Does anyone here respect LINEAL championships?

[Sin City]

No because Mayorga beat a Forrest with hand problems and Mayorga was never a great champion anyway.. And if I recall right, Shane Mosley didn't have the lineal championship.. that title was vacant.

The Linear title hasn't been a strong one anyway of recent past.. right now it would mean something if Mayweather and Cotto fought.. then the title would hold weight.
But fighting Baldomir who beat Judah.. two of the weakest champs ever doesn't get high praise from me. Cleaning out a division and showing you are the best does.

Like others said.. the title doesn't make the champ. the champ makes the title.

[DiegoFuego]

Carlos Baldomir had 9 losses when he took the belt. not 9 losses like Johnson had to where a lot of them were robberies, but 9 losses which most were legit. Some to fighters with more than 14 losses. His prior biggest win was Gatti.

Dont site there and tell me Carlos Baldomir is a GREAT fighter because a divisional undisputed champ should be a GREAT fighter.

So if you beat the champ, you aren't the champ now? WTF?

Shane Mosley was the welterweight champ
Vernon Forrest beat him
Mayorga beat Forrest
Spinks beat Mayorga
Judah beat Spinks
Baldomir beat Judah

Baldomir was the legit champ of his division. Not the best fighter in it, but he beat the best fighter in it. He was the champ.

[KnockoutTheFat]

Yes, I respect linear championships. Although in some cases they can be a bit ridiculous, such as Zsolt Erdei as the LHW champion or Shannon Briggs as the 1-time HW champion but eventually it will find a way to the best fighter in the division.

[DiegoFuego]

James Braddock was a great fighter.

LOL no way dude. You're full of it. Just because you've seen the movie, don't act like you know something about him.

[Sin City]

So if you beat the champ, you aren't the champ now? WTF?

Shane Mosley was the welterweight champ
Vernon Forrest beat him
Mayorga beat Forrest
Spinks beat Mayorga
Judah beat Spinks
Baldomir beat Judah

Baldomir was the legit champ of his division. Not the best fighter in it, but he beat the best fighter in it. He was the champ.

I don recall Shane Mosley being the Lineal Champ.. show proof of that. If I remember correctly the title was vacant and had been vacant for a while.

[Sin City]

Yes, I respect linear championships. Although in some cases they can be a bit ridiculous, such as Zsolt Erdei as the LHW champion or Shannon Briggs as the 1-time HW champion but eventually it will find a way to the best fighter in the division.

Not when the best fighter of the division refuses to fight the best fighters in the division..

[DiegoFuego]

I don recall Shane Mosley being the Lineal Champ.. show proof of that. If I remember correctly the title was vacant and had been vacant for a while.

well, the welterweight title was shattered when Trinidad moved up to 154, leaving De La Hoya (the guy who most felt BEAT Trinidad) with some title or other. I mean most people considered Oscar the #1 guy in the division, the last to hold the belt, etc, but I see your point. still, Spinks actually unified all of the belts so he was undisputed for sure.

[DuttyAlacrity]

I don recall Shane Mosley being the Lineal Champ.. show proof of that. If I remember correctly the title was vacant and had been vacant for a while.

Shane Mosely became linear champ when he beat ODLH for WW championship, at the time Ring ceased publishing so he was not the ring champ but he was the lineal champ
and BTW Forrest and Mayorga fought twice

[DiegoFuego]

Basically, the heavyweights HAVE to unify all the belts (at least the major three) to restart the lineage just like Spinks did for the welterweights when he beat Mayorga.

[Scott9945]

Lineal titles is a good concept, but because of boxing politics being a reality they have become obsolete. When I was told that Shannon Briggs was the lineal champion for getting a dubious decision over Foreman I knew that it meant nothing anymore.