Is the WBO slipping in status?

[whicker]

I'm just wondering- some of the WBO "world" title fights seem to be pushing it a bit. How is it regarded in the States? I know some American magazines were in the habit of only listing IBF, WBC and WBA champions as "World" Champions.

[chinny]

I don't think it's status has changed. Pervesely I reckon it has benefitted from the ineptitude of the other alphabets (WBC near bankrupcy; IBF bung scandal; WBA super dupa shambles and more) so that they are all more or less equally derided.

At a stretch though I would still probably say the WBC is the best and WBO worst of the big 4, for what its worth

[El Raincoat]

Well there all as bad as each other i only pay attention to the WBC/WBA/IBF & WBO The Ring is kinda like the lineal champ but the IBO, WBF, WBU are rubbish wouldn't give them an kudos at all.

[Wax On]

Ring belt worth more than each of them on there own IMO.

It's status seems to be growing monthly at the mo.

[Asterix]

The IBO is doing quite well, I think. Their Champions (from Heavyweight down to Lightweight):

Wladimir Klitschko
Johnathon Banks
Chad Dawson
Sakio Bika
Daniel Geale
Ricky Hatton
Juan Diaz

Below Lightweight the quality drops off a bit, I think. Though Flyweight champ Nonito Donaire definitely deserves a mention. Minimumweight champ might be good, Nkosinathi Joyi, but I don't know anything about him other than what's on his record.

[banjo]

The WBO is a joke but these days the other 3 aren't much better.

The WBA is responsible for sanctioning the one-sided Cotto-Gomez fight

The WBC and WBO sanctioned arguarbly the mismatch of the year in Pavlik-Lockett

And the IBF is still a strip-happy organisation.

I bet there's many more boxing atrocities that I don't know about that these lot are responsible for.

[Gray-Fox]

Ring belt worth more than each of them on there own IMO.

It's status seems to be growing monthly at the mo.

As I said here: http://forum.boxrec.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=92747

The Ring title means nothing now Oscar owns it.

Him buying that is like the Government "owning" the BBC.

The unbiased, real boxing fans know who the champions are and who the good fighters are.

It's just a pity that they're in the minority.

[chinny]

The WBC and WBO sanctioned arguarbly the mismatch of the year in Pavlik-Lockett

Worse than that Banjo, it was a WBO mandatory!