BoxRec

Hey everyone,

Just curious, I'm getting confused, are all professional boxers members of the IBF or WBA or WBC or not? for instance if a British boxer is licensed under the BBBofC will he have to be a member of one of the IBF or other organizations.

If not, how does one fight with one of those organizations, do you have to be an elite boxer, can any pro boxer become a member of lets say for example the WBC and how does on get world title shots with the WBA, WBC or IBF. Is it literally just become a member of one of them and working your way up, fighting the best, being an exciting fighter and of course being a good fighter. I'm just kind of confused with all these belts and different championships of how the pro boxing game works.

From what I know, and nothing is massively clear on this, the BBB of C is a member of the WBC as are a fair number of national organisations

That is why back in the day, Argentine, Panamanian and South African fighters would get a disproportionate amount of WBA title shots because their national governining bodies were members of the WBA.

British fighters in those days would get the same disproportionate number of WBC title shots.

It also depends what promoter greases what palm these days though, it seems to be a free for all. Fishface was in with the WBO for awhile but he tried to get the IBF-UK up and running back in the 1980's and succeeded in getting Terry Marsh his world title shot via the IBF - who were banned just before then because they still had 15 round title fights (Thought Najib Daho vs Barry Michael was the first IBF title fight in the UK a few months earlier).

Every pro boxer just needs to be licenced by whichever board licences pro boxing in their respective country and that's it, the WBA, IBF ect will rank boxers however they please although a bit of palm greasing always helps, to summarise boxing is the most lawless unregulated sport out there which I spose is both its appeal and its downfall.

The IBF do everything by the book ..... having been investigated by the FBI.

Oh okay, thank you, all these different belts just confuse me! so how does a boxer go to become a wbc world title holder? will they start by maybe trying to win commonwealth and european titles?

cupcake wrote:Oh okay, thank you, all these different belts just confuse me! so how does a boxer go to become a wbc world title holder? will they start by maybe trying to win commonwealth and european titles?

Just win fights, if you start beating decent opposition then you'll get ranked, keep winning and you'll move up the rankings, get in the top 15 and you can be considered for a voluntary defence, but bear in mind the orgs can and will bend their own rules when it suits.

littlepug wrote:

cupcake wrote:Oh okay, thank you, all these different belts just confuse me! so how does a boxer go to become a wbc world title holder? will they start by maybe trying to win commonwealth and european titles?

Just win fights, if you start beating decent opposition then you'll get ranked, keep winning and you'll move up the rankings, get in the top 15 and you can be considered for a voluntary defence, but bear in mind the orgs can and will bend their own rules when it suits.

Oh i think i am starting to get it, i know of a guy who is ranked number 10 in Britian just after 6 fights, he's a featherweight! does that mean he could get a chance of being considered? :)

cupcake wrote:

littlepug wrote:

cupcake wrote:Oh okay, thank you, all these different belts just confuse me! so how does a boxer go to become a wbc world title holder? will they start by maybe trying to win commonwealth and european titles?

Just win fights, if you start beating decent opposition then you'll get ranked, keep winning and you'll move up the rankings, get in the top 15 and you can be considered for a voluntary defence, but bear in mind the orgs can and will bend their own rules when it suits.

Oh i think i am starting to get it, i know of a guy who is ranked number 10 in Britian just after 6 fights, he's a featherweight! does that mean he could get a chance of being considered? :)

Your ranking in your own country doesn't really have any bearing with the orgs, if you checked out his ranking with say the IBF he maybe ranked but probably outside of top 30, can see how it all looks quite messy to newcomers of the sport !

littlepug wrote:

cupcake wrote:

littlepug wrote:Oh okay, thank you, all these different belts just confuse me! so how does a boxer go to become a wbc world title holder? will they start by maybe trying to win commonwealth and european titles?

Just win fights, if you start beating decent opposition then you'll get ranked, keep winning and you'll move up the rankings, get in the top 15 and you can be considered for a voluntary defence, but bear in mind the orgs can and will bend their own rules when it suits.
Oh i think i am starting to get it, i know of a guy who is ranked number 10 in Britian just after 6 fights, he's a featherweight! does that mean he could get a chance of being considered? :)

Your ranking in your own country doesn't really have any bearing with the orgs, if you checked out his ranking with say the IBF he maybe ranked but probably outside of top 30, can see how it all looks quite messy to newcomers of the sport !

I know he sounds like clueless bit of skirt but he is actually a bloke.

I box at an amateur level, Pro boxing has got me confused though! I get it now though, I can be slow at times

If you're a champion in one division you're removed from the other divisions rankings though aren't you?

MarkMcBurney wrote:If you're a champion in one division you're removed from the other divisions rankings though aren't you?

