World Boxing Association
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World Boxing Association (WBA) is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title, at the professional level.
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[edit] Origins
The original sanctioning body of professional boxing, the World Boxing Association (WBA) can be traced back to the original National Boxing Association (of the United States), organized in 1921; the first bout recognized by the organization being the Jack Dempsey-Georges Carpentier Heavyweight Championship bout in New Jersey.
The world at the time was recovering from a war, and many athletes had joined the military to defend their colors, so boxing became a way for many to entertain themselves.
Promoter Tex Rickard, an NBA benefactor and the Don King of his day, helped put on some of its title fights, many of which made history.
But Rickard died unexpectedly in 1931 of appendicitis, and the WBA had to rely more on their champions' ability to make themselves household names. By then, the great and legendary Joe Louis was approaching his championship years, and he won the World Heavyweight title in 1937, holding it until 1949, and taking the NBA and boxing through another war. The fact Louis and many other champions joined the war and often came back to the United States to defend their titles made National Boxing Association champions look even more heroic and patriotic.
Boxing became more and more popular with the advent of television during the 1950s, the homecomings of many fighters, and the appearance of many new, young talented fighters.
In 1962 the NBA, faced with world changes after World War II and the Korean War, and with the growth of boxing's popularity world-wide, changed its name officially to WBA, or World Boxing Association.
[edit] Competition & Controversies
Through the years, many competitors who also recognized world championship bouts sprung up, and in that line, the WBC started out in 1963, the IBF in 1983, the WBO in 1988, and nearly a dozen others.
In 1982, many WBA world title fights ended in controversy or tragedy. On November 12 of that year, when Aaron Pryor defeated Alexis Arguello for the WBA's world Jr. Welterweight title, a controversial bottle was introduced into Pryor's corner after he had been shaken in round twelve, and the contents of the bottle were never known, but a rematch was ordered by the WBA. The following day, November 13, Ray Mancini defended his WBA world Lightweight title against Duk Koo Kim, who died five days later as a consequence of the blows received during the tragic fight. And on December 10, referee Joey Curtis, affected by Kim's death, abruptly stopped the WBA World Heavyweight championship fight between challenger Michael Dokes and champion Mike Weaver, sixty three seconds into the bout. He said that he had been affected by Kim's death, and an immediate rematch was ordered.
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.
[edit] Unified, undisputed, and super champions
When a boxer holds the WBA title and also holds a world title (in the same weight division) from another major sanctioning body (the WBC, IBF, or WBO), the WBA gives special recognition to the boxer. If the boxer holds the WBA title and one other title, he is recognized as the unified champion. If the boxer holds the WBA, WBC and one of the two other titles, he is recognized as the undisputed champion. If the boxer holds the WBA title and all three other titles, he is recognized as the super champion. (Middleweight Jermain Taylor was the most recent super champion.) There can be only one unified, undisputed, or super champion per weight division. The main reason for these classifications is that when a boxer gains more titles, the WBA allows more time between mandatory WBA title defenses.
When a boxer becomes unified, undisputed, or super champion, the WBA creates a second world title in the same weight division. Two other boxers then fight for the vacant 'regular' world title. This second title allows the WBA to charge world title sanctioning fees for what is, in effect, an interim title. Additionally, if a unified, undisputed, or super champion loses his non-WBA title(s) (without losing the WBA title), then the WBA will strip him of his WBA title.
The decision by the WBA to adopt the "super champion" system led to derision of the organisation among boxing observers, and some fans feel the WBA version of the world championship has been devalued as a result of the policy. Most boxing fans feel that the move was designed to reap more sanctioning fees by increasing the number of WBA "world chapionships" available for fighters to vie for. As a result, in a division that contains a WBA "super champion", the holder of the regular WBA title is generally not regarded amoung pundits as possessing a legitimate claim to being world champion.
[edit] See also
[edit] Other world organizations
[edit] Regional Organizations
- North American Boxing Federation
- North American Boxing Council
- United States Boxing Association
[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 chapions
- List of WBA Fedelatin champions
- List of WBA Pan African champions
- List of WBA women's champions
