of contradict each other to some degree.

 

DLH made a mistake bragging about buying the Ring, he should have bought it secretly so he can troll the world with the mystery of Canelo Middleweight Ring belt

Saul "Not a Middleweight" Alvarez vs Amir "Starved Middleweight" Khan :huh

 

Surely that makes it more relevant then ever?

Basically, if you are Ring Champion. Then you ARE the champion. All the rest are just paper champions.

 

It is a negative trend. It shows that for whatever reason the top fights are not fighting each other at the moment.

 

And what there are over 100 belts

 

It's all political, the Ring picks and chooses which champions they want to hold to certain standards while ignoring others.....It's just as irrelevant as any other belt now.

 

The Texas Boxing Commission just announce the new West Texas Heavyweight Championship Division. Open to all petroleum roughnecks. Ring card girls who want to get "fracked" post fight, are urged to apply.

 

Ring has gone far away from a lineal tracking belt that could only be won in the ring.

When it changed its championship policy first time it decided rankings had to be fluid and the number 1 might change dependent upon multiple factors, but some people carried on tracing the belt and how no switched hands because in a proliferated world, the ring offered some credence to champions (although sometimes it awarded belts retrospectively).

When it began recognising champions again it didn't follow it's own lineage and it's own rules, at that point it became just a belt.

Then it decided 1v2 doesn't happen enough so they'd accept any matchup between the top 5 to fill a vacant belt.

It's no longer relevant in my mind.

TRBR is consistent and recognises the man who beat the man with no exceptions. The only issue I have with them is Ward has clearly left the division now.