Why do boxers get to pick and chose their opponents?

UFC/MMA has hit its peak. They've been saying since 2005 that UFC is on the verge of taking over boxing. And guess what; it hasn't. Boxing is actually in a far more stronger state since then. In that time we've produced two megastars who, between them, give us at least 3 megafights a year, and have even the MMA fans snooping over the fence wondering what's going on. In the UK, Hatton's time at the top was well documented, and Khan's exploits in the Olympics brought boxing back to terrestrial TV briefly. He's now on the verge of repeating Hatton's challenge to Mayweather, and creating even more buzz and excitement around the sport. UFC/MMA won't come anywhere close to this.

 

It's simple once they loose then they loose negotiating leverage undefeated champs hold all the cards

 

So does this suggest the UFC is doomed to fail? MMA fighters are almost always facing top competition. There are some fighters who have fought into their 40's so I'm not sure it makes that big of a difference. Someone like Georges St. Pierre fights twice a year which is about the same amount Pacquiao has on his agenda annually. GSP is only 3 yrs younger than Pac and is still going strong. No signs of GSP breaking down due to consistently facing solid competition. Needless to say MMA fighters don't make as much money as elite boxers but their sport is still very young.

 

boxers get to pick and choose their opponents because they either are a promising fighter with a sharp, powerful promoter with a huge stable and significant bargaining weight, or they're a top level money getter and fighters flock to fight them because win or lose, their paycheck is a big one. that's exactly why

 

also, mma will never take over boxing, ever. how is that possible? maybe it will eclipse boxing in terms of popularity, or maybe it already has, but boxing isn't going anywhere. you think hbo will suspend a program it has had for 20 plus years because of the introduction of mma? never. there's a reason why 24/7 is compelling television. there's a reason why pacquiao and mayweather take home at least 25 million each fight, and are slated to take home over 50 plus million each if they face each other. boxing is alive and well, even if the heavyweight division isn't as enthralling as it once was

 

boxing WOULD be better if a ladder system was established and a mathematical formula established for the division of goods between boxers... where a ratio or point system establishes which fights should be undercards and which should be main events stuff like that... a system that ranks fighters based on previous opponents and what type of fight UD/split/KO/ what round would open MANY possibilities for the sport

 

It doesn't happen TOO often when titles are on the line, except of coarse when the mandatories or top ranked ABCs are scared to make the fight.

But what sickens me is how guys like Arreola, Boystov, and Rahman go around beating C+Dclass fighters while moving up the rankings, but scoff at the idea of fighting another decent fighter like Welliver, Mitchell, Wach and Rodriguez.

The ABC's need to start mandating fights and refusing to sanction guys like Boystov fighting guys like Greer, or Rahman and Arreola going after the Cclass fighters simply to maintain their ABC rankings w/o risking moving down by fighting decent opposition.