Alright, let me tell ya somethin’ ’bout this boxin’ stuff. You know, the kind where fellas punch each other real hard? Yeah, that one. So, you’re wonderin’ why they got so many dang belts, huh? It’s a mess, I tell ya, a real mess. Even this old woman gets confused sometimes.
Why So Many Belts? It’s a Money Thing, I Reckon
First off, you gotta understand, there ain’t just one big boss in boxin’. Nope. It’s like a bunch of different clubs, each wantin’ their own shiny things. They call ’em “sanctionin’ bodies,” sounds fancy, but it just means they make the rules and hand out the belts.
- You got the WBA, that’s one bunch.
- Then there’s the WBC, another group.
- And don’t forget the IBF, they got their own belts too.
- Last but not least, the WBO, they also wanna be important.
Now, each of these fellas, they got their own champions. And see, that’s where it gets tricky. You got like, seventeen different weights, you know, light fellas, heavy fellas, and all the in-betweens. And for each weight, each of them clubs… I mean, sanctionin’ bodies… they got a belt. So, you do the math, that’s a whole lotta belts! More belts than my old shed has tools, I swear.
More Belts, More Money, More Problems
Why they do it? Well, I reckon it’s all ’bout the money. Each belt, it brings in the crowds, the sponsors, the TV deals. The more belts, the more money floatin’ around. It’s like sellin’ more chickens at the market, the more you sell, the more you earn. Simple as that.
But it ain’t good for the sport, I tell ya. Folks get confused. They don’t know who the real champ is. Is it the fella with the WBA belt? Or the WBC one? Or maybe the IBF fella? It’s like tryin’ to pick the best apple from a whole barrel of ’em, all lookin’ kinda the same but somebody tellin’ you each one is special in its own way.
Seventeen Weights, Four Bodies… You Do the Math
Think of it like this: you got your light fellas, they call ’em flyweights or somethin’. Then you got your bigger fellas, heavyweights, real bruisers. And in between, you got a whole bunch more. Like welterweights, middleweights, light heavyweights… it goes on and on. Seventeen weights in total. And for each weight, you got those four clubs, each with their own champion. So, you do the math. Seventeen times four… that’s a lot of champions, ain’t it? Too many, if you ask me.
It’s All a Bit of a Muddle, Honestly
This whole belt thing, it’s just a muddle. It used to be simpler, you know? One champ, that’s it. Now, you got these “super” champs, “regular” champs, “interim” champs… it’s enough to make your head spin. It’s like tryin’ to follow a flock of chickens, all runnin’ in different directions.
Champions Everywhere, But Who’s the Best?
Sometimes, you get a fella who wants to prove he’s the real deal. He goes and fights all the other champs, collects all the belts. Then you know, okay, that’s the best fella in that weight. But that don’t happen often. Most of the time, they just stick to their own club, defend their own belt, and call themselves a champion. It’s like bein’ the best pie baker in your own kitchen, but never goin’ to the county fair to see how you stack up against the others.
Makes It Hard for the Fans, That’s for Sure
It’s hard for folks like us, you know, the ones who just wanna watch a good fight. We wanna know who the best is, plain and simple. But with all these belts, it’s hard to figure it out. It’s like lookin’ at a field full of weeds and tryin’ to find the prettiest flower. They all look kinda the same after a while.
Maybe One Day They’ll Fix It… But I Doubt It
Maybe one day, they’ll get it all sorted out. Maybe they’ll go back to just one champ for each weight. But I doubt it. There’s too much money involved, see? And those sanctionin’ bodies, they ain’t gonna give up their power easy. It’s like tryin’ to get a rooster to stop crowin’ at dawn, ain’t gonna happen.
So, that’s the story, as best as this old woman can tell it. Lots of belts, lots of confusion, and lots of money. That’s boxin’ for ya. A whole lotta fuss over who gets to wear the shiny buckle. Makes you wonder if it’s all just for show, doesn’t it?
