What month or year did the WBO receive true world recognition?

Not entirely true. Larry Holmes helped give the IBF instant recognition. The WBO heavyweight title has never been held by the true champ within the time of their reign. Bowe held it but gave it up to chase the real title. Since then they have had true champs but not at heavyweight.

It's a glorified european title & always will be. Plus who cares? Do we really need four belts?

 

The WBO was created to let boxers be "world champions" who wouldn't otherwise be able to win a world title.

 

I don't really agree. General opinion? What's that? I think nowadays WBO is just as legit (or illegit) and recognised (or not recognised) by the 'general public' as the others.

When did this happen? I also say it started around the mid 90s with Hamed, Klitschko, (DM maybe) and became evident in the 2000s with Hopkins-ODLH, Castillo-Corrales, Calzaghe etc.

If a title's value is really determined by the fighter who holds it then the WBO is arguably the second best right behind the WBC nowadays.

 

Exactly what it says. :roll:

The general consensus opinion of the boxing fans and media.

Take a look at the opinion of the majority of boxing fans on this and other sites, and also the opinions expressed in the boxing media. They don't agree with your view.

The thread isn't about the "value". This has nothing to do with whether you or I believe it should be as recognized or valuable. It's about the "world recognition". And the WBO is not as recognized as the "big 3".

Calzaghe is the case-in-point. He held the WBO forever, yet only got the recognition when he beat Lacy and Kessler.

 

I will always believe the boxing orgs are a cancer on a great sport. But I will not be told that a certain letter after the letter 'B' is what matters when considering a champions title reign - The fighter makes the belt, not the other way round.

I refuse to beleive Ottkes reign was more legit than Calzaghes because Ottke belt was red.

though for universal recognition I think the WBO needs a legitamate heavyweight champion. the only reason IBF got instant recognition was because of Larry Holmes.

 

The problem with the IBO is, that nobody actually fights FOR the IBO. There would already be a big fight scheduled and the IBO will just attatch itself to the event.

 

4th November 1988..

The NABF supervised and acknowledged the winner of the Thomas Hearns v James Kinchen as the WBO's Supermiddleweight champion.. The fight was taken very seriously and the other weight divisions started to look upon the WBO as a rising force who chose Hearns (like the IBF did years earlier) With Larry Holmes to legitamize the governing body.... That was the first time that the body was respected by a major commissioned event.. It was actually embraced wholeheartedly. If you want a time when the Heavyweights embraced the title proper.. I think it was when Riddick Bowe took the WBO from Herbie Hide in Las Vegas.. Bowe was one of the best heavyweights of the decade and he brought complete global legitimacy to it at heavyweight..........

I think once heavyweights begin to get noticed with the belt or body, everyone starts to take note.. so between 88 and 95 i'd say around the 1990 mark.. Benn - Eubank timeframe... God bless..

 

To me, it's a (just) second class belt, that occasionally has the best fighter in the divison as it's champ.

More often than not though, it doesn't.

 

artur grigorian, felix sturm, randall bailey, michael bentt, ahmed khotiev, michael loewe, eamonn loughran, gert bo jacobson, sammy fuentes, tyrone booze, mario veit, barry jones, and mauricio ceves would all disagree.

 

I'm sorry but you only have to look at their disgusting middleweight ratings to see they are a joke. Gary Lockett is their number one challenger. I don't think anyone denies Joe was always the best super middle & no ones saying Ottke was better but he did often fight former Ottke opponents & the mandatories he fought were rubbish.

Joe should of & could have cleaned up the belts long ago. I'm sorry but the WBO held him back, I have no doubt in that.

 

add acelino freitas to that list.

 

i think you missed the point of my post

 

You miss out the part where Bowe dumps the WBO title to chase real world honours.atsch

 

exactly ricky hatton was seen as a top 10 of the light welters even whilst holding the very unrespectabe wbu belt.

hamed, de la hoya and dm were all legit champions and held the belt.

it's the figther thast makes the belt not the other way around. this is a reason why i feel the IBO is a pretty good belt to have they just give it to the man in the division.almost willy nilly(i said willy )

 

Yeah but the belt didnt say he was a top 10 LWW in the world did it? It said he was world champion which he most certainly wasn't at the time. He would have been a contender regardless of whether he held the WBU or not. I would have preferred him to be British, Commonwealth & European champion until the time he fought Tszyu for the true world title.