WBA celebrates 100th anniversary

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBA celebrates 100th anniversary

On July 2nd, 1921, the World Boxing Association (known as the National Boxing Association back then) was born. That day, Jack Dempsey, acclaimed by the press as heavyweight world champion, knocked out light heavyweight champion Georges Carpentier in the fourth round to become the first world champion recognized by a worldwide sanctioning body.

A few weeks before the fight, 13 boxing commissions met in the state of Rhode Island and established the NBA, which sanctioned title fights and established world ratings. 41 years later, the NBA renamed itself the WBA.

Dempsey-Carpentier was a unique event that marked several historic milestones for boxing.

1) It was the first time that a sports event of this kind had a massive presence of women (for heartthrob Carpentier) among the almost 90,000 fans who filled the seats of Boyle’s Thirty Acres in Jersey City, New Jersey.

2) It was the first million-dollar gate netting $1,789,238 paid in tickets from $5 to $50 (it was later said that promoter George “Tex” Rickard regretted not having sold the tickets at a higher price).

3) It was the first fight to be broadcast live on radio.

So it was on this date 100 years ago that Jack Dempsey became the first WBA world champion. All WBA champions since have followed in the “Manassa Mauler’s” footsteps.

[margaret thatcher]

their goal seems to be 100 belts per division

[Ruthless-RKO]

their goal seems to be 100 belts per division

[margaret thatcher]

in another article mendoza claims that dempsey- carpentier was the first hw title fight ever

[DrDuke]

F*ck WBA 100 times.

[milpool]

F*ck WBA 100 times.

And then eff them another one hundred times. A disgraceful apology of a sanctioning body.

[Enlightened-One]

There are 53 variations of WBA world titles currently in circulation, spanning sixteen weight classes!

• Heavyweight Super Champion = Anthony Joshua
• Heavyweight World Champion = Trevor Bryan
• Heavyweight Champion In Recess = Mahmoud Charr
• Heavyweight Gold Champion = Robert Helenius
• Cruiserweight Super Champion = Arsen Goulamirian
• Cruiserweight World Champion = Ryad Merhy
• Cruiserweight Gold Champion = Alexey Egorov
• Light Heavyweight Super Champion = Dmitry Bivol
• Light Heavyweight World Champion = Jean Pascal
• Light Heavyweight Interim Champion = Robin Krasniqi
• Super-Middleweight Super Champion = Saul Alvarez
• Super-Middleweight World Champion = David Morrell Jr
• Super-Middleweight Gold Champion = Fedor Chudinov
• Middleweight World Champion = Ryota Murata
• Middleweight Interim Champion = Chris Eubank Jr
• Super-Welterweight Super Champion = Jermell Charlo
• Super-Welterweight World Champion = Erislandy Lara
• Super-Welterweight Gold Champion = Michel Soro
• Welterweight Super Champion = Yordenis Ugas
• Welterweight World Champion = Jamal James
• Welterweight Champion In Recess = Manny Pacquiao
• Welterweight Gold Champion = Vergil Ortiz Jr
• Super-Lightweight Super Champion = Josh Taylor
• Super-Lightweight World Champion = Mario Barrios
• Super-Lightweight Interim Champion = Alberto Puello
• Super-Lightweight Gold Champion = Ismael Barroso
• Lightweight Super Champion = Teofimo Lopez
• Lightweight World Champion = Gervonta Davis
• Lightweight Interim Champion = Rolando Romero
• Lightweight Gold Champion = Yvan Mendy
• Super-Featherweight Super Champion = Gervonta Davis
• Super-Featherweight World Champion = Roger Gutierrez
• Super-Featherweight Interim Champion = Chris Colbert
• Super-Featherweight Gold Champion = Mark Urbanov
• Featherweight Super Champion = Leo Santa Cruz
• Featherweight World Champion = Can Xu
• Super-Bantamweight Super Champion = Murodjon Akhmadaliev
• Super-Bantamweight World Champion = Brandon Figueroa
• Super-Bantamweight Interim Champion = Raeese Aleem
• Super-Bantamweight Gold Champion = Ronny Rios
• Bantamweight Super Champion = Naoya Inoue
• Bantamweight World Champion = Guillermo Rigondeaux
• Super-Flyweight Super Champion = Roman Gonzalez
• Super-Flyweight World Champion = Joshua Franco
• Super-Flyweight Gold Champion = Mikhail Aloyan
• Flyweight World Champion = Artem Dalakian
• Flyweight Interim Champion = Luis Concepcion
• Lightweight Super Champion = Hiroto Kyoguchi
• Lightweight World Champion = Carlos Canizales
• Lightweight Interim Champion = Daniel Matellon
• Minimumweight Super Champion = Thammanoon Niyomtrong
• Minimumweight World Champion = Victorio Saludar
• Minimumweight Gold Champion = Leyman Benavides

