Unify the division? Become the RING Champ? Anypoint Really?

by School Project Thu Jul 07, 2011 2:33 pm

I've been thinking recently, with the difficulties of "the best fighting the best", what is more important to you in identifying the true number 1 in a division? Looking at an article from Truss around how unimportant Bradley is for Khan, it highlighted the frustrated problem in the sport. Khan wants to unify the division, that's his goal, to be number 1... but by proxy Bradley will be recognised as the best until they fight.

Let's take a look at Sergio Martinez, who has come into the Middleweight division, climbed the ranks in quick succession and is now the man... However, he is the WBC Diamond champ and unfortunately Bob Arum doesn't want to have on his card anymore due to a "falling out with DiBella" (or the win over Pavlik), but now Chavez Jr is now the WBC Champ, he has to fight Martinez within 2 fights. Can you honestly see Arum allowing the lamb being taken to the slaughter?

Then the have the likes of Sturm who has been a champ (abeit a loss which he avenged) for a number of years, has seen the likes of Taylor, Hopkins and Pavlik pass him by and has chosen to fight at home. On paper he has been a champion in the Middleweight division for a number of years but has never been the top dog.

We have the WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO all with their own top 10 and favourite fighters, their own "Super" Champions and Diamond Titles and of course the lovely fees that go along with such titles. Then we have the respectable RING Magazine belt, where, regardless of how many titles you hold, you are rewarded with when you ARE the top dog... but then we have the problem (a-la Khan/Bradley in which they are the Number 1 and 2 of that division and the RING will only reward the belt if they fight).

My main question is... how ruddy hard is it for a hungry fighter to prove he's the best in the division when governing bodies and or promoters aren't interested in the fights happening?

How can we have got to a point where a fighter can become a "Champion" when, in retrospect, they haven't beaten anyone (I'M LOOKING AT YOU CANELO AND CHAVEZ JR!).