Let me get this straight. Boxing has 4 major sanctioning bodies (WBC, WBO, IBF, and WBA), most divisions have 4 different title holders, some sanctioning bodies don't have boxers ranked if they don't pay for the service, and some sanctioning bodies have multiple champions in each divisions. Can you keep all of that straight? I sure as hell can't! Of course, of these 4 major sanctioning bodies, the top dog is none other than...Ring Magazine? That is correct fight fans. The most recognized and respected authority in the sport is a magazine owned and operated by the largest promotional company in boxing, Golden Boy Promotions.
Ring Magazine has currently been given top dog status by the likes of ESPN and HBO because they rank every fighter in every division, regardless of which title they own or which sanctioning body they pay to be ranked in. So how are the rankings compiled? "THE RING Ratings are compiled by the magazine's editorial board, with the participation of THE RING Ratings Panel of boxing journalists from around the world." There you have it...straight from the Ring Magazine website. And now, with the news that Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya is moving the operation to his home base in Los Angeles, one can only imagine how fair and honest those ratings will remain. Not that they were fair and honest before. Sounds an awful lot like the BS, I mean BCS, system in college football. It's all about money.
So what's it going to take to get a fair and accurate ratings system, one where fans don't have to ask, "What title are they fighting for?"
Absolutely nothing, because the system is already in place. The problem is, only hardcore fight fans know about it.
Boxrec.com is the only boxing authority fans should be paying attention to. There are no vacant championships, no drama, and most importantly, no bullshit! Every rating Boxrec produces is based on a completely objective scientific formula and points system. Fighters are rewarded for activity, and are penalized for inactivity. That means Manny Pacquiao is the current #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, followed by Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali Klitschko, Bernard Hopkins, and Sergio Martinez. Floyd Mayweather is not currently listed because of his inactivity. Including Floyd on this list prior to the outcome of Saturday's fight would be like including Plaxico Burress as one of the top 5 receivers in the NFL prior to the end of his first season back from a stint in jail. If you've been away for awhile, you must earn your way back on the list. For those of you thinking this list is garbage, keep in mind there are 26 different components that go into Boxrec's formula. Whatever your opinion of the ratings system, it is the only system currently in place that is strictly objective because it has to be. It's completely numbers based.
If boxing fans want to get the sport back to where it belongs, the first place it needs to start is looking at the ratings system. I don't want to see a championship fight between Saul Alvarez (#4 Jr. middleweight according to Boxrec) against Alfonso Gomez (#13 Jr. middleweight on Boxrec). Not to say I don't want to watch "Canelo" fight, but what did he do to deserve a title? A win over journeyman Matthew Hatton should not qualify. I would like to see him step in the ring against someone in the top 5; names like Miguel Cotto, Alfredo Angulo, Cornelius Bundrage, and Paul Williams.
Boxing fans need something to believe in and fighters being stripped of their titles, such as Yuriorkis Gamboa because he doesn't want to fight a ridiculous mandatory, should stand up and throw those alphabet-soup titles out the window. One title per division is all boxing needs to get back on track. Everyone should get on board the Boxrec.com train. The sweet science will be better off because of it.
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