Thoughts on Vitali vs Dragon

What are these guys wearing on their waists?

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It's hilarious. And it's clear Mendoza just started with it all as a way to get back at you because you're a Marciano fan. But what he does instead is just look awfully desperate.

 

:good The system is far from perfect but I personally hold it in higher regard than any of the four major sanctioning bodies' titles, run by the likes of people like Empress Sulaiman.

 

They may look like belts ,they may fasten up like belts,they may go around the waist like belts, but trust me, they are distinctions.

 

Haye backed out of the fight because the K2 promotional team wanted options on him, should he win, and they designated that his first challenger must be the other brother,this was published in the Ring magazine at the time.
But we have the usual bull**** from Mendacity,about how Haye is running scared of them.Seems obvious to me Haye took the fight with Valuev so that after winning he would be in a much better bargaining position, as he would then own a version of the title.

 

Neither was Joey Maxim, before he lost to the Mongoose. Archie had to fight for practically nothing ,guarantee a return ,and take on Maxim's Manager Kearns to ensure his title shot.

 

Sounds like a fair and reasonable explanation for Haye.

Could be the case, and if that's all it really was, then I wouldn't have a problem with it... Chosing John Ruiz as a first title defense however, then throwing around discussions about facing Audley Harrison, does not exactly make me want to defend the guy though.

 

He ducked Valdes to fight ,and ko, the man who had clearly outpointed Nino twice.
I remember Moore taking out full page adverts in his campaign to get Rocky in the ring.
"Wanted By Sheriff Archie Moore, Rocky Marciano"

 

I don't have a problem with the Ring Magazine's self proclamation as chief of appointing champions, but frankly I think too many people buy into their authority as gospel. The very founder of the publication was one of the most biased personalities in all of professional sports... Furthermore, its not like the Ring has never been guilty of scandlous behavior, as was exposed by Flash Gordon back in the late 70's. They are a magazine.... Period.... You may not like the sanctioning bodies ( and frankly neither do I ) but a champion has an obligation to fight the challengers that are rated by the organization that holds his belt... Not a media company...

This is precisely why I found it preposterous that Michael Spinks was rated by the Ring as still being champ back in 1988... Here is a magazine that prides itself as being honest, forth coming, on the level, etc.... It claims that ratings and the right to hold a title have to be earned... All this bluster, and yet they rate a man who chose to fight Stephen Tangstad and Gerry Cooney instead of a 35-0 contender as champion, over a man who thoroughly cleaned out a division, which included beating the very man Spinks ducked...... Double standard..

 

I quite agree, he should take on a rated contender. I beleive Ruiz was part of the deal for him ensuring his shot against Valuev, but there must be no excuses for any further " gimmees".

 

All this shows me is that they stuck to their own rules even when almost everyone considered Tyson the champ. Spinks had not retired and was still the linear champion, having beaten Larry Holmes for his claim. I don't see anything wrong with that. If they were dishonest, they would've simply made Tyson into a champion, despite not yet having beaten Spinks in the ring.

I'd rather criticize Ring Magazine for making Roy Jones the champ without having beaten Michalczewski. Hill and Maske were number 1 & 2 in the division, Hill ended up winning the match, Michalczewski then beat Hill yet wasn't recognized as the champion.

 

I'll second that.:good