Pacquiao vs. Marquez 4: A look at the new WBO 'Champion of the Decade' belt

One of the things many people aren't familiar with when it comes to professional boxing is that fighting for a title isn't just an honor you receive from a sanctioning body like the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO..etc. It's an honor that you actually have to pay for. If you're going to fight for a title, expect to pay a big chunk of money, top superstar fights usually come with 6 figure paydays just for an organization offering a belt to be fought for.

So, without either fighter holding a belt to be put on the line in tomorrow, the WBO went ahead and just made one up. So the big fight will have the brand new, completely hilarious "Champion of the Decade" belt on the line.

It's something Scott Christ of Bad Left Hook took to task when it was initially announced:

Let's forget about the transparent and laughable greed of these "sanctioning bodies" for a minute and focus on something much funnier: How simply childish and creepy this stuff is getting, like overprotective weirdo parents trying to make their dumb kids feel better.

"Good win, Manny! You're CHAMPION OF THE DECADE!"

"yaaaaaaaaaay"

Anyway, here's what the belt looked like when it was unveiled earlier this week:

It's a nice looking belt and all. But remains a stupid idea and a transparent moneygrab by the WBO. But I guess you can't blame them when the promoters and fighters are willing to give them the money.

You can follow all of our Pacquiao vs. Marquez 4 fight week coverage right here, or you can follow the tremendous SB Nation boxing blog Bad Left Hook for their in depth coverage.