If your a champ for one org you won't be ranked by the others, wrong and not ideal but there you go that's boxing

cupcake wrote:I box at an amateur level, Pro boxing has got me confused though! I get it now though, I can be slow at times

You'll get the hang of it, how's your amateur career going ?

littlepug wrote:

cupcake wrote:I box at an amateur level, Pro boxing has got me confused though! I get it now though, I can be slow at times

You'll get the hang of it, how's your amateur career going ?

Been sitting out due to a wrist injury for a couple months, hopefully I will have a bout again soon! It's going okay :) I can still do a bit of sparring, I sparred a golden gloves guy and I held up quite well considering I can't throw hard shots as well because of my wrist. Might sound stupid but I am going to carry on for a while and If I do really well with the rest of my bouts I want to turn pro, in a couple years, with my eyes on earning world featherweight or superfeatherweight title. But that's just a dream of course Right now I'll focus on being the best amateur I can

cupcake wrote:IBF, WBC, WBA

You'd have to throw the WBO in there as well. These days it's pretty much recognised as a major World Championship and one of "the big four".

Each of the four boxing bodies will rank you differently, considering their own ranking of the opponents that you are defeating. These days the quickest road to getting a favourable ranking with a body is yo fight for their International/Intercontinental Titles. And thus you will have to pay them sanctioning fees for putting these somewhat meaningless titles up for grabs in your fight. But if you win it and keep defending it, they will rank you highly.

I suppose in a way, it could be considered indirect bribery, but you'll notice that these sort've Titles are being fought for more and more frequently throughout the weight divisions...

cupcake wrote:

littlepug wrote:

cupcake wrote:I box at an amateur level, Pro boxing has got me confused though! I get it now though, I can be slow at times

You'll get the hang of it, how's your amateur career going ?

Been sitting out due to a wrist injury for a couple months, hopefully I will have a bout again soon! It's going okay :) I can still do a bit of sparring, I sparred a golden gloves guy and I held up quite well considering I can't throw hard shots as well because of my wrist. Might sound stupid but I am going to carry on for a while and If I do really well with the rest of my bouts I want to turn pro, in a couple years, with my eyes on earning world featherweight or superfeatherweight title. But that's just a dream of course Right now I'll focus on being the best amateur I can

What is your age and record?

cupcake wrote:

littlepug wrote:

cupcake wrote:I box at an amateur level, Pro boxing has got me confused though! I get it now though, I can be slow at times

You'll get the hang of it, how's your amateur career going ?

Been sitting out due to a wrist injury for a couple months, hopefully I will have a bout again soon! It's going okay :) I can still do a bit of sparring, I sparred a golden gloves guy and I held up quite well considering I can't throw hard shots as well because of my wrist. Might sound stupid but I am going to carry on for a while and If I do really well with the rest of my bouts I want to turn pro, in a couple years, with my eyes on earning world featherweight or superfeatherweight title. But that's just a dream of course Right now I'll focus on being the best amateur I can

Good luck mate, I will give you same advice my amateur coach gave me which is simply stay away from women and nightclubs and you'll be fine, unfortunately I didn't heed his advice and my career suffered as a result

Thanks :) so you're a pro? and I don't go out clubbing anyway! Nor do I drink, all I do is work and train every day :)

cupcake wrote:Thanks :) so you're a pro? and I don't go out clubbing anyway! Nor do I drink, all I do is work and train every day :)

Was a pro in the 90s, sounds like you've got your head screwed on mate keep us posted on your career

They're not worth a toss these bodies, does anybody remember a few years ago when the WBO had a guy called Darrin Morris in their rankings who was actually dead and not only that they moved him up the rankings twice before somebody informed them he'd been dead for a year.

banjo wrote:They're not worth a toss these bodies, does anybody remember a few years ago when the WBO had a guy called Darrin Morris in their rankings who was actually dead and not only that they moved him up the rankings twice before somebody informed them he'd been dead for a year.

If a dead man can move up ranks then that gives me hope! that's a damn shame about him dying though

cupcake wrote:

banjo wrote:They're not worth a toss these bodies, does anybody remember a few years ago when the WBO had a guy called Darrin Morris in their rankings who was actually dead and not only that they moved him up the rankings twice before somebody informed them he'd been dead for a year.

If a dead man can move up ranks then that gives me hope! that's a damn shame about him dying though

Think he died of meningitis, only in his 30's too.

banjo wrote:

cupcake wrote:

banjo wrote:They're not worth a toss these bodies, does anybody remember a few years ago when the WBO had a guy called Darrin Morris in their rankings who was actually dead and not only that they moved him up the rankings twice before somebody informed them he'd been dead for a year.

If a dead man can move up ranks then that gives me hope! that's a damn shame about him dying though

Think he died of meningitis, only in his 30's too.

RIP buddy