After all, the 3% sanctioning fee being applied to every single bout involving all 53 titles will generate a lot more revenue than only 16 WBA championship belts!

Therefore, happy birthday WBA! Thanks for providing the various TV networks with lot of opportunities to stage “world title” fights, even if some of these trinkets are meaningless garbage!

[halfamill]

What's holding back the IBF and WBO from implementing 3 titles per weight class?

[Ruthless-RKO]

What's holding back the IBF and WBO from implementing 3 titles per weight class?

Imagine that.

It would make me sick.

You wouldn’t even know what’s going on.. plus the best will never fight the best.

[gilgamesh]

And here's hoping they don't have a 101st Anniversary.

F*ck the WBA.

[KiwiRider]

When will I get my belt?
I'm 23-12-2 as an amateur, OK so I've been out of the ring slightly longer than Fres.
I wonder if when I get my Covid-19 vaccination I can get a WBA belt instead of a lolly pop?

[margaret thatcher]

When will I get my belt?
I'm 23-12-2 as an amateur, OK so I've been out of the ring slightly longer than Fres.
I wonder if when I get my Covid-19 vaccination I can get a WBA belt instead of a lolly pop?

23-12 is a good am record, nice one mate, what was your style

[KiwiRider]

When will I get my belt?
I'm 23-12-2 as an amateur, OK so I've been out of the ring slightly longer than Fres.
I wonder if when I get my Covid-19 vaccination I can get a WBA belt instead of a lolly pop?

23-12 is a good am record, nice one mate, what was your style

Tall skinny (then, not now) southpaw.
I've told this story before, but briefly, I was on a 7 fight losing streak and mum refused to drive me to any more competitions.
Thing is, with the motivation of a WBA belt on the line, I think I could turn it around

[adislav123]

And here's hoping they don't have a 101st Anniversary.

F*ck the WBA.

x2. big time.

boycott that gang of malignant shit biscuits.

[milpool]

There are 53 variations of WBA world titles currently in circulation, spanning sixteen weight classes!

• Heavyweight Super Champion = Anthony Joshua
• Heavyweight World Champion = Trevor Bryan
• Heavyweight Champion In Recess = Mahmoud Charr
• Heavyweight Gold Champion = Robert Helenius
• Cruiserweight Super Champion = Arsen Goulamirian
• Cruiserweight World Champion = Ryad Merhy
• Cruiserweight Gold Champion = Alexey Egorov
• Light Heavyweight Super Champion = Dmitry Bivol
• Light Heavyweight World Champion = Jean Pascal
• Light Heavyweight Interim Champion = Robin Krasniqi
• Super-Middleweight Super Champion = Saul Alvarez
• Super-Middleweight World Champion = David Morrell Jr
• Super-Middleweight Gold Champion = Fedor Chudinov
• Middleweight World Champion = Ryota Murata
• Middleweight Interim Champion = Chris Eubank Jr
• Super-Welterweight Super Champion = Jermell Charlo
• Super-Welterweight World Champion = Erislandy Lara
• Super-Welterweight Gold Champion = Michel Soro
• Welterweight Super Champion = Yordenis Ugas
• Welterweight World Champion = Jamal James
• Welterweight Champion In Recess = Manny Pacquiao
• Welterweight Gold Champion = Vergil Ortiz Jr
• Super-Lightweight Super Champion = Josh Taylor
• Super-Lightweight World Champion = Mario Barrios
• Super-Lightweight Interim Champion = Alberto Puello
• Super-Lightweight Gold Champion = Ismael Barroso
• Lightweight Super Champion = Teofimo Lopez
• Lightweight World Champion = Gervonta Davis
• Lightweight Interim Champion = Rolando Romero
• Lightweight Gold Champion = Yvan Mendy
• Super-Featherweight Super Champion = Gervonta Davis
• Super-Featherweight World Champion = Roger Gutierrez
• Super-Featherweight Interim Champion = Chris Colbert
• Super-Featherweight Gold Champion = Mark Urbanov
• Featherweight Super Champion = Leo Santa Cruz
• Featherweight World Champion = Can Xu
• Super-Bantamweight Super Champion = Murodjon Akhmadaliev
• Super-Bantamweight World Champion = Brandon Figueroa
• Super-Bantamweight Interim Champion = Raeese Aleem
• Super-Bantamweight Gold Champion = Ronny Rios
• Bantamweight Super Champion = Naoya Inoue
• Bantamweight World Champion = Guillermo Rigondeaux
• Super-Flyweight Super Champion = Roman Gonzalez
• Super-Flyweight World Champion = Joshua Franco
• Super-Flyweight Gold Champion = Mikhail Aloyan
• Flyweight World Champion = Artem Dalakian
• Flyweight Interim Champion = Luis Concepcion
• Lightweight Super Champion = Hiroto Kyoguchi
• Lightweight World Champion = Carlos Canizales
• Lightweight Interim Champion = Daniel Matellon
• Minimumweight Super Champion = Thammanoon Niyomtrong
• Minimumweight World Champion = Victorio Saludar
• Minimumweight Gold Champion = Leyman Benavides

