World Boxing Association
| World Boxing Association | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Abbreviation | WBA |
| Motto | Simply the pioneers |
| Formation | 1962 |
| Purpose/focus | Boxing sanctioning organization |
| Region served | Worldwide |
| President | Gilberto Mendoza |
| Main organ | General Assembly |
| Website | www.wbanews.com |
The World Boxing Association (WBA) is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962. It is the oldest of the four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the World Boxing Organization.
Contents |
[edit] History
The original sanctioning body of professional boxing, the World Boxing Association can be traced back to the original National Boxing Association, organized in 1921; the first bout recognized by the organization being the Jack Dempsey-Georges Carpentier Heavyweight Championship bout in New Jersey, USA.
The NBA was formed by representatives from thirteen American states to counterbalance the influence the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) wielded in the boxing world. This often meant that the NBA and the NYSAC crowned different world champions in the same division, leading to confusion about who was the real champion.[1]
The International Boxing Research Organization describes the early NBA in this way: "Originally more comparable to the present American Association of Boxing Commissions than to its offspring and successor, the NBA sanctioned title bouts, published lists of outstanding challengers, withdrew titular recognition, but did not attempt to appoint its own title bout officials or otherwise impose its will on championship fights. It also did not conduct purse bids or collect 'sanctioning fees.'"[2]
In 1962 the NBA, with the growth of boxing's popularity worldwide, changed its name to the World Boxing Association. The organization remained mainly American until 1974, however. In that year, two Panamanian boxing figures named Rodrigo Sanchez and Elias Cordova manipulated the WBA rules to give a majority of votes to nations in Latin America.[3]
Gilberto Mendoza has been the President of the WBA since 1982. The WBA in the 1990s moved its central offices from Panama City, Panama, to Caracas, Venezuela. In January 2007 it moved its offices again to Panama.
[edit] Controversies
The WBA has been plagued with charges of corruption for years. In perhaps the most notable instance, promoter Bob Arum claimed in a 1982 interview that he had to pay off WBA officials to obtain rankings.[3] In a 1981 Sports Illustrated article, a WBA judge claimed that he was influenced by the WBA president to support certain fighters. The same article also discussed a variety of bribes paid to WBA officials to obtain title fights or rankings with the organization.[4]
The WBA also came under fire in the 1980s for allowing South Africans to fight for its titles.[citation needed]
Though the "Super Champion" designation are for WBA champions who concurrently hold titles with the WBO, IBF and/or WBC, there are instances where the WBA designates fighters with only the WBA title as "Super Champion." This particular practice has come under scrutiny as it is seen by several boxing experts as a means to obtain more sanctioning fees within each division.
[edit] Super titles
The WBA recognizes the title holders from the WBC, WBO, and IBF organizations. The WBA refers to a champion who holds two or more of these titles in the same weight class as an "undisputed champion" or "super champion". This applies even if the WBA title is not one of the titles held by the "undisputed champion".[5][6] In September 2008, Nate Campbell was recognized as lightweight "undisputed champion" for his WBO and IBF titles, while the WBA's own champion was Yusuke Kobori.[7]
If one of the multiple titles held to earn the designation WBA "Super" Champion is the WBA's own title, then the fighter is promoted to Super champion and the WBA title becomes vacant for other WBA-ranked boxers to fight for. Thus, the WBA tables will sometimes show a "WBA Super World Champion" and a "WBA World Champion" for the same weight class, instead of simply "WBA Champion"[8].
Sometimes it is possible for a WBA champion to become "Super" champion without adding another organization's title; Chris John, Miguel Cotto, Felix Sturm, Anselmo Moreno are examples.
[edit] Current WBA world title holders
[edit] Male
[edit] Female
| Weight class: | Champion: | Date won: |
|---|---|---|
| Strawweight (105 lbs) | vacant? | |
| Junior flyweight (108 lbs) | vacant? | |
| Flyweight (112 lbs) |  Susi Kentikian |
30 March 2007 |
| Junior bantamweight (115 lbs) | vacant? | |
| Bantamweight (118 lbs) | vacant? | |
| Junior featherweight (122 lbs) | vacant? | |
| Featherweight (126 lbs) |  Choi Hyunmi |
October 11 2008 |
| Super Featherweight (130 lbs) |  Kina Malpartida |
21 February 2009 |
| Lightweight (135 lbs) | vacant? | |
| Junior welterweight (140 lbs) | vacant? | |
| Welterweight (147 lbs) |  Cecilia Brækhus |
14 March 2009 |
| Junior middleweight (154 lbs) | vacant? | |
| Middleweight (160 lbs) | vacant? | |
| Super middleweight (168 lbs) | vacant? | |
| Light heavyweight (175 lbs) | vacant? | |
| Cruiserweight (200 lbs) | vacant? | |
| Heavyweight (200+ lbs) | vacant? |
[edit] See also
[edit] Other world organizations
- International Boxing Hall of Fame recognized
- Other organizations
- International Boxing Association
- International Boxing Council
- International Boxing Organization
- World Professional Boxing Federation & United States Boxing Council
[edit] Regional Organizations
[edit] WBA affiliated organizations
- FEDELATIN
- Pan Asian Boxing Association (PABA)
- European Boxing Association (EBA)
- North American Boxing Association (NABA)
[edit] Transition of WBA titles
- List of WBA world champions
- List of WBA international champions
- List of WBA Fedecentro champions
- List of WBA Fedelatin champions
- List of WBA Pan African champions
- List of WBA female world champions
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Mullan, Harry (1996). The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Boxing. London, England, UK: Carlton Books. pp. 121. ISBN 0785806415.
- ^ "Boxing Bodies: A Brief Chronology and Rundown". International Boxing Digest 40 (1): 58. January 1998
- ^ a b Mullan. The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Boxing. pp. 122.
- ^ Heller, Peter (1988). Bad Intentions: The Mike Tyson Story. New York, New York: New American Library. pp. 141–142. ISBN 0688101232.
- ^ "Super championships guidelines". WBA. Archived from the original on 2008-06-05. http://web.archive.org/web/20080605184309/http://www.wbaonline.com/wchampionships/SuperChampionship.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
- ^ "WBA Super Championships". WBA. http://www.wbanews.com/artman/publish/campionshipSuperChampions/index.shtml. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
- ^ "Official Ratings as of September 2008". WBA. September 2008. p. 2. http://www.wbaonline.com/ratings/rankings/2008/wba0908.pdf. Retrieved 2008-11-14.[dead link]
- ^ http://wbanews.com/artman/publish/campionshipChampions/index.shtml
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