Floyd Mayweather, Eddie Hearn Agree There’s Too Many Belts In Boxing
While boxing legend Floyd Mayweather and promoter Eddie Hearn might have their differences on a range of other things, the two are on the same page when it comes to campaigning against there being too many championship belts in boxing.
Mayweather’s Reservations
Championship belts are what combat athletes work so hard for, but too many of them are not a very good idea, and both Mayweather and Hearn agree. Speaking live on Showtime Sports’ YouTube channel (as transcribed by Boxing Scene), the undefeated ‘Money’ complained about the increasing number of championship belts, which he believes are bad for the sport.
“I wanna say this right now about the sport of boxing, and I want everybody at home to hear me when I say this – a belt, I’m tired and [when] I’m at home – and this goes for any company,” Mayweather said. “I don’t care if it’s Top Rank, if it’s Golden Boy [Promotions], if it’s Mayweather Promotions, if it’s PBC – there’s too many champions in the sport of boxing right now. 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.
“And the reason why it’s too [many belts], let me tell people what’s going on in the sport of boxing, why there’s so many different titles and so many different belts. People don’t know you have to pay, for every belt that you win, there’s a sanctioning fee. So now, if a fighter wins an interim belt, he has to pay a sanctioning fee. If a fighter has just the regular belt, he has to pay a sanctioning fee. Then, if a fighter is a super champion, then he has to pay a sanctioning fee. This is not good for the sport of boxing. Now, when a fighter fights, every fighter is a champion now. Belts now is like a fighter winning an amateur trophy. Everybody is a champion. Everybody have a belt.”
Hearn Lauds UFC Model
Speaking to Sky Sports, Eddie Hearn expressed similar views to Mayweather. The Matchroom Boxing founder also lauded UFC’s model of a single belt per division (plus an interim title in case the champion can’t defend), and said that is something the boxing bigwigs should try to replicate.
“We do [have too many belts]. That’s a given. It’s not good for boxing at all,” Hearn said. “You look at the UFC model, which we’re all very envious of, which is one promotional company, if you like, and one belt. That’s where I want to get to in boxing. It’s going to take a lot of work, but we’re putting a blueprint together for that and it’s something we’re going to be pushing hard for in 2021 as we continue to expand.”
Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury
Hearn’s comments come at a time when he is pushing for a mega-fight between IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and WBC titleholder Tyson Fury, to crown the undisputed heavyweight champion.
“I really want the Joshua versus Fury fight to be for the undisputed title,” Hearn said. “I’ve seen comments from their side saying the belts aren’t important. The belts are important, and they are important for Anthony Joshua. He hasn’t accumulated these belts and sanctioning fees over the years to just throw them away. The dream is to be undisputed.”
While a fight with Fury would be massive, Joshua must focus all his energies on Kubrat Pulev, who he defends his titles against on December 12th.
Do you agree with Floyd Mayweather and Eddie Hearn?
See also: