Organizations

[Arlie Latham]

I'm trying to design a universe whereby everyone fights during the same era, but different eras vie for their own belt. For example, the IBF would be all fighters from 1980 onward, the WBC would be another era, etc. The WBO would be fighters rated 6 and under from all eras. Occasional bouts between champions would occur, but only if they reeled off a string of mandatory defenses and the public thereby demanded a superfight.

I'm trying to decide what the first era would be called. It would be everyone from the 1920s and backwards. I am open to suggestions. Also, I think the WBA is the oldest organization, but I'm not sure. Anyone have a good link to this?

[djday45]

You are correct in saying the WBA is the oldest but they in turn are based on an organisation called the NBA (National Boxing Organisation) which was very much American based and came to prominence in the late twenties early thirties.

They jostled for a long time with the other powerhouse in boxing back then the state of New York who often much like todays alpahabet boys set up their own champions in rival tournament to fill vacancies.

The NBA changed its name in the sixties when the organisation became less American based to the WBA.

rgds
Dean

[hamed]

djday45: Thanks for that info, I was always curious about the origins of the WBA, WBC, etc. One other good reason for the NBA to change their name to the WBA would be for clarity. If 2 organizations went by NBA, the next question would be: OK, are we talking about basketball or boxing?

[bear]

Hamed
Basketball's NBA is the newest of the major sports leagues. It developed out of two rival, post war leagues. As a major sport it was pretty much, small potatoes, in the 50s. Early venues included Fort Wayne and Rochester. I dare say that even at the time of the Wilt Chamberlain/Bill Russell rivalry more people nationally would have equated NBA with boxing than with basketball. Pro basketball really wasn't, and didn't have much impact till the 70s when it got more TV exposure.

As far as boxing goes, New York State, came into prominence, when California limited the length of bouts to 4 rounds. I think this happened around 1912, but I would need to check my dates. Prior to this, both states were rival boxing Meccas. The Frawley Law, which allowed for no-decision contests in New york kept the sport alive and well there (whatever else I might think of the no-decision era it, at least, accomplished this.) until the passage of the Walker Law that brought decisions back into the fight game. New York established itself as THE PLACE when it came to boxing. The NBA (begun 1921, began creating champions on its own in 1927) developed as a counter point to New York dominence as boxing became legalized in more and more states. In Europe, the International Boxing Union, the IBU, formed in 1911, based in Paris. It flourished up until the war. In 1946 it reformed under a new name, the European Boxing Union, the EBU. The New York State Boxing Comission, the IBU and the NBA were the original alphabet boys.

In the United kingdom National Sporting Club of London (begun 1891) ruled the roost until 1935 when it passed power on to the BBBofC. The NABF arose in 1969 and the USBA in 1979. These are some of the smaller groups. Under the London Prize Ring rules many individual pugilists were given belts by admirerers or subscribers. In the U.S. in the 1889s, Richard K. Fox created the Police Gazette Belt. Nat Fleischer carried on the tradition with Ring Magazine belts.

Bear

Originally Posted by hamed

djday45: Thanks for that info, I was always curious about the origins of the WBA, WBC, etc. One other good reason for the NBA to change their name to the WBA would be for clarity. If 2 organizations went by NBA, the next question would be: OK, are we talking about basketball or boxing?