In the queue for the championship belts: the evolution of championship

Championship titles in the world of professional boxing is playing not one, but just four major organizations - WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO. This is not counting frankly second-rate IBO, WBF, IBC.

Understand the diversity of world boxing Version ordinary fan is not easy. Understand their policy even more difficult. Fight Magazine tried to trace the evolution of professional boxing and explain why the process of creating associations proceeded that way, and not otherwise. In the queue for the belts Live now the world champions 50-60-ies remember the good old days, when the champion in each weight category was one. Now they became a lot more: 17 weight classes, 4 boxing version. Plus quirks WBA, awarded the title of superchempionov, as well as authorizing battles at stake are worth belt interim champion. Riding the same "common sense" of the World Boxing Association was the situation with Ruslan Chagaev. After the Uzbek twice injured on the eve of battle with our Nicolay Valuev, WBA named him "temporarily inactive" champion. Or, as aptly noted by some journalists, the champion is on vacation. When Floyd Mayweather Jr. before his fight with Shane Mosley has refused to pay a fee for sanctioning the fight World Boxing Association (he is 3 per cent of the fee boxer), according to which the champion was Mosley, WBC president Jose Sulaiman took the initiative to play in this battle, diamond championship belt WBC. Diamond Belt WBC - this honorary championship title, designed specifically for the fights between the popular boxers, taking place in the intermediate weight categories. This diamond "thong" looks just like an ordinary belt champion WBC, but is made with gold, 598 diamonds, 196 emeralds, rubies, 6 and 150 semi-precious stones Swarowski. World Boxing Council established the zone last year. It was first played on November 14 in the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto. However, Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley, is negligible sumnyashesya, abandoned the diamond belt of WBC, decided, apparently, that "the money it is more expensive than this tinsel. This, in turn, has caused a flurry of criticism from Jose Sulaiman. Records Dempsey However, such fights as Pacquiao - Mayweather or Cotto - Mosley, there are a couple of times a year, and world boxing organizations hold their championship fights almost weekly. So far, the federation firmly stand on my feet. It all began with a US-based in 1921 the National Boxing Association (National Boxing Association). At that time, boxing is considered quite profitable kind of business, and the NBA, which was to control competition in professional boxing, do their job efficiently and effectively. However, here is a caveat: the National Boxing Organization fortunate that in America at that time had already risen star of the great Jack Dempsey. Dempsey became the first boxer, who earned one battle more than a million dollars. Happened to this historic event in the same 1921, when on July 2, Jack in front of 80,183 (!) Boxing fans in the fourth round knockout of George Carpentier. Then the cash collected from ticket sales (about betting rates are not going to talk about.) To accommodate everyone, organizers a few days built a stadium in New Jersey. Now a number of spectators on the box it seems incredible, but then it was far from a record. Two years later, Dempsey, New York, defended his title against Luis Firpo, Angela, and contemplate this fight again came eighty thousand spectators. And already the next fight Jack in Philadelphia gathered 120,557 fans of boxing (!). However, for this Dempsey had to make a three-year pause in his career. Duel took place on Sept. 23, 1926 and ended in a fiasco for Jack's torturous: Dempsey lost to Gene Tany and the meeting and the rematch a year later. However, even fading idol of millions do not affected the popularity of professional boxing overseas. It was promoted and the opening in 1925 in New York, the legendary arena, "Madison Square Garden." It was there that were the best fights and boxers and promoters have earned record fees. This continued up until the market is not out yet another major player - the TV. The third will be? In the 50's and 60's of last century, professional boxing got a new stage in its development. Thanks to regular television boxing began to climb in the table of ranks in the top U.S. sports. And he began to look beyond America. The first in this situation, their bearings NBA. August 23, 1962 its leadership has announced a transformation of the organization into the World Boxing Association (WBA), with headquarters in Venezuela. However, all current players on the market leadership positions in the WBA is not enough. And already 14 February 1963 in opposition to WBA professional federations from 11 countries organized in Mexico City, Mexico, World Boxing Council (WBC). Everything was done with pomp: WBA accused of bias and fraud rankings, while the WBC has promised to be crystal clear to everyone. About the squeaky clean functionaries of the World Boxing Council, of course, a little heated, but in their work, they took a few successful innovations that have raised the image of the organization. So, worrying about the safety of boxers, WBC reduced the number of championship rounds - they became 12 instead of 15. As a result of several years of work, WBC went to a leading position among all the boxing organizations and continues to hold them to this day. For a while, the WBC and WBA to find a compromise between them. This was manifested in the names champions: the two organizations were identical. But sooner or later a delicate balance had to be broken: the champions were heviveyte differ from the late 70's. Quite the same confusing situation has become in the 80 years after professional boxing, a third force. Back in 1976 the U.S. established a USBA (United States Boxing Association) - Boxing Association of the United States. In April 1983, the organization was organized by the International Division USBA-International, and in May 1984 IBF got its present name. Until now, they say, that the creation of IBF was the idea of Don King. The most famous promoter of all time was working with so many boxers that they simply did not have championship belts. Here's Don and decided to create for yourself manual version, which would become an incubator of champions King. Influence of the Don IBF was palpable. But at some point King really helped the International Boxing Federation to become the third force of the world of professional boxing - his connections and a good boxer, championship bouts are sanctioned IBF. The last