After all, the 3% sanctioning fee being applied to every single bout involving all 53 titles will generate a lot more revenue than only 16 WBA championship belts!

Therefore, happy birthday WBA! Thanks for providing the various TV networks with lot of opportunities to stage “world title” fights, even if some of these trinkets are meaningless garbage!

Is the Gold championship actually classed as a world belt or is it something akin to a Continental, Inter-continental etc?

[lazboy]

Oh wow happy birthday WBA. I hope you have a great day and continue to respect the sport with competitive match ups and meaningful titles. Many happy returns.

[Enlightened-One]

There are 53 variations of WBA world titles currently in circulation, spanning sixteen weight classes!

• Heavyweight Super Champion = Anthony Joshua
• Heavyweight World Champion = Trevor Bryan
• Heavyweight Champion In Recess = Mahmoud Charr
• Heavyweight Gold Champion = Robert Helenius
• Cruiserweight Super Champion = Arsen Goulamirian
• Cruiserweight World Champion = Ryad Merhy
• Cruiserweight Gold Champion = Alexey Egorov
• Light Heavyweight Super Champion = Dmitry Bivol
• Light Heavyweight World Champion = Jean Pascal
• Light Heavyweight Interim Champion = Robin Krasniqi
• Super-Middleweight Super Champion = Saul Alvarez
• Super-Middleweight World Champion = David Morrell Jr
• Super-Middleweight Gold Champion = Fedor Chudinov
• Middleweight World Champion = Ryota Murata
• Middleweight Interim Champion = Chris Eubank Jr
• Super-Welterweight Super Champion = Jermell Charlo
• Super-Welterweight World Champion = Erislandy Lara
• Super-Welterweight Gold Champion = Michel Soro
• Welterweight Super Champion = Yordenis Ugas
• Welterweight World Champion = Jamal James
• Welterweight Champion In Recess = Manny Pacquiao
• Welterweight Gold Champion = Vergil Ortiz Jr
• Super-Lightweight Super Champion = Josh Taylor
• Super-Lightweight World Champion = Mario Barrios
• Super-Lightweight Interim Champion = Alberto Puello
• Super-Lightweight Gold Champion = Ismael Barroso
• Lightweight Super Champion = Teofimo Lopez
• Lightweight World Champion = Gervonta Davis
• Lightweight Interim Champion = Rolando Romero
• Lightweight Gold Champion = Yvan Mendy
• Super-Featherweight Super Champion = Gervonta Davis
• Super-Featherweight World Champion = Roger Gutierrez
• Super-Featherweight Interim Champion = Chris Colbert
• Super-Featherweight Gold Champion = Mark Urbanov
• Featherweight Super Champion = Leo Santa Cruz
• Featherweight World Champion = Can Xu
• Super-Bantamweight Super Champion = Murodjon Akhmadaliev
• Super-Bantamweight World Champion = Brandon Figueroa
• Super-Bantamweight Interim Champion = Raeese Aleem
• Super-Bantamweight Gold Champion = Ronny Rios
• Bantamweight Super Champion = Naoya Inoue
• Bantamweight World Champion = Guillermo Rigondeaux
• Super-Flyweight Super Champion = Roman Gonzalez
• Super-Flyweight World Champion = Joshua Franco
• Super-Flyweight Gold Champion = Mikhail Aloyan
• Flyweight World Champion = Artem Dalakian
• Flyweight Interim Champion = Luis Concepcion
• Lightweight Super Champion = Hiroto Kyoguchi
• Lightweight World Champion = Carlos Canizales
• Lightweight Interim Champion = Daniel Matellon
• Minimumweight Super Champion = Thammanoon Niyomtrong
• Minimumweight World Champion = Victorio Saludar
• Minimumweight Gold Champion = Leyman Benavides

