Watch: What’s Wrong With Boxing Today: Alphabet Army, Federations, Lineal, Unified and More

Boxing is a sport that has managed to captivate the minds of millions throughout the ages. Without weapons or arms, dominating the opponents with the sheer might of one’s fist, it’s as glorious as it gets. This adrenaline-filled sport has left an indelible mark on society. Countless movies like Rocky and Raging Bull, have been inspired by the sport. At the peak of glory, fans witnessed some brutal battles as boxers put their lives on the line for victory.

However, some may argue that the sport has become much tamer now with the fighters refraining from picking a challenge with a worthy opponent. The allure of keeping their undefeated records also causes a lot of boxers to cherry-pick their opponents. Moreover, there are so many boxing belts now that titles have started to lose their value in the hearts of the fans. This has started to hurt the sport.

The Problem with the “Alphabet Army”

One of the prominent concerns in modern boxing is the presence of multiple sanctioning bodies and federations. These are often referred to as the “Alphabet Army.” Unlike other sports boxing has no single governing body to decide the rules and regulations. So, more than 5 sanctioning authorities have their own championship titles in all weight classes. This dilutes the significance of the titles and makes it harder for casual fans to identify the true champion. Here is a video explaining how these belts affect boxing:

Moreover, the politics and disputes between these organizations can result in the mandatory fights getting delayed, champion vs champion unification bouts being hindered, and deserving fighters being overlooked due to favoritism or financial interests. This diminishes the sport’s integrity and hinders its growth.

Lineal championships and unified titles

The concept of lineal championships, tracing a title’s lineage back to the original champion, holds significant historical importance in boxing. However, the influx of multiple titles and the “alphabet” champions have muddled the clarity of lineal champions. Fans and experts often find it challenging to keep track of the lineal champions amidst the presence of numerous belt-holders.

On the other hand, unified titles, achieved when a fighter holds all major belts within a weight class, are seen as the pinnacle of success. Yet, the lack of willingness or contractual difficulties between different organizations often obstructs unification fights. This robs fans of witnessing the best fighters compete against each other and leads to the lack of one undisputed champion.

However, 2023 finally saw something different, with boxers picking fights with their rivals. One such example that comes to mind is the recent Errol Spence Jr. vs Terence Crawford bout. However, the bout appeared to be much more one-sided than people had thought it would be.

Here’s how many boxing belts there are

There are 5 recognized belts in the sport. here is a list of belts in the order of their prestige- WBC, IBF, WBA, WBO, IBO, WBU. The first 5 recognized sanctioning bodies offer belts for all of the 17 weight categories. Thus the total number of belts in the whole sport becomes a shocking total of 68. Moreover, this number is big enough for even a crazed fan to become confused and unable to keep count of the title holders.

There was even “The Ring” belt offered by an American magazine of the same name that they discontinued in 1990 and reintroduced in 2002. WBO, IBF, WBC, and WBA are considered to be the top sanctioning bodies. However, governing bodies like WBU and IBO are often regarded as fringe distinctions.

Read More: WBA Plans to Reduce the Number of Belts in Boxing

Financial interests play a significant role in the existence of multiple governing bodies. With the allure of “World Championship” contests, it is easier to capture the attention of audiences, leading to more lucrative pay.

What do you think about the situation? Do you think boxing should have a single governing entity? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Watch This Story – Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford Stats: Record, Age, Height, Reach, and Knockout Ratio