Groves, DeGale, and the WBO
Posted: 12 Sep 2011, 10:30
At the James DeGale press conference the other day, FW mentioned how DeGale's opponent, Piotr Wilczewski, was ranked as their number 2 contender, and how, if DeGale beats him, he may become their number 1 or number 2 contender.
A check on the latest WBO rankings reveals that Groves is nowhere to be seen, despite beating DeGale! Why not? This isn't a silly case of a governing body refusing to acknowledge a fighter's existence because Groves holds another organization's belt; and he's ranked above DeGale by the WBC, WBA, and IBF.
I know the kneejerk response is 'What do you expect? They all make silly decisions, and the ratings are a farce', but I'd love to hear the WBO's explanation of why a fighter who has beaten DeGale can't even get into their top 15, let alone be ranked above DeGale when he holds British and Commonwealth titles.
A check on the latest WBO rankings reveals that Groves is nowhere to be seen, despite beating DeGale! Why not? This isn't a silly case of a governing body refusing to acknowledge a fighter's existence because Groves holds another organization's belt; and he's ranked above DeGale by the WBC, WBA, and IBF.
I know the kneejerk response is 'What do you expect? They all make silly decisions, and the ratings are a farce', but I'd love to hear the WBO's explanation of why a fighter who has beaten DeGale can't even get into their top 15, let alone be ranked above DeGale when he holds British and Commonwealth titles.