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Boxing

Oscar De La Hoya calls for less confusion over championship belts in boxing

Ash Rose
Oscar De La Hoya calls for less confusion over championship belts in boxingChris Farina
Former champion thinks fans are less interested in title fights because there are so many belts.

Oscar De La Hoya has called on more clarity for fans when it comes to championship belts in boxing. 

There are currently four governing bodies in boxing, each coming with it's own championship and the former champion believes having so many titles, means fans get put off fights because the confusion over each championship. 

Talking to DAZN's Chris Mannix in an exclusive sit-down interview alongside Eddie Hearn, De Lay Hoya says the sport needs to find a way that keeps both the organisations and fans happy and interested in title fights. 

"Fighters love being champions. I loved holding my belt when I won a world title, but I didn't like paying the sanctioning fee, " he said. 

"The WBO, WBC, IBF, and WBA, yes they've done a great job in making champions and crowning champions, with the hard work that the fighter and promoter and everybody involved. But a lot of time, when you have four belts, the consumer/the public gets confused. They are not interested in who's fighting who because the belt is involved. 

"We have to find a someway to find a happy medium somewhere to make sure the fight fan is not discourgaed by these organisations. Because every single day the rules are changing, every single time and it's very, very confusing. 

"I stick and stand by the Ring belt. That's it. Yes, I own it, so of course, I'm going to say it, but I do not get involved whatsoever. There's a board of writers who are professional and rank the fighters, and to win the belt, it happens in the ring and to lose the belt, it happens in the ring. There are no sanction fees and if you take a look at the ratings, there's no confusion whatsoever. 

 

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