IBF vs WBO

That's true. They definitely had a financial agreement with specific promoters and managers.

For instance, Emanuel Steward at Kronk became a big "WBO Fan." Many of the WBO's first champs in different weight classes were Kronk fighters - John David Jackson at Junior Middleweight, Thomas Hearns at Super Middleweight, Michael Moorer at Light Heavyweight and Leeonzer Barber at Cruiserweight.

When the Kronk relationship ran dry, Universum fighters and Frank ****** fighters seemed to get a lot of WBO title fights.

The initial IBF model really worked great, though, on a broad scale (in terms of instant credibility). Organizations can make a lot of money aligning themselves to one promoter, but it limits the talent pool and, if you want to be viewed a a true "World" rankings body, you need to include the whole world ... not just people you have an agreement with.

 

I remember when the IBF was not taken seriously. They were very smart making Holmes and MMH champ. Even when they got recognized by the other two organizations most fans did not. When the WBO came along because what you said and I think they ranked a dead man twice or something to this day I still chuckle when I here WBO "champ" even though there are just as "legit" as the other 3

 

Most of the old timers thought kronk ruined its name with that move. No one called them champs that I know of (and my dad had some major connections at the time.

You point on the IBF is basically correct but it was a hellava lot harder to get recognized by two major bodies who ran boxing for decades. It was smart and successful from very early on, what more could you really asked for. If it had followed the WBO model there would only be two sanctioning bodies today

 

I agree about Kronk. Then again, if the IBF - in particular Bob Lee - hadn't become so corrupt, they might have taken over the whole thing and there might be only one now. Who knows.

The IBF really went off the rails and remains off. I think their ratings are currently the worst overall.

 

The IBF is ****, they have the worst champions, a total bum like Sam Soliman holds the IBF middleweight strap