It’s unclear what Croatia’s talented but mostly untested Filip Hrgovic has managed in 15 professional bouts to be considered by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) as a top heavyweight contender. The reality, however, is that he should highlight the mess constantly created by the sanctioning authorities and their empowerers.
This week, the IBF announced that Hrgovic must be Oleksandr Usyk’s next opponent, making plans for the Ukrainian to take on Tyson Fury early next year uncertain. It shouldn’t, of course. It’s clear that Usyk-Fury is the best match to perform in the division, regardless of the titles at stake. No one appealed to Usyk-Hrgovic, the Hrgovic bar team, and only those with an interest in the IBF ruling to support it.
Should Usyk decide to give up or find himself disqualified, Hrgovic could be up against Anthony Joshua for the vacant belt. Hrgovic is number one, no one is in second place (completely ridiculous), Andy Ruiz Jnr (currently in line to face Deontay Wilder) is in third, leaving Joshua, in 4th place, is the highest competitor available.
IBFs can in part be admired for following their own rules, whatever the consequences; especially when it comes to enforcing mandatory provisions. Back in 2015, Fury was stripped of his IBF title less than two weeks after defeating Wladimir Klitschko when he refused to take on the organization’s top contender, Vyacheslav Glazkov, in the next bout.
Back then, second place was also vacant so Charles Martin, third, stepped up to face Glazkov in one of the most forgettable ‘world heavyweight title fights’ in history. But what did Glazkov do to deserve his chance in the eyes of the IBF? As is the case with Hrgovic today, the answer is not achievement.
Glazkov’s best victories have come from fading cruisers Steve Cunningham and Tomasz Adamek. Both encounters were for IBF regional titles where the penalty fee was paid. Likewise, Hrgovic has transferred sanction fees to the IBF in three of his last four matches for the privilege of owning their ‘International’ belt. None of the opponents who had been defeated – Rydell Booker, Marko Radonjic and Emir Ahmatovic – were considered legitimate opponents before he defeated them. No one currently appears in the IBF heavyweight top 15. Only Zhilei Zhang, who was trailed by Hrgovic in August, has an IBF ranking – dropping all the way down to 13th. Just looking at the bare facts is not enough to strengthen Hrgovic’s case nor justify it. received Glazkov’s Special Treatment seven years ago.
Sanctioning agencies rarely explain their decision-making process when it comes to ratings. But when broadcasters and broadcasters are willing to facilitate them, why would they? For example, Eddie Hearn reacted to the IBF’s decision jovially. However, he won’t do so if Joshua remains the IBF belt holder with a showdown with Fury in his sights.
The biggest problem we have is: While the IBF is calling for Hrgovic, and the WBA will soon ask Daniel Dubois to try, and the WBO will take Joe Joyce’s position, and the WBC will insist that Deontay Wilder be When it comes to his turn, there’s no system that requires the best – Fury and Usyk – to actually fight each other. It was a tiresome repetition of a silly but familiar story. And this is not just the fault of the promoters. Everyone who uttered the word ‘four belt era’ with a straight face can be blamed for this incessant confusion.
Many fans are being fooled by a story that has plagued the sport since championships began to multiply. If we’re not careful, we could soon be in the middle of the ‘5 belt era’ if the fascination with IBO continues. One only needs to see the incredible social media posts of ‘best IBO champion in history’ from broadcasters who should know better as proof.
For those who believe that won’t happen, go back to 1983 and 1988 when the IBF and WBO were formed respectively. If their appearance were ignored by power brokers, rather than seen as a marketing tool, there would be no desire to attach all four belts to battles like today’s Usyk-Fury.
Furthermore, the inability to keep all four sanctioning bodies satisfied, and thus maintain an ‘undisputed champion’ for any length of time, would highlight the absurdity of trying to try to do so.
Because BN, and the vast majority of fans, Usyk-Fury happens to be what matters, whether there are four belts on the rope or not. We hope the boxers themselves realize that as well.
