It is true though that in some divisions the competition is basically very limited. For instance in some smaller divisions 90% or far more of the opponents are latinos. A so-called 'world champion' in those divisions is really a 'latino champion' more than anything. While in for instance middleweight all kinds of nationalities and races compete and a world champion (like Kelly Pavlik, Hopkins, RJJ etc.) can rightfully be called WORLD champion. Do you agree? Discuss. :hat
No. If Latinos constitute 90% of the world that compete in that division then so be it. Just because blacks or Whites don't compete in that division as much as Latino's does not invalidate the "world title" name.
You actually pose a pretty interesting question. If we break it down to each weight class, then it doesn't matter what ethnicities are more able to compete in said division. However, I think the word "World" is used quite loosely when naming a champion, because sometimes it's apparent that the fighter didn't beat the best fighter from other parts of the world. For example, and I don't want to seem anti-American, especially on its birthday, but sometimes "we" feel we are the best after we've beaten the best American competition. In Europe, in most divisions, there are fighters who can give most Americans a run for our money, but sometimes those fights will never come into fruition, so in term, can this really be a world champion. Also, it often times seems like because America is associated with money and other things, that it's our "right" to have a world champion. America doesn't always equal the world, is I guess what I'm trying to get at. I didn't mean to be a thread stealer, and I look forward to other answers.
I too agree that this thread will boarder on a "racist," line. I don't know the OP's history, so maybe I'm missing something. I agree with this above quote and I also agree that it can be taken the same way as there aren't many big Asian and Latino fighters, so they don't really have a big percentage of the bigger weights.
No problem. An interesting and somewhat related issue. If I should weigh in on this issue an example would be Lacy. Lacy had made a name out of fighting a lot of American names. However, as it turned out the level in Europe was higher and he got a chok when he was confronted with this difference. If he had met some European competition earlier in his career then perhaps he would have rose to the occasion and been far far better prepared for Calzaghe? Sometimes fighters that fight within their own 'circle' can look like world beaters - but it may all be an illusion based on the absense of more diverse competition.
Yeah, wasn't sure how related it is, but I was thinking about it recently, maybe should have started my own thread, I apologize. I agree with your Lacy theory. It was premature to call him a "world" champion because he hadn't beat anyone on a World level (Meaning elite, and the better fighters across the ocean) I won't say by not fighting better competition before Calzhage is the reason he lost, but it did show that the best fighter in the "World" won the fight. If that makes any sense.
Any race in any part of the world CAN compete for the WORLD title. If Latinos are alomst the only ones competing in the lighter divisions, so be it. They are fighting for a world title and its not their fault that only they compete. Every country has the opportunity.
even if 90% are latinos, if one non-latino fighter ever had a shot at winning the said title, then is a world title for sure. just like how the nba champions are the world champions even though it is dominated by americans because it is known as the best basketball league in the world
There is every possibility that latino fighters are just better at the lighter weights. There could be just as many people of other races attempting to make it at the lighter weights but just can't compete.
This is silly,then the same can be said about the ali in the 70s,the eastern euros were not in it,so m he was not the true world champion then was he?(for anyone about to freak out,im just here being as silly as the first post)
well Asians and Latino's don't compete much in the higher divisions, so how is that any different? and Arabs don't compete in any division, so there is no such thing as a world champion