swallow was founded in 1988 in San Juan (Puerto Rico) World Boxing Organization (WBO). Despite the fact that its theme was the slogan of "dignity, democracy, honesty, in America it recognized only recently. Even 10 years ago in the U.S. WBO thought frankly second-rate organization. But King plays a retinue. In the 90's and early this century, the World Boxing Organization actively sanctioned championship fights of the European promoters: in America it would not let competitors. But some of the WBO champion is stronger than other versions that later proved in the ring. As an example, you can bring the Klitschko brothers, who first won championships in turn WBO, and then take them to actively join. Unifikeyshn - not feyshn, fashion it was not a Under these circumstances, a boxer was one way to true recognition: the boys had to combine championships for major versions and become undisputed world champion. It was necessary to win the belt in three world boxing versions. And to "legalize» WBO title for winning the absolute champion had to become the strongest versions of WBC, WBO and IBF. However, to say much easier said than done. Unifikeysheny was difficult to organize for several reasons. First, each a world boxing organization in the highly competitive pulled the blanket over himself. For unification fights had to get approval of two or three major world federations. That is, the promoters had to agree among themselves first, then with not one but two or three boxing organizations. As a result, heviveyte for the last 30 years there were only five of absolute champions. The pioneer was Mike Tyson, who obeyed the belt WBC, WBA and IBF August 1, 1987, when the American beat Tony Tucker. Have been in boxing history, and random absolute champions: James Douglas won the title by knocking out Tyson. But to show the belt all his relatives Douglas did not have time: in the next fight he lost to Evander Holyfield. Last of the Mohicans this seasoned professional boxing, too, could not long enjoyed the fame: in 1992 the absolute champion title he took the Riddick Bowe. However, Evander pull their socks up and in a rematch as follows napoddal "Big Daddy" (the nickname Bowie in the ring because of the number of children that were produced by light from the direct assistance of Riddick). The last undisputed champion in the heavyweight division was destined to be Lennox Lewis: Briton in a duel on Nov. 13, 1999 in Las Vegas, won the champion of such fighting Holyfield. Among our heavyweight champion, Sultan Ibragimov just tried to combine the titles. But first, because of the mysterious illness of the battle with him refused at that time WBA champion Ruslan Chagaev Uzbek. And then the Sultan was not afraid to enter the ring against IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko. Alas, against scrap no reception: Klitschko in the men's conversation, 23 February 2008 Sultana confidently won on points and soon looked forward to the fight against WBA champion Briton David Haye. If unifikeyshn between them will be held and Ukrainian wins, he will become the sixth undisputed world champion in the history of heviveyta. That's only the beginning of Vladimir needs to spend a mandatory defense of his IBF world title against Alexander Povetkin of our. However, we had heroes in other scales. Kostya Tszyu the title of absolute world champion earned a victory over the legendary Zabom Judah. November 3, 2001 in Las Vegas, Kostya won the famous American technical knockout in the second round and to their already existing at the time champion and the WBC belt he added superchempionskomu WBA Title IBF. And then, a native of Serov held two successful defense of all three of their titles. Been in the role of an absolute champion and another boxer, now the representative of Australia, but born in the USSR (and parallels are being drawn with the bones). We are talking about Vick Darchinyan who became undisputed champion in the super flyweight (we also call it weight "Super" - up to 52.2 kg) 1 November 2008. Vick, who at the time of birth actually named Vic, won three championship belts on the same version as the Tszyu. Then a native of Armenia made a successful title defense, and then unsuccessfully stood for the category above. After that Darchinyan returned to the "Super". And then again moved to vantamweight - the weight of "rooster" (up to 53.5 kg). Let's see, like Vick, who for several international tournaments held in amateur boxing for the national team of Ukraine (!), Will consist of the case among the "roosters". Instead of an epilogue What awaits us in the future, it is easy to predict. Apparently, the ball will be ruled by four major associations, which are now authorize all important championship fights. More on the market, they will not let anyone, because this niche is not just busy - it is overrun. At the same time of the extinction of professional boxing as a competitive sport in the next 25 years, no question. The main world boxing federation would continue to cut its three per cent of prize money championship fight, which they authorize. And their president, looking at the financial results of the year, will be enough to rub his palms. Union association is not worth waiting, because none of the leaders of the current federation does not want to share with someone their income. However, like bankruptcy - money enough for all. So, the most astute fans of professional boxing would not only have to memorize the acronym of the three English letters in four versions, but also to understand what is the difference between them. Jose Sulaiman "Boxers for a while enjoying their belts, and then fall into the clutches of giant telekorporatsy and some promoters, who have only boxer to become a superstar, give a kick up the backside authorizing international organizations, abandoning their services. And these organizations continue to work, bringing to the top of the new Boxers, who then repeated the same tricks. I believe that this practice - when the boxers enter the ring for the money and the determination of the strongest in a particular battle - can lead to complete disappearance of boxing as a competitive sport in the next 25 - 50 years - complained and was not afraid to make such a pessimistic outlook chapter WBC. Reference: The world's major boxing version WBC (World Boxing Council) - World Boxing Council. Founded in Mexico City (Mexico) in 1963 WBA (World Boxing Association) - World Boxing Association. Founded in 1962 in Venezuela (now headquartered in Panama) IBF (International Boxing Federation) - International Boxing Federation. Founded in 1983 in New Jersey (USA) WBO (World Boxing Organization) - World Boxing Organization. Founded in 1988 in San Juan (Puerto Rico)