Comments Thread For: IBF President Explains The Current Status Of Their Heavyweight Belt

[James]

True! Parker was one of the many guys who turned down the chance at the final eliminator. Ortiz, Parker, Ruiz, Gassiev, to mention a few. The IBF had to go far down, below their top 10, to find the first guy who accepted (Zhang).

Prior to Zhang though, Tony Yoka accepted (I need to mention that), but Bakole wouldn't allow him; I guess we all know the story behind that.

If boxing fans showed more respect to fighters who came via the final eliminator route, especially through the IBF that seem to give the ranked fighters a chance in a chronological order more often than any other org, maybe fighters will be more inclined to take such fights.

If Ortiz hadn't cooked up some excuse, we would have had Hrgovic/Ortiz; perhaps better than the Zhang fight at the time.

If Ruiz hadn't done the same, we would have had Hrgovic/Ruiz; perhaps better than the Zhang fight at the time.

If Parker hadn't chosen the WBO route, which was last in the rotation order at the time, we would have had Hrgovic/Parker; perhaps better than Hirgovic/Zhang fight at the time.

Got the drift?

Now all I hear is folks talking about EARN as though the subjectiveness of fight scoring isn't subjective enough in our beloved sport, so they introduce yet another subjectivity. Welcome "EARN"!

There is no need to add something on your comment.

[IAMTHAT]

But it’s fair to strip Usyk who’s rightfully earned the undisputed title, so some guy he made quit and a guy who’s just fought Mark De Mori can fight for a share of the title?

Come on man.

This is why boxing’s popularity has waned.

Imagine in 83, if they said hey let’s take one of the belts off Hagler if he fights Duran because Roldan and Hamsho don’t deserve to wait.

One champion per division, is far better for the sport on all levels and ABC’s should do their bit to ensure that. Title fights should be between the best guys in the division, not two lower end top 10 guys who’ve politicked their way into a favourable ranking position.

It’s unfair to Fury for sure. For Usyk he’s been registered as undisputed in historical records and life moves on. But if Fury wins he still never been undisputed.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

He did what IBF told him. As you said you can't blame him. Kalle Sunderland was his promotre and at the beggining of his carrer he said we go IBF way because they have clear rules and se go after IBF belt. So ...

It’s not good for the sport though which is my only point really. As the IBF help govern the sport they should make an exception to this rule for the benefit of the sport. I place no blame on Hrgovic only the IBF

I’ve said for years, unified/undisputed champions should have unified mandatories. The IBF #1 should have to face the WBO #1 or the WBC #1 should have to face the WBA #1. That way we’ll get worthy challengers rather than these mandatories who have just exploited the system to work their way up the rankings.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

It’s unfair to Fury for sure. For Usyk he’s been registered as undisputed in historical records and life moves on. But if Fury wins he still never been undisputed.

Usyk should be able to defend that undisputed championship the same way other greats did.

It’s just so detrimental to boxing dividing the title too. Usyk-Fury was so good for the sport, the IBF should be riding this wave instead of halting it.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

Even worse than Hrgovic getting a shot is Dubois. Dubois is ranked even lower than Hrgovic and already had a shot at Usyk. He landed a low blow and lost every second of the fight otherwise and got knocked out by a jab.

So in what universe does a fight between a #5/#6 vs a #8/#10 going by the TBRB/Ring ratings deserve to be a "world championship" fight more than the lineal/TBRB/Ring/WBA/WBC/WBO/IBO champion vs the #1? Usyk is the consensus champion, Fury is the consensus 1, Joshua is the consensus 2, and Parker is the consensus 3. Period.

Exactly. These ABC orgs just show no common sense at all. How can this benefit the sport in any way?

It’s beyond ******.

[Willow The Wisp]

IBF should not sanction the rematch. We asked for the undisputed and we got it: one name, one face, one champ. Let's move on and allow a mandatory have his shot. Fighters fight for mandatory positions for a reason and should be encouraged.

I respect the IBF for their strictness, but their timing has to be right and needs improvement, else they risked depriving us of an Usyk/Hirgovic fight

All that shouldn't stop Usyk/Fury rematch though. Those two can fight as many times as they wish but not at the expense of the rest of the division.

This is a minority option, but it does have some merit, IMO.

Still, the rematch is signed already, and Hrgovic, while a top talent, has not lit the division on fire much, regardless of how long the IBF has sat him up in their number one spot. Not a compelling challenger yet, and surely lost to Zhang in the eyes of those paying attention.

This is no time to empower the IBF I'm afraid.

[Willow The Wisp]

Good ideas on thread, and there are very much several ways to see this.

Usyk will have his hands full placating the needs of the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO.

Each one of them has ONE priority: Making money by renting their belts.
The problem is that each one wants full sanctioning fees for every time a holder of their belt fights, and it behooves them each to have their own champion.

As lo g as fans understand that at Heavyweight, exclusively; the holder of the linial title remains the man, and not the guy renting the most belts.

Usyk - Fury was a 1 point fight, and Fury gave Usyk a shot at the Linial Heavyweight title; so Usyk owes Fury the fulfillment of their signed contract.
That's the fight that really matters.

While Usyk is parsing the rankings looking for the opponents he'd like to pack into his record before he packs it in himself, outside of Fury, he's going to have to keep track of all those mandatory fights.......

WBC mandatory: Anthony Joshua
WBA mandatory: Martin Bakole
IBF mandatory: Filip Hrgovic
WBO mandatory: Joseph Parker

Busy schedule staying "Undisputed!!!!!

[soul_survivor]

I agree with everything except the last line.

Usyk is the best there is (right now).

But that doesn't mean that orgs should disregard their rules. The way people are talking on this thread they are effectively agreeing with the WBC's approach, rather than the IBF's.

It was the WBC that protected Wilder from a meaningful mandatory and then gave us approved Fury defences such as Chisora and Ngannou.

Then IBF already made repeated exceptions to allow undisputed to happen. Now it's done. They should go back to allowing their fighters the fights they've earned.

I never said Usyk shouldn't fight the best challengers out there.

I'm saying who cares if Usyk's next fight has 4 belts, 3 belts or 127 belts...the point is he is the best heavy out there.

Hrgovic will be a B level champion, or paper champion as we used to say back in the day unless he fights Usyk. Same goes for any other "champion" while Usyk is still champ.

[Dr. Z]

These ABC presidents all seem devoid of any common sense.

Usyk has defeated Anthony Joshua twice and Tyson Fury to EARN the IBF title.

Hrgovic has defeated Zhang controversially and Dempsey McKean to become mandatory.

Make him wait, he hasn’t earned sh**.

He has been avoided for 2 years and been the mandatory IBF title mandatory for over a year, you hater. He fights for the IBF title next. The waiting is OVER. After he chins his second Englishman, maybe he'll fight another.

I like to see him fight AJ after his match in June with Dubios. He should have two wins over ring ****zine top ten opponents by then.

[Toffee]

I never said Usyk shouldn't fight the best challengers out there.

I'm saying who cares if Usyk's next fight has 4 belts, 3 belts or 127 belts...the point is he is the best heavy out there.

Hrgovic will be a B level champion, or paper champion as we used to say back in the day unless he fights Usyk. Same goes for any other "champion" while Usyk is still champ.

Yes, but he's paid his sanctioning fees, beat the guy they put in front of him and deserves his shot at being a World Champion, even if it's B level.