Am I missing something, or is there a tendency for more modern promoters to try and illegitimately hoard belts, protect fighters, and make do$h, by having.... 1. At least two fighters who basically don't fight each other 2. Using these two fighters to 'split' the opposition into at least two different 'streams', disrupting the standard single-stream one traditionally associates with sport So rather than having one single fighter who would ultimately - over time - have to face the cream of one single 'stream', like this.... TOP FIGHTER: AJ All other contenders: Whyte, Ortiz, Wilder, Fury, Povetkin, Miller ...you instead have two fighters who avoid each other and 'split' all the other contenders into at least two streams, something like this... TOP FIGHTER 1: AJ Top fighter contenders: Miller, Fury SECOND TOP FIGHTER/BARRIER FIGHTER: Whyte Second top fighter contenders: Wilder, Ortiz, Povetkin A better example might be the Klitschko's. During the 90's and 00's they didn't fight each other, and therefore got to split all the other fighters into two streams. This meant.... 1. They could choose which of the brothers most suited a particular contender's style 2. Both brothers would get to face opponents who were at earlier stage in their careers, meaning the Klitschko's were facing less-experienced and less dangerous fighters 3. They'd get to avoid the other big fighter of their era - each other! I think it partly explains why the Klitschko era was so quiet, and why the end of their era coincides with a return to great fights again. I think this was the long-term plan with Tyson and Hughie Fury too. I'm convinced Hearn is doing this with AJ and Whyte. I think Ortiz would have been the ''stepping stone' to AJ if Whyte hadn't of established himself as well as he has done. AJ and Whyte will not fight each other for years. Instead, Whyte will be used to 'disrupt' the natural progression of the division. Key point: this only works if you have two fighters who avoid each other, and I think the main benefit is point 2 above: once established, there is reduced likelihood of the top champion facing decent opposition It's a bit like trying to play Texas holdem against two people who won't try and beat each other and are trying to help each other win - the pressure would end up on you and you only. Thoughts anyone?....
