Seriously...who believes RJJ was ever Heavyweight Champ?

[Mr. Ryan]

There is certainly more than ONE champ. Just because they're not all recognized as *THE* man in the division. They're still champs. And the debate isn't whether or not too much is being invested into the belt itself. It's the fact that he held a belt, and was recognized as a champ, while maybe not "THE" champ, a champion nonetheless. How this can be disputed is beyond me.

When Roy Jones is running around calling himself "The Heavyweight Champion of the World", that brings the criticism out of me. How can you be "The Heavyweight Champion of the World," when Lennox Lewis is the Heavyweight Champion of the World.

Bernard Hopkins, when he was scheduled to face William Joppy in some silly unification bout (Joppy held the "Regular WBA Middleweight belt," which was some scam for the WBA to get sanctioning fees from more than one titlist), joked that he should hold a belt that looked different from Joppy's. He said anything, even a pink belt to show that his belt meant more or was different, just as his credentials to being champion. Hopkins beat the living piss out of Joppy from pillar to post.

In your estimation, did Joppy deserve to be called champion of the division alongside a superior fighter like Hopkins.

In that same vein, could Jones Jr., being all of 200 pounds and a clearly smaller fighter, could he have been called champion of the division alongside a physically superior, stronger fighter like Lennox Lewis?

In the case that your trying to make, a guy can run into a division, beat the least regarded titlist and walk away from the weight division as the champion. The case you make goes that Paul Williams was just as much a champion as was Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Do you believe that?

When the fans accept that there doesn't have to be one champion and the alphabet belts are the Word of God, then boxing is in trouble.

[2501]

Dude defeated John Ruiz therefore winning the WBA Heavyweight Championship title. No matter how you dice it, slice it or cut it, he was A heavyweight champion.

[Vladimir303]

In that same vein, could Jones Jr., being all of 200 pounds and a clearly smaller fighter, could he have been called champion of the division alongside a physically superior, stronger fighter like Lennox Lewis?

.

We don't know what would have happened between Lewis and Jones. But fact is, Roy royed with Ruiz, who went on to beat Rahman and almost beating 7footer Valuev.

Ruiz was not a pushover, Roy just made him look like one.

[slicksouthpaw16]

Roy was one of the champions although he beat an average but decent fighter. When a 230+ fat ass James Toney beat Ruiz, it kinda took away from Roy's victory. Roy getting the belt was impressive, but Toney proved that anyone could get their hands on a heavyweight title.

[johnm is...]

When Roy Jones is running around calling himself "The Heavyweight Champion of the World", that brings the criticism out of me. How can you be "The Heavyweight Champion of the World," when Lennox Lewis is the Heavyweight Champion of the World.

Bernard Hopkins, when he was scheduled to face William Joppy in some silly unification bout (Joppy held the "Regular WBA Middleweight belt," which was some scam for the WBA to get sanctioning fees from more than one titlist), joked that he should hold a belt that looked different from Joppy's. He said anything, even a pink belt to show that his belt meant more or was different, just as his credentials to being champion. Hopkins beat the living piss out of Joppy from pillar to post.

In your estimation, did Joppy deserve to be called champion of the division alongside a superior fighter like Hopkins.

In that same vein, could Jones Jr., being all of 200 pounds and a clearly smaller fighter, could he have been called champion of the division alongside a physically superior, stronger fighter like Lennox Lewis?

In the case that your trying to make, a guy can run into a division, beat the least regarded titlist and walk away from the weight division as the champion. The case you make goes that Paul Williams was just as much a champion as was Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Do you believe that?

When the fans accept that there doesn't have to be one champion and the alphabet belts are the Word of God, then boxing is in trouble.

Hell. I never said he deserved it. I'm just saying that's the way it was. He held a belt, he was recognized as a champion. Does it make it right? Maybe not, but "it is what it is"

[Mr. Ryan]

According to facts, YES he was. You gave the answer to me. Should he have been? NO but you have to go by the facts and by whats written in the rule books. YES he was a welterweight champion. How can you argue against it.

You said "TO ME" come on dude, you are not the BOXING RULE BOOK 2008. That is CLEARLY your OPINION. We are not going by Opinions, we are going by stone cold hard FACTS. How is a FACT wrong, please tell me. No one has answered me yet,

Well then, you go right along and recognize everyone with an IBO/WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO belt as a champion.

In that sense, why isn't he NABF or the NABA titlist also the heavyweight champion? In that sense, I'm going to start the BSB (Bull**** Boxing) Heavyweight title, and I'll use it to hold my pants up. Then, I am the undisputed Bull**** Boxing Heavyweight Champion of the World, and I can go into bars and tell people that I am a heavyweight champion. ****, if Jose Sulaiman can say who the champion is, regardless of his credentials as the top guy, why can't I? Why is Jose Sulaiman's judgement any better than me or you?

[slicksouthpaw16]

]We don't know what would have happened between Lewis and Jones.[/COLOR] But fact is, Roy royed with Ruiz, who went on to beat Rahman and almost beating 7footer Valuev.

Ruiz was not a pushover, Roy just made him look like one.

Just so everyone could see it.

[crold1]

Indeed, Roy was A heavyweight titlist. He belongs to a marvelous group of similarly honored men like Gerrie Coetzee, Ernie Terrell, Jimmy Ellis, Francisco Damiani...I'd hang my hat on that one.

[Vladimir303]

Roy was one of the champions although he beat an average but decent fighter. When a 230+ fat ass James Toney beat Ruiz, it kinda took away from Roy's victory. Roy getting the belt was impressive, but Toney proved that anyone could get their hands on a heavyweight title.

Actually James Toney ws still in fighting shape at that time. His stamina was good BUT he did use Steroids and got stripped of his belt.

And lets not forget that Toney is a superior technician and defensive master. He gave Peter all he could handle in the first fight didn't he. The same Peter who almost defeated Wlad Klitschko on points.

[THE REED]

Roy was one of the champions although he beat an average but decent fighter. When a 230+ fat ass James Toney beat Ruiz, it kinda took away from Roy's victory. Roy getting the belt was impressive, but Toney proved that anyone could get their hands on a heavyweight title.

come on slick, back me up on ONE point about roy..


he WAS A HW champion...

not THE

not UNDISPUTED

but he did win A heavyweight championship fight...

and he is A former HW champion

gimme that much