Floyd Mayweather Jr. continues to be involved in boxing but knows that there is a lot of things that need to be fixed. That includes seeing multiple boxing champions which, according to the undefeated American fighter is confusing fans and not good for the sport.
Mayweather feels the IBF, WBA, WBC and the WBO are to blame for the mess and that it is all about the money. The 43-year-old singled out how sanctioning fees for title belts have brought a dark mark in blockbuster fights. Also, he stressed that having a super champion makes no sense. For him, there is no such thing, Boxingscene reported.
In boxing, most may have heard about an interim champion and a regular champion. The sanctioning fees play a role in the type of belt that would be on the line, clearly showing that the sport is all about business and making money. Sanctioning bodies usually take 3 percent from the champions and the challengers. Aside from that, the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO charge promoters a flat fee for sanctioning title fights.
"Too many champions. It’s not a such thing as a super champion, not at all. And I’m not taking nothing away from no fighter. It’s too many belts,” Mayweather said during his promotion of the Gervonta Davis-Leo Santa Cruz pay-per-view fight.
The confusion of having multiple champions is not solely limited to the fans. Mayweather used the recent win of Teofimo Lopez over Vasiliy Lomachenko as an example. He praised Lopez for a good fight as the pug now becomes the IBF and WBO champion. The Flamboyant One says it has become confusing since it somehow questions the stature of Devin Haney (WBC champion) at lightweight, and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (WBA).
In short, Mayweather feels that one of the champions will eventually be overshadowed. Though each champion has accomplished something in their own right, the right recognition of who is the real champion for the division is creating a different kind of atmosphere.
The points raised by Mayweather are reasonable although it will be interesting if boxing bodies do something about it. If money is indeed the reason behind having multiple belts, such does tarnish the popularity of the sport. But right now, it appears things will remain the same with no word on what the boxing bodies plan to do to resolve this dispute.
