Darrin Morris
Deceased fighter who climbed the rankings
of the world of boxing and having a Mike Tyson, or an Evander Holyfield, hold their title, much like the IBF with Holmes, would gain the new body credibility it so desperately craved. However, men such as Michael Bentt, Herbie Hide and Henry Akinwande would all have a claim at being ‘the man’ in the Heavyweight division after winning the latest new organizations title. It was very much seen as in those early days that if you held the WBO title you were a level below the real champions who held the more highly regarded legitimate titles.
Unfortunately for the WBO, however, a couple of truly bizarre incidents would seriously damage the organizations reputation, and create a struggle for true legitimacy that is still, somewhat, going on today. On December 18, 1999 at the Fantasy Springs Casino in California, Alejandro Montiel was scheduled to face Jose Lopez for the vacant WBO Flyweight crown. However, on fight night, Montiel pulled out. The fight would surelyhave to be called off, right? Wrong. At ringside that night was Isidro Garcia, a fellow Flyweight who just so happened to have a pretty good ranking with the WBO at the time of the fight. He was asked if he would like to step in for Montiel, and, if he did, the fight would still be sanctioned for the WBO Flyweight title. Garcia phoned his wife who told him not to take the fight because it would damage his good ranking with the WBO if he lost on such short notice, but, a week away from Christmas and needing the money, Garcia agreed to take the fight and went out back to borrow a pair of trunks, mouthpiece and protective cup. In shocking fashion, he would go on to became the new Champion that night when winning a unanimous decision.
As strange as that event was, however, more was still to come, and it would be more shocking and damaging to the WBO than anything before or since.
Darrin Morris was a fighter from Florida who tragically died on October 17, 2000 from HIV related meningitis. At the time of his death he was ranked number seven by the WBO ranking system in the Super Middleweight division. For the January 2001 rankings, however (Four months after Morris passed away), a miracle had occurred.
Marvin Hagler
inaugural IBF Champion
because the man recognized by fans around the world as the true Heavyweight Champion was Larry Holmes. And he now carried the IBF title, so fans saw the new red belt as the real thing.
The last of the major boxing organization, the World Boxing Organization (WBO), would face a much tougher task than its IBF rival in becoming a legitimate force in the sport, however.
Division in the WBA yet again would cause this new organization when, in 1988, a dispute broke out over certain rules and ratings within the World Boxing Association. Ramon Pina Acevedo of the Dominican Republic would become the first president of the WBO, and legendary Thomas Hearns, now fighting in the newly created Super Middleweight division (168lbs), would be the first man to win a WBO World title.
Mistakes would be made, however, which would cast serious doubt amongst boxing fans as to the legitimacy of the brand new ‘world’ title. Six months after Hearns won the WBO title, the new organization would crown their first ever Heavyweight Champion when they strangely sanction the fight between Francesco Damiani and Johnny du Plooy. At that time, Mike Tyson held the three legitimate world titles and was the undisputed Heavyweight Champion, yet Damiani could also call himself the Heavyweight Champion after his win over Du Plooy. The Heavyweight Championship is seen as the pinnacle of the world of boxing and having a Mike Tyson, or an Evander Holyfield, hold their title, much like the IBF with Holmes, would gain the new body credibility it so desperately craved. However, men such as Michael Bentt, Herbie Hide and Henry Akinwande would all have a claim at being ‘the man’ in the Heavyweight division after winning the latest new organizations title.
8 the nuthouse