RELIEVING CONFUSION IN THE RING.

Byline: MICHAEL ROSENTHAL Boxing

Not long ago, there were only eight world champions - one in each weight division - and even casual sports knew who they were.

Today? If you consider the WBO a major sanctioning body and include the new ``super'' champions, there are 71 fighters who can argue they're world champions. And that doesn't include less-recognized sanctioning organizations.

Thus, belts that once symbolized a monumental achievement now mean next to nothing.

The editors of The Ring magazine believe they can help.

The publication, 80 years old and what many consider the ``bible of boxing,'' will name its own champion in each division beginning with this month's issue to clarify who are the best fighters in the sport and wean boxing off the sanctioning bodies.

``I've been doing this for over 25 years,'' said Nigel Collins, editor of The Ring. ``I remember when there were only eight champions. Through the years, we've seen what the alphabet organizations have done to boxing: They've attached themselves like leeches slowly sucking the blood out.

``It's one of the biggest problems facing boxing: The mainstream sports fan doesn't know who the champions are.''

The Ring has strict and uncomplicated criteria by which it names champions. A fighter can claim the title in only four ways:

--1. He defeats a Ring champion.

--2. He unifies the WBC, WBA and IBF titles.

--3. In some cases, one high-profile champion defeats another.

--4. The Ring's top two contenders fight and the magazine's title is vacant.

And a fighter cannot be stripped of his title, only pressured by the magazine - and presumably other media - to fight the best available opponent.

Floyd Mayweather Jr., who outpointed Jose Luis Castillo to take Castillo's WBC lightweight title Saturday, will be the ring's seventh champion.

Those already crowned: heavyweight Lennox Lewis, light heavyweight Roy Jones Jr., middleweight Bernard Hopkins, welterweight Vernon Forrest, junior welterweight Kostya Tszyu and junior featherweight Paulie Ayala.

The winners of the Marco Antonio Barrera-Erik Morales (featherweight) and Oscar De La Hoya-Fernando Vargas (junior middleweight) fights also will be named champions.

Ayala illustrates how counter-productive the sanctioning bodies can be. He was stripped of his WBA title because he fought Bones Adams for another organization's belt without permission.

The fact that Ayala and Adams are the best in the division and the fight the public would choose to see was immaterial to the WBA.

``I think this belt means more to me because of its meaning,'' Ayala told USA Today. ``It makes me champion in my weight class regardless of the organization. There's only one. Just like it used to be. I'd rather represent The Ring belt than the organizations after the experience I had with the WBA, which stripped me just because I fought another champion (Adams).

``I know The Ring won't do that. They will allow me to lose a belt in the ring. Getting this belt is huge.''

The sanctioning bodies are like individual leagues, if you will. Each has a champion and rankings in each of 17 (yes, 17) weight divisions, although champions can represent more than one body and the rankings often overlap.

Those who run the organizations say they provide order in the sport and force champions to fight top contenders rather than inferior opponents.

And some top-level fighters and those associated with them support the system in at least one sense: A world championship - even a tainted one - is a marketing tool that translates into added income.

Critics say the talent pool is too diluted by the proliferation of organizations. In other words, the champions - theoretically, the best fighters - should face each other and not contenders the organizations deem worthy.

Also, critics bemoan the corrupt, pay-for-rankings system most believe the organizations employ as detrimental to the sport and the considerable sanctioning fees fighters hate to pay.

The Ring will receive no sanctioning fees - although it might see a rise in circulation - and the chances of corruption would seem to be remote in light of Collins' pristine reputation.

``I think it's an excellent idea,'' promoter Bob Arum said of The Ring's champions. ``... A cloud is hanging over boxing with these ridiculous (mandatory title defenses), with noncompetitive fights, with stripping guys of titles.

``... Like everything else, the (success of The Ring champions) will depend on the media. I know the public will support it. It just makes sense.''

--Mayweather-Castillo: Mayweather said after his relatively narrow victory over Castillo he wasn't at his best because he injured his shoulder in training.

Hey, Castillo gave him a good fight; leave the excuses out and admit it without qualification.

Mayweather, who took Castillo's lightweight title in his first fight at 135 pounds, would've come off as a bigger man if he gave Castillo some credit. Of course, Mayweather never has been one to say the right things.

The ringside scoring apparently was split along ethnic lines: the Anglo media gave it to Mayweather; the Latino media, perhaps more appreciative of Castillo's relentless aggression, leaned toward Castillo.

In the official scoring, Mayweather won 115-111, 115-111 and 116-111.

Interestingly, Castillo dominated the punch statistics. He outlanded Mayweather 203-157 overall and 173-66 in power punches.

--More Mayweather-Castillo: Of course, they're already talking about a rematch and Staples Center has been mentioned as a possible site.

Castillo, a Mexican, would have to carry the promotion because Mayweather won't. The champ is one of the best in the business but doesn't have a large fan base.

--Boxing musical: Former world champion-turned-actor Carlos Palomino has a role in ``The Tale of the Tape,'' a hip-hop musical that will be performed Friday and Saturday at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre.

The show tells the story of Jimmy ``The Orphan Boy'' Romero, a fictional boxer from East Los Angeles.

It will benefit Homeboy Industries/Jobs for a Future.

--Coming up: Julio Diaz will face Juan Valenzuela in a lightweight bout Friday in Lemoore, Calif., on ESPN2. ...

Also Friday, on Telefutura, Carlos Bojorques will take on Luis Vasquez in Friant, Calif. ...

On Saturday, on HBO, rising heavyweight Jameel McCline will face Shannon Briggs in a heavyweight bout in New York City. Also on the card, Manuel Medina will fight Johnny Tapia in a featherweight bout. ...

Also on Saturday, on Channel 9, Julio Gonzalez will face Joseph Kinwanuka in a light heavyweight bout.

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(color) Floyd Mayweather, who won the WBC lightweight title Saturday, will become the latest to be named ``champion'' by The Ring magazine.

Joe Cavaretta/Associated Press