Is the European Title still relevant?

[Mimmy]

Why arent many British boxers fighting for the Euro title anymore?

Back in the 70s,80s and 90s it was a title worth fighting for and generally was the last rung before a world title shot.

There just does not seem to be many British boxers over recent years going to the likes of Italy and boxing for it.

So is it relevant anymore? Discuss.

[Stuarty]

It's still relevant I reckon but it makes more sense for guys to fight for one of the alphabetical international titles now because they give you a better ranking.

I'd love to see more of our guys go the euro route.

[ewenhay]

It should be more relevant than it is, does the holder not get an automatic world ranking?

The problem, as ever, is due to the alphabet bodies introducing their own continental and inter continental belts thereby diluting the market further.

[smiling assassin]

As stuarty says it's all about rankings now. Take Yarde for example he's not even fought for the British yet he's ranked NO 2 with the WBO. I'm all for the original route of British, European and then world titles but if fighters can bypass this and manage to box for world titles first then who can blame them. In my view it still holds weight but it seems to not hold half as much as it did a few years ago

[chinarich]

I’m fairly sure that the holder gets a top 15 ranking with at least some of the main sanctioning bodies, but all those regional trinkets do seem to be more important in terms of ranking.

I’m sure that most British boxers would love to win EBU and for a lot of those it would be the pinnacle of their career. Anytime I see a fighter retire having won British, Commonwealth and European belts it’s clear they have done exceptionally well even if they came up short at world level...

[ElJefe]

I'd like to see a ruling whereby in order to gain a world ranking/fight for a world title, you have to have won your national title or the European title first.

[jameswilson]

Whereas fighting for the intervontinental titles will give you a ranking with that body the European gives you a ranking with several. A lot of promoters when i started watching boxing in 2000 would look to pick the European up and then just keep defending until they were either WBC mandatory or made to fight an eliminator. Howard Eastman and Junior Witter both got their shots that way.

Obviously now the other option is to win an intercontinental title and keep defending it and then fight a final eliminator. For me the fact that the European title enforces mandatories makes it a more reputable title than the intercontinental ones.

[Weirdyman]

I'd like to see a ruling whereby in order to gain a world ranking/fight for a world title, you have to have won your national title or the European title first.

What about the Manuel Charr's of this world, having to dick about with the Syrian national title (is there one?). Or the US, where it's so saturated it might as be a world title? Obviously common sense plays a part with alternatives or byes, but it gets a bit messy.

Some national titles just don't hold that much prestige. Take the Irish Heavyweight, been contested for 3 times since 1997.

[leejonesjnr]

The European title is still as valuable today as it has always been, it is the top title below a World Championship however is contested less on these shores than it once was.
The EBU are more restrictive with who they will allow to contest the Championship than other bodies so it has become less attractive for some than the Internationals and Intercontinentals and now 3 of the 'big 4' have their own European or Continental Championship and the IBO also have a Continental Championship, there are simply an increased number of options.
It is also the case of course, that as there are more titles and more title fights, the European may SEEM less popular but in actual fact legit boxers of that level may well be contesting it just as much as ever.

[Flump]

I think so, it's a genuine achievement. All the inter-continental titles are essentially over the counter bribes that a promoter pays to sanctioning bodies to get their fighter rated, nothing more.

[Colmohara]

EBU belt is relevant. Next step up from British, commonwealth.
WBO European belt, IBF east/West belt are pointless (gives you a top 15 ranking unfortunately) holding these belts makes fighting for EBU belt obsolete.

[Nightmare Roy]

I think an Euro champ is gtd a top ten ranking with the WBC

[Kit]

With the Euro title the promoter has no control over the regularly called mandatory.

You are likely to end up with a purse bid against a highly ranked potentially dangerous and little known European contender, that they may have to over pay or have their fighter compete against on away soil against.

Unfortunately it just makes more business sense to pick up an intercontinetal against an opponent of your choice for a guaranteed high ranking.

[bripez]

Why arent many British boxers fighting for the Euro title anymore?

About 10 years ago Frank got involved in the Commonwealth title, and suddenly all his boxers were going for this title over the British.

Now we have the various EU type titles which guarantee the winner a world ranking with that sanctioning body - as this is much easier to win than the proper EBU title, it has become very popular in the last couple of years.

