This argument was supposed to be over. Klitschko-Sanders was supposed to end the discussion. The true heavyweight champion was to be crowned and boxing was supposed to make its comeback into the mainstream. So why now do we have just as much argument as we had before?
For one thing Vitali Klitschko’s challenger was a semi retired, 38 year old aspiring golf pro who granted had a heavy left hand but definitely not a championship caliber fighter. That’s not even the worst part. This retiring southpaw even managed to stun and stagger Klitschko a few times throughout the bout. So when people ask me how we can know for sure who the heavyweight champion of the world is, there is only one thing I can think of, a tournament for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world, and the number one contender spot.
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Now granted in boxing’s current scheme of things this kind of tournament could have a problem getting arranged what with promoters and conflict of interest and all. That’s why we execute this tournament in my fantasy idea, written about previously, the WBL. (World Boxing League) It will consist of all four current champions as well as four top contenders in a winner-goes-on tournament. All fights can take place in the same month with a three or four month break between each round of the tournament.
Our first round consists of WBO champion Lamon Brewster facing the number one contender James Toney, WBA champion John Ruiz fighting the top contender who does not hold a belt Hasim Rahman, IBF champ Chris Byrd fighting top contender Jameel Mcline, and finally WBC king Vitali Klitschko defending against long shot Joe Mesi. (who is sadly the number one contender according to the World Boxing Council)
From there the WBC winner will face the WBO winner, and the WBA winner will fight the IBF winner. Then 6-8 months after our tournament has started we crown our new champion with the winners from those bouts squaring off in the 'super champion' bout. The losers of those two fights will do battle for the number one contender's spot. The losers from the first round will then fight in consolation bouts to determine contenders 2-7.
To me it makes sense, to others it may not. To those who do not believe this is a good idea I ask you. What else can we do to put to rest the argument of who is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world? Plus it would possibly give us that dominant character the flagship of boxing needs to survive and fight it's way back into the mainstream. Don't expect anything like this too happen in the near future however, it just makes too much sense. The suits who run boxing now would never go for something so........ simple and practical.
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© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2004
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By Aaron Imholte (June 4, 2004) 
