Hi gents,
I am just wondering if the majority of folks agree with me that the "traditional" titles hierachy a British fighter used to follow have suffered a HECK of a lot due to the minor world titles now on offer. The current situation with the IBF Super-Featherweight title got me thinking that for the moment it is bascially an African-championship (and a South-African one at that).
The Area, National, British, Commonwealth, European titles have suffered a lot in recent years because a promoter would rather have a "world" title fight topping the bill that any of the above, and so fighters get steered towards WBU/WBF/IBO belts instead. I really wish Ricky Hatton had gone down the Commonwealth and European titles route instead of the WBU, but he is a prime example of the current situation.
Obviously now with the English/Celtic titles slotting-in between Area and British level, and also the EU title being created there are more opportunities anyway, and I would ratyer see these titles be utilised instead of more bloody "world" title belts....
Opinions?
best wishes
"T.M.K"
Euro/C'wealth/British titles are suffering because...
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DavidPayne
- Heavyweight
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overhand_right
- Heavyweight
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jamesmcdonnell
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It's easier to make a living by avoiding these titles than it is getting them. If you get an EBU title, you then have to defend it, same goes for the British Title, this can result in a lot of poorly paid fights if you aren't a big draw yourself and annoying mandatory purse bids, as we've seen earlier in Witter's career, and to an extent Eastman's.
The bigger draws, know they can leapfrog these, get a token belt, and defend it, whislt still ascending the rankings. Hatton managed to get to mandatory challenger for Tszyu, whilst holding the crappy WBU belt and never even winning a British title, let alone European. In fact, having the WBU belt probably helped, as the rest of the sanctioning bodies simply ignore it's existence, and still rate you as a challenger. Had hatton had the WBO, it would have been a lot harder to get the fight with Tszyu, and more tempting to keep making defences of the belt.
I like the idea of the traditional route too, but even the European belt is so devalued these days that it doesn't mean much, because a lot of the talent has chosen to ignore this route, the level of competition isn't that great.
The bigger draws, know they can leapfrog these, get a token belt, and defend it, whislt still ascending the rankings. Hatton managed to get to mandatory challenger for Tszyu, whilst holding the crappy WBU belt and never even winning a British title, let alone European. In fact, having the WBU belt probably helped, as the rest of the sanctioning bodies simply ignore it's existence, and still rate you as a challenger. Had hatton had the WBO, it would have been a lot harder to get the fight with Tszyu, and more tempting to keep making defences of the belt.
I like the idea of the traditional route too, but even the European belt is so devalued these days that it doesn't mean much, because a lot of the talent has chosen to ignore this route, the level of competition isn't that great.
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jamesmcdonnell
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Well Carl Froch has shown that it can still be done the old fashioned way and he doesnt have trouble pulling in the crowds... I think in many ways the British title has come back into favour recently while some of the other spurious titles (wbu etc etc) are being ignored by some of the rising fighters... we have had some very good British title fights recently and people like Froch, Johansson, Moore, Hunter have all been high profile British champs...
Some of the better holders at the moment read like a who's who on this bord
Hevy- Danny Williams (I think)
Cruzer- David Haye (top european and world prospect
Light Hevy- not sure
Super Middle- Carl Froch
Middle - Howard Eastman
Fether - Carl Johanson
Doesn't look like the title is in too bad a state to me, its just allegedly doesn't like his fighters having to fight hard maches without something without the word "wold" in it
Btw was looking for a list of british title holders on the net and couldn't find it.
Hevy- Danny Williams (I think)
Cruzer- David Haye (top european and world prospect
Light Hevy- not sure
Super Middle- Carl Froch
Middle - Howard Eastman
Fether - Carl Johanson
Doesn't look like the title is in too bad a state to me, its just allegedly doesn't like his fighters having to fight hard maches without something without the word "wold" in it
Btw was looking for a list of british title holders on the net and couldn't find it.
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jamesmcdonnell
- Heavyweight
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I think you are right. What is needed now for these people (some already have) to get title shots. Then it will show other fighters that it can be done that way.silkov wrote:Well Carl Froch has shown that it can still be done the old fashioned way and he doesnt have trouble pulling in the crowds... I think in many ways the British title has come back into favour recently while some of the other spurious titles (wbu etc etc) are being ignored by some of the rising fighters... we have had some very good British title fights recently and people like Froch, Johansson, Moore, Hunter have all been high profile British champs...
I think the grounding is good for fighters too, working your way through the levels to world class, is in some ways, less risky than loads of piss poor fights, and then taking a big step up to contender status, where it can all come unstuck.
If more of these fighters get to the fringes of world class, then we could indeed see a bit of a resurgence. All except Froch look quite a way short of world class, but who knows how much they might improve over the next 18 months. Hunter obviously was shown up by a far superior fighter in Molitor, but that's not to say he can't learn from that and come back a better fighter.
Silkov is right and the reason these titles are moving back to where they should be is down to the fact the SN are not getting much a of a look in on Skysports who, since SN departed back to ITV, have insisted on good, traditional standards.
ITV and Warren don't have good standards. Simple as that. If I didn't have Sky and had to rely on the showers of shit at ITV, I would have lost interest in pro boxing by now.
ITV and Warren don't have good standards. Simple as that. If I didn't have Sky and had to rely on the showers of shit at ITV, I would have lost interest in pro boxing by now.