Mayweather was never a WBC WW linear champion. Neither was Baldomir.

[Ras44]

And that is because the "linear champion" argument is logically flawed. Since Milton McCrory won the vacant WBC WW title after Leonard retired, there has never been a linear champion. And that is because even if you defeated the guy who was the champion, eventually you get to a point where the "line" has been broken. To top it off, the "line" was also broken by Trinidad vacating the title and now, by Mayweather "retiring".

Of course, logic-challenged journalists like Dan Rafael may say otherwise, because it sounds good on paper. "THE LINEAR CHAMPION". They have a new idea to write about. Makes their job easier. They can sell us a new idea. But to declare a linear champion after the line has been broken -three times to makes it worse- would be arbitrary BS, because logically, the WBC "linear champion" argument ended the day Leonard retired.

Example:

Guy 1: "Oh, Baldo was the linear champion"

Guy 2: "Really? Who did he defeat?"

Guy 1: "LAWL he defeated Judah you moron!"

Guy 2: "And who did Judah defeat to become champion"

Guy 1: "Plain and Basic Common Sense: Spinks, who defeated Mayorga, you biased 'rican"

Guy 2: "Yes, yes, I remember, Mayorga owned poor Vernon, who in turn owned poor Sugar Shane... you remember that Shane won a vacant belt right?"

Guy 1: "What the f@ck does it matter?"

Guy 2: "Well, I want to ask you, when does the linear championship magically re-appears, when Vernon really defeated a guy who was not the linear champion. I guess it then you are creating something -the linear championship- from nothing -a guy who was not the linear champion-. It's arbitrary."

Guy 1: "F@ck you. I believe in Dan Rafael."

Discuss.

[Fox McCloud]

So literally, your argument is that there is no such thing a linear champion in this day and age?

The fact that Spinks unified the WBA, WBC, and IBF championship is not good enough to establish himself as the ONLY champion in the division?

Sweet analysis.

[2501]

baldomir is the greatest WW champ of all time. the fighter makes the belt and baldomir made that belt, why else is that one of Mayweather's cornerstone wins and used as an example of Floyd's greatness?

[Burner]

This site has gone to hell......thanks guys.

[Ras44]

So literally, your argument is that there is no such thing a linear champion in this day and age?

The fact that Spinks unified the WBA, WBC, and IBF championship is not good enough to establish himself as the ONLY champion in the division?

Sweet analysis.

That makes him an undisputed champion, not a linear champion.

And it's not a matter of "this age and day", it's a matter of being truthful. If you are talking about "linear", and the line was broken, then there is no other linear champion.

If you could find a weight class where no champion has ever vacated the title for any reason, then the linear championship is still alive there.

EDIT - Not even undisputed, since he didn't have the WBO belt.

[warp1432]

No because Shane Mosley and Vernon Forrest (Or Oscar De La Hoya. You could say Shane and Oscar were the #1 and #2 when they fought each other) was rated #1 and #2 at Welterweight and when the top 2 people face each other they fill the linear vacany. When a old line is "broken", you go draw a new one with the #1 facing the #2.

Or if you want to go with the "You have to unify the main 3 to become champ" then it was filled with Mayorga and Spinks and Spinks becoming the linear champ.

[Easy-E]

Nope, both Floyd and Baldomir were linear champion.

[Easy-E]

baldomir is the greatest WW champ of all time. the fighter makes the belt and baldomir made that belt, why else is that one of Mayweather's cornerstone wins and used as an example of Floyd's greatness?

LOL @ you and this post.

[Ras44]

This site has gone to hell......thanks guys.

Discuss. This applies to Trinidad as well.

[Zerwas1]

It magically reappears because Shane is a sugarman just like Leonard