British titles are being devalued

[roy]

I've never known a time when so many British titles are vacant. Most of those who vacate "to move on to another level" have never proved themselves to be the best in Britain e.g. Paul Smith, Gavin, Flanagan,etc. With so many "world" titles available these days I suppose it is inevitable, but I wonder how many of them are earning serious money. Instead of Cardle v.Evans we could have Fury v Price, Frampton v Quigg, Butler v Yafai, Mitchell vCrolla, Liam Smith v Rose. Barker,Macklin and Murray avoided each other; how many other potentially great fights are we missing. What would you rather pay to watch?

[maley1984]

Paul smith cudnt get a fight passed by the board for a long time then got a couple great opportunities he wud b crazy not to take. Frankie gavin won the title outright so why stay at that level. Flannigan was offered a final eliminator for a world title in a very winnable fight. U cant tell in any of the positions you wudnt taken the route they have.

[jameswilson]

I was gonna say those aren't the best examples to make your point. Paul Smith has fought and won the British title, Gavin fought and defended it several times.

Better examples would be John Ryder fighting for Intercontinental titles in order to get a World ranking when he hasn't won a British belt. Granted he's fighting for it now but there are other examples where this isn't the case.

[roy]

I wasn't trying to say that Paul Smith and Gavin weren't worthy British champions, just that they have never been the best in Britain. Smith got stopped by DeGale and Groves in British title fights and we'll find out about Gavin next week.It is never quite the same winning a vacant title as beating the reigning champ.

[Boxing Prospect]

Paul smith cudnt get a fight passed by the board for a long time then got a couple great opportunities he wud b crazy not to take. Frankie gavin won the title outright so why stay at that level. Flannigan was offered a final eliminator for a world title in a very winnable fight. U cant tell in any of the positions you wudnt taken the route they have.

To be fair, weren't the board refusing piss take defenses? Had Smith Vs Fielding been made I doubt the board would have said no...

[ste1983]

Can't blame the fighters most are offered these silly intertoto titles with the promise of a 'ranking'.

Blame lays squarely at the promoters in my view, it doesnt help that effectively we've got two divisions Warren/B-allegedly and Hearn/Sky. When we had 3 or 4 (Hatton, Maloney, Warren, Hearn, Hennessey) with tv dates it resulted in more domestic action.

Now certain promoters will keep a lot of fighters apart until they can con a pay per view out of it.

[expe]

Paul smith cudnt get a fight passed by the board for a long time then got a couple great opportunities he wud b crazy not to take. Frankie gavin won the title outright so why stay at that level. Flannigan was offered a final eliminator for a world title in a very winnable fight. U cant tell in any of the positions you wudnt taken the route they have.

To be fair, weren't the board refusing piss take defenses? Had Smith Vs Fielding been made I doubt the board would have said no...

Knocked back Tobias Webb and I think there might have been another, Smith was supposed to defend against Luke Blackledge on the same show as Mathews-Ormond, then he left Warren so the fight got called off and Blackledge took the Fielding fight at short notice. Smith has now given up the title, but purse bids for Callum and Fielding have been postponed for a month at the request of both parties, so the title is held up further.

[fightfaninfrance]

Can't blame the fighters most are offered these silly intertoto titles with the promise of a 'ranking'.

Blame lays squarely at the promoters in my view, it doesnt help that effectively we've got two divisions Warren/allegedly and Hearn/Sky. When we had 3 or 4 (Hatton, Maloney, Warren, Hearn, Hennessey) with tv dates it resulted in more domestic action.

Now certain promoters will keep a lot of fighters apart until they can con a pay per view out of it.

Yeah, definitely the case. It seems that Hearn will only put a show on if its headlined by an WBA Interim Intercontinental Silver 'World' title belt that will put said fighter into contention for an 18 month spell of limited activity whilst he is given hope that he deserves a world title shot. Meanwhile the Lonsdale is only good enough to prop up the undercard.

No wonder all his fighters say 'I just get in the ring and fight whoever Eddie puts in front of me'. You would do knowing how easy it is to blow most of them out of the water.

Is it only me who misses Friday fight night on Sky? Some great British, Commonwealth and European title fights on those shows.

[maley1984]

Paul smith cudnt get a fight passed by the board for a long time then got a couple great opportunities he wud b crazy not to take. Frankie gavin won the title outright so why stay at that level. Flannigan was offered a final eliminator for a world title in a very winnable fight. U cant tell in any of the positions you wudnt taken the route they have.

