Boxing News taking a big stance

They are champions of a respective governing body, that does not make them an undisputed or unified champion. They have the right to make this claim after winning 1 of 4 recognised major belts in each division. Nobody who understands the sport takes a WBA 'regular' claim seriously although it is still an achievement for the fighter concerned.

 

Of course, people should try. But when "policies" they PUT ON THEMSELVES take precedent over common sense, there is always a problem.

When a top champion was told by an alphabet org "you have to fight a mandatory or we'll strip you and let two guys who no one thinks are as good as you for your title" became a policy, that was dumb.

When more than a couple people can't legally step foot in a room together throughout most of the world without facemasks and vaccines for the better part of 18 months because of a global pandemic ... but in independent ratings body removes a top welterweight's rating (a welterweight who lives in a country with some of the worst COVID issues) because he hasn't fought in 24 months ... because that's "the policy" ... even though he's fighting in a matter of weeks and could very well win the WBA, WBC, IBF and RING welterweight titles in his last two outings ... that is also assinine.

Who gives a **** about a policy when the policy undermines common sense?

If everyone stopped acknowledging the orgs and they lost their power, no one would care. Because they "policied" themselves out of making any sense whatsoever.

But it's not like these two independent bodies are showing they are any different than the WBC and WBA were in 70s and early 80s when it comes to ratings.

They can't agree on practically anything. And they strip people for "policies" or for a random comment they make (Canelo) ... and leave others as champs (Rigondeaux) in divisions they haven't competed in for years and have clearly moved on elsewhere.

What sense does it make to continue to list Rigondeaux as World Champ in a division he hasn't fought in in FOUR YEARS ... especially given the fact that he is now the champ in another division and will unify two belts in his next outing in that other division ...

Yet, in the same breath, they say a guy who beat the longest-reigning Welterweight champ in his last outing and is facing the very best PRIME welterweight in his next outing in a couple weeks for the World Title ... isn't rated now and WON'T be recognized as the World champ if he wins ... because he was out longer than our policy dictates?

Sounds like a great policy.

As The Who once said, "Meet the old boss, Same as the Old Boss."

 

If they refuse to recognize Manny Pacquaio as the World Welterweight champion after ending Thurman's WBA reign and knocking off Spence for the WBC, IBF and RING titles ...

BECAUSE he was out for 20 months in between fights ... and that's against their policy ... then they are an alphabet org.

That's how it begins - when "org policy'" trumps common sense.

If Manny fought Rod Salka in someone's backyard last year for 30 seconds between the two fights ... then everything would be fine? C'mon. Utter nonsense.

 

Unless that competitive matchmaking is more than 20 months apart. Then it doesn't count. 19 months apart, fine. 20 months apart, zero credit.

 

So what's wrong with labeling them as just titlist or belt holders unless they become the ONE division champ?

 

That is why TBRB and The Ring differ often. They have made a small habit of allowing the #1 and #3 guys to sort out who is their Champion. They have done this with Linares vs. Crolla, Smith vs. Groves, Inoue vs. Rodriguez, and now Spence vs. Pacquiao. I think it's easy to see why there is a fault in not letting the top two guys sort it out.

 

Errol Spence and Manny Pacquiao were the top two contenders in the Transnational welterweight ratings until the end of last year and then they started dicking around with it, apparently because of their "policy."

Because it's not like any of these guys have been fighting every month in 2021.

Welterweight
Champion: Open
1. Errol Spence Jr.
2. Manny Pacquiao
3. Terence Crawford
4. Shawn Porter
5. Yordenis Ugas
6. Keith Thurman
7. Danny Garcia
8. Mikey Garcia
9. Kudratillo Abdukakhorov
10. Vergil Ortiz Jr.

Spence beat Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia and Mikey Garcia in consecutive fights prior to those ratings. Manny Pacquiao beat Keith Thurman prior to those ratings. Shawn Porter beat Ugas prior to those ratings. Pac and Spence are fighting next in a matter of weeks.

Crawford beat no one on that list and hasn't beaten anyone on that list since then and isn't signed to fight anyone on that or the current list.

Common sense.

At least the Ring and the WBC and the IBF have enough sense to rank Manny at Welterweight and make Spence-Manny for the World Title.

 

Well, how much have you allowed and continue to allow for Guillermo Rigondeaux's stint at the top of the junior featherweight ratings?

Let's see, he hasn't fought there in four years and he's gone on to win one title in another division and he's looking to unify with another champ in that other division next.

What's the policy? His last Junior Featherweight fight was 49 months ago. And he wasn't even fighting the best in his division then, unless I missed out on the stellar runs of Moises Flores and James Dickens.

But I'm being lectured about Pac not fighting Thurman and Spence in welterweight title fights quickly enough.