Stripped Champions

[Willie Pep 229]

There is often talk on the forum about fighters being stripped, or threats of being stripped, of their titles.

Does anyone remember this tactic actually working?

What I mean by 'working':

First: it is common for a scantioning body who strips a champion to replace that champion with an elimination bout, with the winner being crowned a new champion. Most often the fans do eventually accept that new title holder (at some level.)

But: what I am asking, has it ever happened that a recognized champion was stripped of his title and the fans bought into the de-scantioning and the fighter was no longer publicly viewed as a champion?

I don't think so. I don't think the SBs had/have the power to actually dethrone a champion in the eye of the fans. E.g. Michael Spinks

Throughout the history of the game can anyone think of a fighter where after being stripped of his title he lost legitimacy in the eyes of the fans before actually being beat in the ring.

P.S. As early as 1922 the NYSAC (which we might ID as the first modern scantioning body) threatened to strip Dempsey of his title for not fighting Wills. When the day came they got cold feet and never pulled the trigger. I personally think they realized they were about to expose their own weakness, realizing they actually had no sway over what the public believed.

[QueensburyRules]

There is often talk on the forum about fighters being stripped, or threats of being stripped, of their titles.

Does anyone remember this tactic actually working?

What I mean by 'working':

First: it is common for a scantioning body who strips a champion to replace that champion with an elimination bout, with the winner being crowned a new champion. Most often the fans do eventually accept that new title holder (at some level.)

But: what I am asking, has it ever happened that a recognized champion was stripped of his title and the fans bought into the de-scantioning and the fighter was no longer publicly viewed as a champion?

I don't think so. I don't think the SBs had/have the power to actually dethrone a champion in the eye of the fans. E.g. Michael Spinks

Throughout the history of the game can anyone think of a fighter where after being stripped of his title he lost legitimacy in the eyes of the fans before actually being beat in the ring.

P.S. As early as 1922 the NYSAC (which we might ID as the first modern scantioning body) threatened to strip Dempsey of his title for not fighting Wills. When the day came they got cold feet and never pulled the trigger. I personally think they realized they were about to expose their own weakness, realizing they actually had no sway over what the public believed.

- - Ali/Terrell.

Young Clay efforts vs Liston highly questionable as were Liston's, so Ernie a credible replacement.

Lewis strippages. Nobody liked Lewie save a few fair weather Brits, so no tears for Lewie who never defended a unified title.

[BrilliantAJ]

- - Ali/Terrell.

Young Clay efforts vs Liston highly questionable as were Liston's, so Ernie a credible replacement.

Lewis strippages. Nobody liked Lewie save a few fair weather Brits, so no tears for Lewie who never defended a unified title.

Pretty sure the WBC and IBF titles were on the line for Lewis' bouts following the Holyfield rematch (so that's a lot of defences - Grant, Tua, Botha, Rahman, Tyson, Klitschko).

[QueensburyRules]

Pretty sure the WBC and IBF titles were on the line for Lewis' bouts following the Holyfield rematch (so that's a lot of defences - Grant, Tua, Botha, Rahman, Tyson, Klitschko).

- - Not The Unified title though. Lewie quickly sold his WBA to King for Ruiz and Vander trilogy, ect.

Later sold IBF to King for Byrd, both of these fighters being his mandatories.

Never defended his Unified Titles as I stated. Didn't even try and retire WBC champ days before he was due to be stripped.

[JAB5239]

- - Ali/Terrell.

Young Clay efforts vs Liston highly questionable as were Liston's, so Ernie a credible replacement.

Lewis strippages. Nobody liked Lewie save a few fair weather Brits, so no tears for Lewie who never defended a unified title.

He was the recognized heavyweight champion of the world. Not defending an ABC title does noting to hurt his legacy. He defended the lineal title....the only title that matters, many times.

[QueensburyRules]

He was the recognized heavyweight champion of the world. Not defending an ABC title does noting to hurt his legacy. He defended the lineal title....the only title that matters, many times.

- - You already outed as Lineal Idjit, so you doing nothing to discourage that limitation.

[JAB5239]

- - You already outed as Lineal Idjit, so you doing nothing to discourage that limitation.

And here I was thinking you were going to show proof of anything at all instead of just making things up for attention. Sad little man you are.

[markusmod]

Vitali was stripped after several delays to his mandatory against Rahman

[QueensburyRules]

Vitali was stripped after several delays to his mandatory against Rahman

- - per Boxrec that matches my memory:

Klitschko has been WBC "champion emeritus" since a knee injury forced to withdraw from a fight and retire from boxing in 2005.

The honorary status gave him the right to fight Peter (30-2), who won the interim belt in a fight against Jameel McCline last September, whenever Klitschko chose to come out of retirement.

[JAB5239]

- - per Boxrec that matches my memory:

Klitschko has been WBC "champion emeritus" since a knee injury forced to withdraw from a fight and retire from boxing in 2005.

The honorary status gave him the right to fight Peter (30-2), who won the interim belt in a fight against Jameel McCline last September, whenever Klitschko chose to come out of retirement.

He was stripped for not defendeding. Injury or not. The "Emeritus" title he was given was some made up BS that the WBC was and is famous for. How many "emeritus" champions have there been since its inception? Not a lot, and all bogus. There's only one world champion per weight class, and Vits wasn't it. He was a title holder that was given a fancy designation when he was stripped only to keep the money coming in once he came back from juicing his injuries better.