To be fair, weren't the board refusing piss take defenses? Had Smith Vs Fielding been made I doubt the board would have said no...

Fielding was made mandatory then he was stripped of his position after massively missing weight. Webb held a top10 ranking on here and im sure but cud b wrong won a eliminator

[maley1984]

Paul smith cudnt get a fight passed by the board for a long time then got a couple great opportunities he wud b crazy not to take. Frankie gavin won the title outright so why stay at that level. Flannigan was offered a final eliminator for a world title in a very winnable fight. U cant tell in any of the positions you wudnt taken the route they have.

To be fair, weren't the board refusing piss take defenses? Had Smith Vs Fielding been made I doubt the board would have said no...

Knocked back Tobias Webb and I think there might have been another, Smith was supposed to defend against Luke Blackledge on the same show as Mathews-Ormond, then he left Warren so the fight got called off and Blackledge took the Fielding fight at short notice. Smith has now given up the title, but purse bids for Callum and Fielding have been postponed for a month at the request of both parties, so the title is held up further.

Fielding v callum smith wont happen any time soon and when it does it will b above british title level

[Andrew]

I've never known a time when so many British titles are vacant. Most of those who vacate "to move on to another level" have never proved themselves to be the best in Britain e.g. Paul Smith, Gavin, Flanagan,etc. With so many "world" titles available these days I suppose it is inevitable, but I wonder how many of them are earning serious money. Instead of Cardle v.Evans we could have Fury v Price, Frampton v Quigg, Butler v Yafai, Mitchell vCrolla, Liam Smith v Rose. Barker,Macklin and Murray avoided each other; how many other potentially great fights are we missing. What would you rather pay to watch?

Why the board have not put Yafai v Conlan to purse bids in the last 18 months is strange, both are in need of a proper fight.

[ste1983]

Can't blame the fighters most are offered these silly intertoto titles with the promise of a 'ranking'.

Blame lays squarely at the promoters in my view, it doesnt help that effectively we've got two divisions Warren/allegedly and Hearn/Sky. When we had 3 or 4 (Hatton, Maloney, Warren, Hearn, Hennessey) with tv dates it resulted in more domestic action.

Now certain promoters will keep a lot of fighters apart until they can con a pay per view out of it.

Yeah, definitely the case. It seems that Hearn will only put a show on if its headlined by an WBA Interim Intercontinental Silver 'World' title belt that will put said fighter into contention for an 18 month spell of limited activity whilst he is given hope that he deserves a world title shot. Meanwhile the Lonsdale is only good enough to prop up the undercard.

No wonder all his fighters say 'I just get in the ring and fight whoever Eddie puts in front of me'. You would do knowing how easy it is to blow most of them out of the water.

Is it only me who misses Friday fight night on Sky? Some great British, Commonwealth and European title fights on those shows.

I miss them too far more trade fights rather than big names v nobodies that seems the way now.

[bigjack]

There are far too many other options now,the British title isn't anywhere near as important or prestigious as it once was.There are so many great British fights that didn't happen because of numerous other options,can't blame the boxers,they need the money like everyone else,i blame the governing bodies and the television companies.

[ShadrachSimmo]

Slightly off topic but I noticed today that Liam Walsh has held the commonwealth title for 5 years at super feather which included a spell up at lightweight.

Now that's davaluing.

[Andrew]

Its all down to these WBC International Belts and WBO European Belts which get you a World Ranking for beating nobodays who are actually not even ranked.

Not just Matchroom Queensbury are worse for this with the WBO.

Ultimately you just want at least a couple of fights on each TV show which will be competitive not where home figher is 1/50 with the bookies.

[Broomhall]

It is ultimately about cash and the risk/reward ratio. Why take a potentially ruinous British title fight, when you can sidestep it and get a world/European shot?

For many fighters it doesnt make sense. In times gone by, you usually needed to win British title to get a shot at the European which gave you a top 10 world rating. With so many titles on offer and so many routes you can take, why take the risk if the current British champ or the guy you have to meet for the title might beat you.

Look at Ricky Hatton, had one British Title fight , which was a very hard one against Thaxton, something he never risked again as he didnt need to as he made good money via the WBU. Would Hatton have beaten Witter for the British title? no money and far too much risk.