Why doesn’t Ring magazine recognize Beterbiev as champion?

If Beterbiev fights and beats Ring #2 (Right now, Kovalev) he will get the Ring Belt Gvozdyk was #1 when he fought Beterbiev, but they had Beterbiev at 5 for some stupid reason.

Stevenson was stripped of his Ring belt in 2015 after he went years without fighting a top ranked opponent. He was fighting horrible level competition and finally got stripped. Ring belt doesn't always equal lineal. So he continued being lineal even though he was stripped and most rankings had him below Kovalev and later Ward for years before he finally lost to Gvozdyk. Beterbiev beat Gvozdyk but to be Ring Champ the consensus #1 and #2 in the weight class have to fight. Beterbiev and Gvozdyk were not consensus 1 and 2 so the Ring belt wasn't on the line. RING Belt rules on their website Here are the seven situations in which a champion can lose his belt: The Champion loses a fight in the weight class in which he is champion. The Champion moves to another weight class (for more than one fight). The Champion does not schedule a fight in any weight class for 18 months. The Champion does not schedule a fight at his championship weight for 18 months (even if he fights at another weight). The Champion does not schedule a fight with a Top-5 contender from any weight class for two years. The Champion retires. The Champion tests positive for a performance-enhancing substance and is fined, suspended or otherwise penalized by the proper authority (athletic commission or sanctioning body).

Dougie told me next unification fight for beterbiev will include the RING belt so either vs Bivol or Canelo/kov winner

Stevenson did not have the Ring title when he lost and it was not up for grab in this fight...pretty simple There is your answer. Beterbiev is a champion but so is Kovalev and Bivol. If he is to be THE champion he has to beat Bivol and whoever ends up WBO light heavyweight champion.

The Ring magazine doesn't recognize lineal championship. Only when/if Beterbiev beats Bivol and Kovalev they will make him the LHW Ring champion.

The Ring split from the lineal title. Now it's barely more meaningful than the WBA or WBO. Thanks Oscar.

Stevenson did not have the Ring title when he lost and it was not up for grab in this fight...pretty simple