EDITOR’S LETTER
The buck – yet again – must stop with the WBA for the Zeuge-smith contest
The WBA are at it again
WHILE sitting at home on Saturday night, writing bio after bio for the impending Boxing News special – The 100 Greatest British Boxers in History – the long rumoured clash between Britain’s Paul Smith and Tyron Zeuge was confirmed for June 17 in Germany. One minute I was lost in the tale of Pat Cowdell, a world-class Midlander who had to wait too long for a second shot at the featherweight title in the 1980s after being pipped by the great Salvador Sanchez in his first one, and the next I was astonished by the poison being levelled at Smith for his own latest ‘world title’ attempt.
It’s true that Smith has done little to merit another fight like this, but blaming the British fighter for accepting a lucrative contest is misguided.
Smith – who hasn’t fought at supermiddleweight since he was twice beaten by WBO champion Arthur Abraham in 2014-15 – is coming towards the end of his career as a fighter and, frankly, good on him if he has managed to persuade promoters to bulk up his retirement fund. The murky boxing system has long cheated fighters out of what has been owed to them, so well done “Smigga” for turning that habit on its head. The feisty yet passionate Smith has always split opinion, but anyone who dedicates their life to a trade as punishing as boxing deserves to get as much out of it as they possibly can. In that regard, Smith, by contesting on the continent for hefty purses, has succeeded – and then some.
Also, I understand the anger from fans. I really do. That Smith’s third ‘world title’ shot comes without a single victory in world class paints a bad picture. But the real villain here is not Smith, it’s not even the promoters who should know better than to shamelessly parade this as an authentic championship fight, it’s the World Boxing Association for creating such an exploitable platform in the first place. And it’s the WBA who should be made to explain why, in their March rankings, Smith was nowhere to be seen but now – without fighting – finds himself at No.5 which, curiously and unfathomably, is two places above Abraham.
Is there another sport whose leading bodies are allowed to operate like this? “Hang on a minute,” says the head honcho at the Football Association, “we’ve had a call from the representatives of West Ham United. Despite being knocked out in the third round of the FA Cup we’re going to throw them in the draw for the semis.”
That the WBA continues to sanction ‘world’ and ‘super’ belts in the same division, less than a month apart, is a complete and utter p**s take. Are they really trying to claim that the supermiddleweight division needs another WBA super-middleweight title fight three weeks after George Groves and Fedor Chudinov clash for the WBA super-middleweight title? Do me a favour. But the only people to blame for such skulduggery are the orchestrators of it. And, to be absolutely clear, that is the WBA – because it is their belt being wrapped around Zeuge-smith that makes the fight so unattractive.
Imagine if Smith went to Germany to take on Zeuge in a non-title 12-rounder? Would that be so infuriating? Of course it wouldn’t. Smith’s courage – for heading off to an opponent’s backyard for the umpteenth time to endure yet another gruelling contest – might even be championed.
So, for the sake of sanity, that’s how this contest should be judged by fans, and – where possible – the industry: As a non-title fight. Since the WBA introduced these extra trinkets, Boxing News has made its position clear. As our duty, we have always referenced the secondary belt due to the WBA’S heritage and, more importantly, to clarify that it is not a real world championship.
But good luck to Smith out in Germany. He’s signed up for another bout where he will be the underdog. A fight where he will again put his body through the mill. The WBA should hang their heads in shame, but Smith - as countless fighters like Cowdell will tell him - has to make the most of every opportunity he can get.