The rankings and policies of the International Boxing Federation [IBF] have come into sharp focus in recent months because of the sanctioning body enforcing nonsensical mandatories and kyboshing undisputed championships in the process.
In particular, Oleksandr Usyk at heavyweight and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez at super middleweight relinquished their IBF belt rather than face an opponent who would not progress their career and, at light heavyweight, Artur Beterbiev might soon become the latest undisputed king to do the same.
Though the strict rules of the IBF have long been understood, it’s still maddening when they – without any self-awareness mere days after all four belts have been unified – put forth their leading contender against whom the champion must defend before a set deadline. The demands would be easier to stomach if the contender in question was long overdue a shot or even just remotely worthy of one. Too often, that is simply not the case.
A study of the IBF rankings across the 17 weight classes reveals that, in at least six of them, the organization has some serious explaining to do in regard to their choice for the most deserving.
Heavyweight
Quite why the IBF chose to make the June 1 contest between Daniel Dubois and Filip Hrgovic for the ‘interim’ title is unknown when, just two weeks before, Oleksandr Usyk had defended the full fat version of the championship against Tyson Fury, gaining undisputed status in the process.
Admittedly, the IBF aren’t the only sanctioning body who have no idea what the word ‘interim’ means but, even so, their subsequent request for Usyk to face Dubois was ludicrous. Acutely aware that Usyk was contracted to a rematch with Fury, the IBF made the demand while being all but certain it could not be adhered to.
Moreover, why are they demanding that Usyk face a boxer he defeated as recently as last year?
Cruiserweight
The IBF champion, Jai Opetaia, is widely regarded as the best fighter in the division so no harm done there. However, his leading contender is a 39-year-old Turkish-born German called Huseyin Cinkara.
Cinkara has a glossy 22-0 (18 KOs) record but closer inspection reveals he hasn’t defeated anyone – not a single soul – to merit his place in the Top 10, much less the Top 1. For context, he is unranked by TBRB and The Ring.
Light heavyweight
Last week, about 23 minutes after Artur Beterbiev outscored Dmitry Bivol in a battle for all four straps, the IBF confirmed that the undisputed champion’s next fight should come against Germany’s Michael Eifert, 13-1 (5 KOs).
Quite what Eifert has done to be regarded as a worthy opponent for one of the best fighters in boxing is unclear – surely a 12-round points win over 79-year-old Jean Pascal last March wasn’t enough.
Eifert is unranked by TBRB and The Ring.
Super middleweight
When Canelo Alvarez opted to relinquish his IBF title – forfeiting undisputed status in the process – rather than face William Scull, nobody accused the Mexican of running scared. Scull, unranked by The Ring before he edged Vladimir Shishkin to win the vacant gong last weekend, had done very little to deserve his place atop the IBF 168 rankings and hadn’t partaken in a bout scheduled for 12 rounds in more than two years. Scull-Shishkin was largely ignored by the boxing media because few within the industry viewed it as a worthwhile world title fight.
Welterweight
In January last year, Jaron “Boots” Ennis won every round of 12 on all three scorecards against Karen Chukhadzhian in a bout for that pesky ‘interim’ trinket. It was not an exciting scrap nor was there a shred of controversy. Ennis, subsequently upgraded to full IBF champion, was this year ordered to face Chukhadzian, 24-2 (13 KOs) in a sequel nobody, bar the IBF, wants or would ever consider worthwhile. It takes place on November 9 and will be difficult to get even a little bit excited by.
Since losing to Ennis, the Ukrainian – unranked by TBRB and The Ring – won three bouts against opposition so middling it’s a genuine mystery how he achieved a No.1 rating.
Super flyweight
Exciting Argentinian Fernando Martinez merits his status as a world champion, finding himself ranked No.1 in the division by both TBRB and The Ring. His leading contender, who sounds like an arch enemy of Harry Potter, is unranked by TBRB and The Ring, however. Mexico’s Willibaldo Garcia, 22-5-1 (13 KOs), has not ventured back into world class since losing to Paul Butler three years ago, nor has he even once competed in a contest scheduled for more than 10 rounds.
Read the full article here
