The fight has thrust boxing into the national conversation in America once more, but the rhetoric hasn’t been positive. “The decline of boxing was hastened by the fact there is no monopoly in boxing. Fifty years ago, there were eight world champions, from flyweight to heavyweight, and everyone knew who they were. But the sport’s lack of a central authority has wrought four major sanctioning bodies – the WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF – that can each designate multiple champions, super champions, interim champions, regular champions and champions emeritus, in 17 divisions instead of eight. Thousands of young professional and amateur fighters come through the gym since it opened shop in 1977, among them homegrown world champions like Davis and Lou Del Valle.

Source: The Guardian August 19, 2017 09:00 UTC