World Boxing Association President Gilberto Mendoza is no longer in active pursuit of crowning one champion in each of the seventeen weight divisions.
Despite informing WBN exclusively in 2013 that he wants only ‘one sole champion’ per division and subsequently launching a heavyweight tournament, Mendoza has admitted he doesn’t see the point.
WBN removed recognition of the WBA ‘Regular’ title in 2019 after Mendoza spent six years avoiding the issue that fans want to be addressed.
They don’t want multiple champions at every weight class. It’s wrong, and it devalues the real championships.
Mendoza has now moved to reveal why. The Panamanian says it’s all ‘better’ with the extra gold.
“What gives you credibility? If credibility is to approve a single title, do things like mechanics and not contribute to boxing, that is complicated,” Mendoza told ESPN.
“They tell me that there must be only one champion, but they don’t give me solid arguments. They tell me they are devalued, but when we talk about making a tournament to leave a single champion, not everyone wants to enter it.
“When we talk about accepting a champion versus champion fight, not everyone is willing.
“On the other hand, a boxer with a title wins better; a fighter who goes to a title fight wins better.
“A chain that broadcasts a title fight does better. A promoter who has a title fight does better. The same fan is more attentive if he knows there is a title.”
WORLD BOXING ASSOCIATION GOLD
Instead of removing belts, Mendoza has shockingly added even more. The WBA Gold title, whatever that is, came into effect last year.
Similarly to the ‘Regular,’ WBN will not recognize this new strap as anything more than a trinket. I stood by what was said last year on those confusing alternate versions.
“We would like to make a record of their renewed stance against the World Boxing Association continually adding new titles.
“The most recent ‘Gold’ WBA championship has muddied the sport’s already murky waters of straps.
“Something needs to be done to reverse the flow. Therefore, WBN will no longer recognize the WBA’ Regular’ belt brought in some years ago.
“This comes from a broken promise by President Gilberto Mendoza to WBN back in 2013.
“At the time, Mendoza stated unequivocally that he would eradicate the ‘regular’ titles at the earliest opportunity to have one sole champion per division.
“This has not transpired ae, has been made even more complicated.”
WBN Editor Phil Jay has over ten years of boxing news experience. Follow WBN on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews, Instagram, and Twitter @worldboxingnews.
