Nigel Collins on The Ring Belt

THE RING CHAMPIONSHIP

Good day to you Nigel! Just wanted to get your thoughts on why you think The Ring belt has not been received universally by fighters, reporters, and fans alike. Thanks. – Fleetwood, St. Louis, MO.

Fleetwood,

The Ring’s championship policy is very popular with fans and fighters. The vast majority of fans like it because they know that if a fighter wears aRing belt, he is the legitimate world champion. In recent months, Nonito Donaire, Carl Froch, Andre Ward, Timothy Bradley, and Ricky Burns have all expressed publicly their desire to win The Ring championship. This makes sense because The Ring charges no sanctioning fee (which can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars) and does not attempt to dictate who they fight by forcing them to fight so-called mandatory challengers. Our philosophy is that the marketplace should make the fights, not alphabet organizations, or The Ring.

Our problems have been with promoters, managers, TV executives, and media outlets. Many (but not all) promoters and managers do not like the fact that The Ring doesn’t play the ratings game. In other words, they can’t maneuver a fighter up the rankings (by methods fair and/or foul) and be guaranteed a title shot. I recall a promoter, whose name will remain private because it was a private conversation, being very enthusiastic about The Ring’s championship policy until I explained that we do not strip champions of their titles or force mandatories. That ended the conversation and he never called me again.

While ESPN and the popular ESPN2 boxing series Friday Night Fights have been totally supportive from Day One, many media outlets have not. I believe jealousy is the number-one reason for this, although I think there is a minority that has a genuine philosophical disagreement.

I recall a promoter, whose name will remain private because it was a private conversation, being very enthusiastic about The Ring’s championship policy until I explained that we do not strip champions of their titles or force mandatories. That ended the conversation and he never called me again.

Ali wrote:

I recall a promoter, whose name will remain private because it was a private conversation, being very enthusiastic about The Ring’s championship policy until I explained that we do not strip champions of their titles or force mandatories. That ended the conversation and he never called me again.

flapanther2001 wrote:Grant sports wood in 5,4,3,2,1.............

Ali wrote:
lol you wish.

Wonder who it was, I have a hunch the promoter has grey hair or uses hair dye.

gomez1012 wrote:

Ali wrote:
lol you wish.

Wonder who it was, I have a hunch the promoter has grey hair or uses hair dye.

It was Oscar after he bought it, wanted every GBP fighter to be ring champ

Ali wrote:

gomez1012 wrote:

Ali wrote:
lol you wish.

Wonder who it was, I have a hunch the promoter has grey hair or uses hair dye.

It was Oscar after he bought it, wanted every GBP fighter to be ring champ

Oscar is the devil !!!!!

“We are very transparent with whatever we do with our fighters, and in a way, yes, we do want to take over,” De La Hoya continued. “Well, we don’t want to take control of boxing but we want to do the right thing for the sport. Have one (organization) running it like UFC. It’s very confusing with all these championship belts-my idea would be to have one champion in each division. There should be one heavyweight champion, not 20 like we have have now. Too much confusion. We have to weed out the bad and bring in the good.”

Ali wrote:

GrantZilla wrote:Al Bernstein sad that the reason they mention titles on Showtime is because they mean a lot to the fighters who fight for them.

That's well and good. If they refered to them as just that, titles and not Champions, there's no problem with that.

I got no problem with titles being seen as just that, titles, and stepping stones to a Championship fight.

But no, they got to refer to every trinket holder as a Champion.

flapanther2001 wrote:LOL...Like when they said "Lucas Matthysse is fighting former world champion,Devon Alexander".

GrantZilla wrote:

flapanther2001 wrote:LOL...Like when they said "Lucas Matthysse is fighting former world champion,Devon Alexander".

Exactly. If it was Lucas Matthysse is fighting former title holder,Devon Alexander I don't think anyone would have a problem with that.

Ali wrote:Alexander will get a chance for redemption tomorrow.

Ali wrote:Alexander will get a chance for redemption tomorrow.