Legitimate World Champions

[The Big Dunn]

How is Stevenson ranked higher than Kovalev? How is the inactive Ward rated the SMW champ? It's all subjective.

Stevenson won the ring and lineal title when he KO'd Dawson. KOv has unified the belts from Bhop and Pascal but he isn't the lineal champ but the #1 contender to the lineal title.

[bojangles1987]

One weight class, one world champion.

The two ranking lists worth paying attention to, The Ring’s and Transnational Boxing’s respectively, don’t differ that much when it comes to world champion recognition.

The Ring/Transnational Boxing champs
Heavyweight: WLAD KLITSCHKO/WLAD KLITSCHKO
Cruiser: YOAN PABLO HERNANDEZ/Vacant
Lt. heavy: ADONIS STEVENSON/ADONIS STEVENSON
Super middle: Vacant/ANDRE WARD
Middle: MIGUEL COTTO/MIGUEL COTTO
Jr. middle: FLOYD MAYWEATHER/FLOYD MAYWEATHER
Welter: FLOYD MAYWEATHER/Vacant
Jr. welter: DANNY GARCIA/DANNY GARCIA
Lightweight: TERENCE CRAWFORD/TERENCE CRAWFORD
Jr. light: Vacant/Vacant
Feather: Vacant/Vacant
Jr. feather: GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX/GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX
Bantam: Vacant/Vacant
Jr. bantam: Vacant/Vacant
Fly: ROMAN GONZALEZ/ROMAN GONZALEZ
Jr. Fly: DONNIE NIETES/Vacant
Strawweight: Vacant/Vacant

I agree with Wlad, Ward, Mayweather at welterweight, Garcia, Crawford, and Rigondeaux of the divisions I know enough to comment on.

Don't agree about light heavyweight, middleweight, or Mayweather at super welterweight.

[soul_survivor]

In your eyes who is champ @ 147,154?

Floyd did beat the number one guy at both weights doe

147 is undecided till May 2nd.

Canelo was never the guy at 154 in my opinion, he was built up to be the guy, his best win before Floyd was Trout and he won the title against a man who wasn't even a 154 pounder. Post Floyd, Canelo has really gone on to prove himself but the division is wide open. Canelo needs to fight the likes of Charlo and Cotto (if he comes back down) to solidify his place as the top dog at 154 and if Floyd throws himself in that mix and wins then he gets the accolades.

You can't be a top guy in 2 divisions but fighting once in that division in 2 years and fighting c level sluggers in the other division.

Actually I retract my original statement, Pacquiao is the champ at 147, his win over Bradley was against a better opponent than Mayweather has had in YEARS.

[RetroSpeed05]

you are the one who is being silly.

becoming lineal champion is the opposite of taking "the path of least resistance", its beating the man. you can pick up a vacant alphabet title against a fighter who isnt even a top 5 fighter, you cant do that with a lineal title. to be lineal champion you have to beat the man who beat the man, thats usually going to be the best fighter in the division and always at least one of the best. its never easy.

on rare instances a lineal champion denies the logical contender a shot at that crown, but thats rare. even so thats holding onto it, not winning it. holding onto a lineal title can admittedly be easier than it should, but winning it? gtfo..

floyd has fought at 154 too btw.

That not always true, So Floyd regains his Lineal status by beating Mosley but in 2010 everyone knows Pac was the best opponent, and in 2006 there's no way Baldomir was the best at 147 he got real lucky and Floyd took advantage of that.

[Dr Rumack]

This is a good resource on the boxing lineages. They don't regard Floyd as the lineal champ at 147 but do recognise him as the lineal champ at 154.

http://www.arcaneknowledge.org/sports/boxchamps.htm


Also, a good critique of the lineal system here that everyone who wants to talk about them should read - http://www.arcaneknowledge.org/sports/linealprob.htm