[spudder56]

The European title is still as valuable today as it has always been, it is the top title below a World Championship however is contested less on these shores than it once was.
The EBU are more restrictive with who they will allow to contest the Championship than other bodies so it has become less attractive for some than the Internationals and Intercontinentals and now 3 of the 'big 4' have their own European or Continental Championship and the IBO also have a Continental Championship, there are simply an increased number of options.
It is also the case of course, that as there are more titles and more title fights, the European may SEEM less popular but in actual fact legit boxers of that level may well be contesting it just as much as ever.

Good points in this the European title is run by the ebu on a proper ranking basis whilst the other belts are nothing more than cash cows for the sanctioning bodies who are only interested in money full stop its sad but true I’m afraid to say

[ewenhay]

Aye. Not only have the world alphabet bodies ruined world titles they have also ruined continental titles too. There will be a WBO/WBC British title next.

[wesshaw1985]

British - Commonwealth - European.
Always my favoured route.
Hopefully Hughie goes for the European after he disposes of Sexton.
Pay Kabayel and jump in the world rankings...

[ElJefe]

I'd like to see a ruling whereby in order to gain a world ranking/fight for a world title, you have to have won your national title or the European title first.

What about the Manuel Charr's of this world, having to dick about with the Syrian national title (is there one?). Or the US, where it's so saturated it might as be a world title? Obviously common sense plays a part with alternatives or byes, but it gets a bit messy.

Some national titles just don't hold that much prestige. Take the Irish Heavyweight, been contested for 3 times since 1997.

Yeah that's a fair point. Although as an aside I would like to see a 'revival' of an American domestic scene. Probably difficult to do with a country so big and with so many boxers though.

[leejonesjnr]

I'd like to see a ruling whereby in order to gain a world ranking/fight for a world title, you have to have won your national title or the European title first.

What about the Manuel Charr's of this world, having to dick about with the Syrian national title (is there one?). Or the US, where it's so saturated it might as be a world title? Obviously common sense plays a part with alternatives or byes, but it gets a bit messy.

Some national titles just don't hold that much prestige. Take the Irish Heavyweight, been contested for 3 times since 1997.

Yeah that's a fair point. Although as an aside I would like to see a 'revival' of an American domestic scene. Probably difficult to do with a country so big and with so many boxers though.

Dunno how active the state titles are but the NABO, USBA, USNBCs etc used to be pretty regularly contested

[jamamb]

nabf and usba used to be a lot more respected in the usa. a lot of great fights were broadcast on american tv for those. it was usually with an upcoming good prospects looking to become contenders, or perenial contenders trying to get another shot.

they were kind of in the usa what the euro was in europe. i dunno what happened but they seem far less cared about now. solid fighters used to go to war over them and be proud to win them.

[Boxerbeetle]

The biggest thing that struck me when reading Bunce’s recent history of British boxing book was that so many fighters were in tough European title fights in the 70s-80s, which was a bit before my time. You just don’t see many British boxers interested in the European belt these days.

[mickey1975]

Why arent many British boxers fighting for the Euro title anymore?

About 10 years ago Frank got involved in the Commonwealth title, and suddenly all his boxers were going for this title over the British.

Now we have the various EU type titles which guarantee the winner a world ranking with that sanctioning body - as this is much easier to win than the proper EBU title, it has become very popular in the last couple of years.

Mickey Duff was the forerunner in chasing the Commonwealth. He knew every African, Australian, whoever.

[slapbangwhallop]

Why arent many British boxers fighting for the Euro title anymore?

About 10 years ago Frank got involved in the Commonwealth title, and suddenly all his boxers were going for this title over the British.

Now we have the various EU type titles which guarantee the winner a world ranking with that sanctioning body - as this is much easier to win than the proper EBU title, it has become very popular in the last couple of years.

The advantage that British boxers have is that their national title has a. very strong competition and b. unfractured (like Germany).

Most EBU affiliated nations have a relatively shallow pool of competition and there is a big jump from their National level to the European title level.

An EU title can often be the way to bridge that gap.

[southace]

Becoming less and less important but still an integral belt for fighters wanting to take the right path towards a world title.

[maverick23]

It’s frustrating how it’s been watered down over the last 20 years.

Whether it’s the various sanctioning bodies intercontinental/international belts and now some of them have their own European belts (which FW has jumped all over).

Didn’t winning the proper European belt guarantee a top 5 or 10 ranking with all of the sanctioning bodies at one point?