BBC Post-Haye Fight Attitude Symptomatic of Boxing's Ills

[Flav1]

Titles mean nothing now. There's desirable belts, but the best fighters are the best fighters. It's all about reputation. If a fighter manages to build a decent following and secure the better fights - then win those fights - then they make hedway.

Witter has been pissing about for years. He wants to fight Hatton, but he doesn't deserve to fight him. By the same token Froch doesn't deserve to fight Calzaghe...they both haven't earned their dues regardless of what belts they hold (Obviously Froch doesn't hold a world title belt but it's inevitable he'll gain one).

I admire Haye because he's worked his way up the rankings and deserved his shot. He then blew away the toughest fighter in his division. Enzo has beaten Braithwaite and holds a bullshit title. He doesn't deserve to be in the ring with Haye.

[jomothepure]

Junior Witter has the belt that was previously held by the following fighters:

Julio Cesar Chavez
Oscar De La Hoya
Kosta Tzyu
Arturo Gatti

and some chap called Mayweather Jr..........

I guess they're not World Champions either then.

Ricky Hatton held the WBU belt. Does that mean next guy to pick that up is a world champion? Argument being, the fighter cannot make the belt. Junior Witter and De La Hoya's boxing careers have not crossed paths for a second. How can Witter's reign be linked to DLH's? DLH fought Gonzalez and Chavez for the title. Witter fought Corley, who was 3-3 in his last 6. If Hatton had fought Corley rather than Witter, he'd have been absolutely slated.

I'm not trying to be mean to Witter, but had he fought the fighter's at the top of his list without the WBC belt, the number of peole putting ranking him so high would crumble. Sanctioning bodies do nothing other than shaft the folk who're desperate for the glittering prizes on offer. And it's sad.

WBC for me is still the most prestige. The one.

Well I understand where you're coming from. A WBC belt holder will, over time, probably be ensured a tougher reign than a WBO one. But It's like a turkey picking the oven that's slightly colder than the others. They rank boxers on their ability to pay, rather than their ability in the ring; they contrive to produce the most ridiculous set of eliminators and interim titles for no other reason than to boost their own coffers. They pander to the big promotors and spit at the small ones. They're crooked two-bit twats. Better than the rest, mind.

[Poncey]

If Witter, Rees, Macca and Woods want to be considered the best in their division, or even World Champions then they should start fighting other world champions in their weight divisions so that they have more than one version of the "Big 4" titles.

Simple as!!

[KO Artist]

After the Haye fight this evening, in an incident mentioned on another thread, the BBC radio ringside reporter asked Haye how it felt to be part of the group of seven British World champions. Haye responded by saying, and I’m paraphrasing from memory here, “I’m actually one of three. There are only three real world champions from Britain, Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe and me. There’s only one World, and I’m the cruiserweight champion of it, no matter what any sanctioning body says.”

That’s a great and fair point, but what wasn’t great, or fair, was the response of the BBC commentators, who said it was an insult to the other champions.

I can’t understand that attitude. I understand that Woods, Rees, Maccarinelli et al have worked hard for their titles, but they’re not world champions in the same way that the winner of the confederations cup isn’t the football world champion. Boxing is the only sport that has more than one recognised world champion. How can this be? If one sits for a moment, and thinks of the concept of ‘world champion’ in any sport, the idea that 4, or 2 for that matter, can simultaneously exist is a logical impossibility. And it is absurd that 4 should be recognized and accepted as all being ‘world champions’ by the media.

It does the sport no good, because there is not one single universally recognized champion in any weight division. Any old Enzo can say he’s cruiserweight world champion and be accepted by the press because he has sanctioning body back up, when, in fact, he’s not the world champion cruiserweight at all.

By going against Haye, the BBC are adding to the confusion rather than clarifying, and it’s this attitude, which, I am sad to say, is prevalent among broadcasters, that is bringing the sport down.

If broadcasters stopped covering alphabet sanctioned fights, they would cease to exist, and we’d have one, single, recognizable champ for each division. Instead, they seem keener to tag “world title fight” in front of any old fight and boost the ratings.

Sad, but true.

Haye is right. To be world champion you have to beat the no1 man.

Haye, Calzaghe and Hatton have done it.

Rees, Macarinelli, Witter and Woods have not. They are title holders, not world champions.

[DG.]

It was a bit of Insult considering how hard guys like Witter had to work for his belt. He didn't and doesn't exactly have Haye's popularity.

Woods/Witter are Champions.

Haye was lucky he did not have to wait years and be avoided like Witter!

Forget the Zab Judah fight, Junior was never meant to win and that defeat held him back for years.

I see Hayes point, but he should mention WITTER easily, Woods deserves respect also.


Enzo? -mmmmm - no.

[Rocky Balboa]

It was a bit of Insult considering how hard guys like Witter had to work for his belt. He didn't and doesn't exactly have Haye's popularity.

We have three Champions and a decent amount of title holders. They are rewriting the definition of a Champion.

I took that as Haye having a a direct swipe at Enzo, though.

Maybe t was a irect swipe at Enzo, ut it's not as if allegedly Warren & Maccarinelli haven't done the same to Haye is it?

Theremay be ore than three british title holders, but there are only three lnea champs in britain & that's Calzaghe, Hatton & Haye. I'm not discreditng the other title holders, but it's just the way I feel.

[Lenny]

Fatton has said it best, although if Hatton beats Mayweather (becoming the man at welterweight) is there a more deserving fighter to be considered no.1 at light welter than Witter, or do he and Malignaggi have to fight to determine who is number 1?

Woods hasn't proved he's any better than Johnson, who was beat by Tarver (far more comfortably than the very close third fight with Woods) who was schooled by Hopkins. You also have Dawson picking up some great wins so there is no way he can be called the man at light heavy Ant Evans

[glahn]

Calzaghe, Hatton and Haye are the undisputed number 1's in their divisions. The others are world champions. That's the difference.

[charlieb]

BBC's shite.

Why do I have to pay for those freeloading gets, I don't want what they have to offer.

Why can't we just pay some american outfit the same cash to get up on how a real Channel should be run.

Haye's bang on, he fought the best. It's this stupid BBC sheep who's not got his facts straight, don't tell me about sparing hard-working boxers feelings', credit where's credits due.