BoxRec, the boxing statistics website, has dropped the World Boxing Association from its record-keeping over plans to back a rival.
The WBA partnered with Fight Fax, an old statistics website that disbanded but has re-emerged. Upon the WBA’s planned announcement at the Asia Convention, which kicked off recently, BoxRec removed all traces of the WBA from its records.
There are no longer any WBA titles in the championship list, and Canelo Alvarez and Oleksandr Usyk are a title lighter on their respective pages.
WBA chiefs plan to link up with Fight Fax soon following a new website launch and months of updates.
Fight Fax said, “Big news! WBA ASIA accommodated us to showcase Fight Fax at their WBA ASIA Convention 2024 in Vietnam! The event dates will be Aug 9-11. Let’s make history a new dawn for new empowered statistical insights in the boxing Industry.”
It’s no secret that BoxRec and Fight Fax are on entirely different pages. FF, though, believes they will soon take over as the number one.
“Fight Fax aims to be the #1 source for comprehensive boxing information. We rely on a community-driven model for information submission and verification, supported by an “anti-fraud” system to ensure accuracy. Our use of automation eliminates biases in boxer ratings and rankings, delivering the most reliable data to our users.
“As we grow, there may be occasional delays in updates. However, with the support and feedback of our dedicated community, we are committed to enhancing our platform’s reliability. Your contributions are crucial in helping us become the main source for boxing statistics. Together, we can build a trusted resource for boxing enthusiasts,” they added.
WBA recognition dropped
It’s not the first time the WBA has been dropped from a website, as World Boxing News did similar in 2021. WBN dropped recognition over the number of titles and allegations of racism admitted by the WBA at the time. They suspended Gloria Martinez Rizzo only to reinstate her a short time later.
However, it was the championship situation that irked WBN at the time. We wanted something done about regular, interim, gold, and super-titles. President Gilberto Mendoza promised WBN that he would work on the matter in 2013. Eight years on, the problem only got worse.
Mendoza then released a statement of their intention to reform, and nine months later, WBN recognized the WBA again due to its positive actions.
The same problem is creeping back three years later, as champions have recently gone from 27 to 35. The WBA is also happy to give Jake Paul a world title shot against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
WBN is now considering removing the WBA again unless they stop adding interim and regular titleholders wherever it suits them.
The views expressed in this article are the opinions of Phil Jay. Learn more, read all articles from the experienced boxing writer, and follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
