which of the four boxing belts (WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO) is the most respected?

Question

Here is a list of the reigning champions:
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?page=boxing/champions/index
But, with four different champs per weight class how do you know which one is the most superior?

Answer 1

When there was one world champ it was NBC champ, then changed to wbc, then later some broke away and formed wba, then again more broke away from the WBA to form the IBF, i think larry holmes was their first champ, WBO came much later

Answer 2

How long is a piece of string? There used to be a time when a champion had a year before he was entitled to fight his mandatory contender. But now with the amount of eliminations taking place to fill the coffers of the alphabet boys you could have a champion fighting two or three mandatories in a row. See Vitali Klitschko. By the time an alphabet champ unifies two of the belts, one of the alphabet crew is going to ask him to fight a mandatory or get stripped. Then after fighting that mandatory the other alphabet is going to have him fight their mandatory. Then after that as he tries to negotiate with another alphabet champ that other guy's sanctioning body will want him to fight their mandatory or get stripped. By the time they agree to get it on, the first guy has to fight another mandatory all over again. Then you have the bizarre IBF who strips unified champions without giving any kind of valid reasons. E.g., Joe Calzaghe, Jermain Taylor, Israel Vasquez, Antonio Margarito and O'neil Bell. So as soon as a guy gets a belt or two you can be sure that the IBF is going to do their very best to prevent an undisputed champion from being created. It is possible to make it happen with Bernard Hopkins being the only example but the fact that Bernard Hopkins has been the only one shows how difficult it is.

Answer 3

It's a shame, but none of these guys can really claim to be champion; at least, not Champion of the World. Of the twenty-five people Joe Louis beat, many would have been champion of something or other if they did it that way then. And other would have been number 1 contender instead of 5, 6, 7 or 8 (4 champs, 4 no. 1s).

Answer 4

WBC is the most respected, there are also other world titles like the IBC and the IBO. And plus most boxers would if they had to make a choice between the four belts which to hold on to they would choose the WBC

Answer 5

The blogbaba gives the WBC the nod, but in truth there should only be one "champion", the alphabet soup of sanctioning organizations is a disgrace to boxing and a sell out to the almighty dollar.

Answer 6

before, the most respected was wba and wbc.. but now i believe that it is wbc and ibf.. they have stronger and more popular champions

Answer 7

There are only three major belts - WBA, IBF and WBC.

Answer 8

ithink ibf or maybe wbc

Answer 9

WBA - IT IS THE OLDEST.