Boxing’s alphabet soup beyond a joke

1396868562_1-orgOnly those who don’t understand boxing were surprised by the news that the WBO was stripping Floyd Mayweather jnr of its welterweight title belt.

On news value alone, it shouldn’t have caused a ripple. The World Boxing Organisation, like its more familiar brethren the WBC, WBA and IBF, is a venal organisation that exists only because boxing is the only sport that still runs as if it was the Wild West. There is no over-arching “world” organisation, which means that anyone could start their own organisation. Many have.

Here’s a list of some of the organisations who pretend to have the boxers’ interests at heart: Global Boxing Council, Global Boxing Federation, Global Boxing Organisation, Global Boxing Union, International Boxing Association, International Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation, International Boxing League, International Boxing Organisation, International Boxing Union, Trans America Boxing, Transcontinental World Boxing Association, Universal Boxing Council, Universal Boxing Organisation, World Athletic Association, World Boxing Association, World Boxing Board, World Boxing Bureau, World Boxing Council, World Boxing Federation, World Boxing Foundation, World Boxing League, World Boxing Organisation, World Boxing Union, World Combat Organisation, World Professional Boxing Federation and the World Sports Organisation.

Madness, plain and simple.

These organisations leech off fighters and cost promoters tens of thousands with their demands for sanctioning fees. The WBO spat the dummy because Mayweather wouldn’t cough up $200 000 (around R2-million) for its coffers. Not to mention the promoters who are fleeced big money for boxing officials who expect to travel first class and be put up in five-star accommodation.

They are all as bad as each other. They exist because boxing is largely a free-for-all and people who ought to know better are seduced by shiny boxing belts, even if many mean next to nothing.

The irony with Mayweather is that he brought prestige to the belts. He needed them like a hole in the head. They were no more than shiny trinkets to the world’s best boxer.

Mayweather’s stock wouldn’t be affected by even one percent. People who understand boxing know exactly who the real champions are. Title belts may be nice to look at, but they don’t mean a whole lot.