Eddie Hearn Believes There Needs To Be Less Importance Towards Belts
The managing director of Matchroom Sports and boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has stated the need for there to be less importance towards the boxing organisations belts: WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO. Hearn seems somewhat disillusioned with how the governing bodies of boxing operate but equally understands that boxers dream of becoming world champions, so a solution needs to be found.
‘We’re going to be less reliant on the belts and the governing bodies (WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO)’ Hearn told BoxingNews.
‘When the fighter come through, they want to win a world title and there’s never going to be a Matchroom belt, never. So you either have to align yourself with one or adopt a Laissez-faire attitude – ‘I understand I have a mandatory, cheerio, I’m off’ – there has to be less foucs on the belts moving forward’
‘We’ve put too much focus on the belts. Look at Haney, he never wanted to be given that title, he wanted Lomachenko. It’s almost devalued him being given that title. He wanted to win it off a champion. We’ve gotta put less focus on belts, but I don’t feel like we’re ready to get rid of the belts’
For both boxing hardcore and casual fans, the numerous belts and organisations causes both confusion and disillusionment. Not just the belts but equally how ranking works within each governing body can be seem corrupt, even if this is not the case.
Eddie Hearn is right in his thoughts, there does to be reform of how world titles and boxing organisations operate within our beloved sport of pugilism.
