BoxRec remove all traces of the WBA on their site
Many avid boxing fans may have noticed a significant change on BoxRec recently.
For some reason, the oldest governing body in boxing, the World Boxing Association, founded in 1921, has been completely removed from the record keeping site, BoxRec.
The recent emergence of rival site FightFax has seen a falling out between the WBA and BoxRec. As a result of the WBA working closely with BoxRec’s latest competitor, the entire governing body’s existence has been removed from their site.
Both parties have been very silent on the rift, neither one willing to explain the reasons behind the recent events.
ESPN Boxing Insider, Mike Coppinger, announced on X, “Quite absurd WBA titles are no longer listed on BoxRec – totally alters how useful the site is as a research tool when writing and reporting stories. Understand what led to it but really should stick to listing the records and the facts IMO for a site that’s such a great resource.”
FightFax has been around for many years already, but have recently made a push to rival BoxRec, by becoming, in their own words, “your trusted source for all things boxing.”
One dismayed fan made a very valid point that, “Dmitriy Bivol has never been a world champion according to BoxRec.”
WBA Super light-heavyweight champion Bivol has been a world champion for almost seven years, and has made 11 world title defences. He is set put his WBA black belt and green IBO title on the line when he meets with WBC, WBO, IBF titlist Artur Beterbiev in October. However, BoxRec lists only the WBC, IBF, WBO and IBO titles as part of the undisputed championship contest.
Reactions
“Scrubbing the WBA titles is ridiculous, it’s childish behaviour from a site that promotes itself as the official record keeper for the sport.”
“This is my second post on BoxRec, but I have been a fan for nearly 20 years. I have used this site religiously during that time and enjoyed it immensely. However the news that the website has erased the history of the WBA due to a disagreement is very disappointing and leaves a bad taste in my mouth when I sign into the website to look at records. BoxRec management must include WBA title fights if it wants to remain legit, in my opinion.”
“An organisation can’t own facts like that… the WBA cannot stop BoxRec from saying “this is the WBA champion”.
“I was a BoxRec editor for more than 20 years, completely voluntary. A few months ago, in what may have been a precursor of this, the WBA Asia and Continental titles disappeared. A promoter of an event which featured them asked me why. I said I didn’t know but would ask. I put the question in the Editors’ forum and was kicked out, had my editor’s login cancelled, and a polite request via PM for an explanation was ignored.”