After all, the 3% sanctioning fee being applied to every single bout involving all 53 titles will generate a lot more revenue than only 16 WBA championship belts!

Therefore, happy birthday WBA! Thanks for providing the various TV networks with lot of opportunities to stage “world title” fights, even if some of these trinkets are meaningless garbage!

Is the Gold championship actually classed as a world belt or is it something akin to a Continental, Inter-continental etc?

This is a tricky question to answer, because information is scarce.

Any fighter that captures the WBA gold title is automatically removed (or "elevated") from their world rankings.

It seems to be treated as their third-tier title, below the regular and super championships, but is more superior than the interim belt, hence the reason why the media and many "casual" fans consider the gold belt as a secondary world title.

The gold title doesn’t provide mandatory challenger status either.

I think Eduardo Ramirez might have become the first fighter to hold this meaningless trinket during March 2019, when he KO’d Bryan De Gracia.

Anyway, there isn’t any information on the official WBA website explaining the actual purpose of the gold strap (either announcing the introduction of this belt or in their rules/by-laws), but we do know that fighters have to pay sanctioning fees for the right to defend or capture this belt.

[peter barlow]

WBA does boxing no favours. Then we wonder why UFC grew so much. Panama hardly a boxing stronghold now?

[Perseus]

WBA 100th anniversary is not something to celebrate.
A complete demise of the WBA would be something to celebrate.

[Enlightened-One]

“What gives you credibility? If credibility is to approve a single title, do things like mechanics and not contribute to boxing, that is complicated, ” WBA President Gilberto Mendoza told ESPN.

“They tell me that there must be only one champion, but they don’t give me solid arguments. They tell me that they are devalued, but when we talk about making a tournament to leave a single champion, not everyone wants to enter it.

“When we talk about accepting a champion versus champion fight not everyone is willing.

“On the other hand a boxer with a title wins better, a boxer who goes to a title fight wins better.

“A chain that broadcasts a title fight does better. A promoter who has a title fight does better. The same fan, if he knows there is a title, is more attentive.”

[H8Usernames]

In 1982 Gilberto Mendonza become the president of the WBA and stayed on as such to 2016 when his son Gilberto Jesus Mendoza took over. Pathetic family business that these guys have going on. Something created from 13 boxing commissions that no doubt were doing good work is degraded to a family business organization.

[DrDuke]

“What gives you credibility? If credibility is to approve a single title, do things like mechanics and not contribute to boxing, that is complicated, ” WBA President Gilberto Mendoza told ESPN.

“They tell me that there must be only one champion, but they don’t give me solid arguments. They tell me that they are devalued, but when we talk about making a tournament to leave a single champion, not everyone wants to enter it.

“When we talk about accepting a champion versus champion fight not everyone is willing.

“On the other hand a boxer with a title wins better, a boxer who goes to a title fight wins better.

“A chain that broadcasts a title fight does better. A promoter who has a title fight does better. The same fan, if he knows there is a title, is more attentive.”

Great words of pissdom.

[bobcatbox]

It’s a sad shame that the WBA became the worst sanctioning body in boxing and is only getting worse.

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

I hope they had a super day instead of a regular one

[bobcatbox]

I hope they had a super day instead of a regular one

Cracked me up. Well done, sir.
Wish it was as easy to make a pun on interim.