Legitimate World Champions

**removed** · 03-31-2015, 04:00 AM

How is Stevenson ranked higher than Kovalev? How is the inactive Ward rated the SMW champ? It's all subjective.

**Cut Man** · 03-31-2015, 04:59 AM

For me the Real champ in each class is

Klitschko
Hernandez
Kovalev
Vacant
Golovkin
Mayweather
Mayweather
Garcia
Crawford
Vacant
Vacant
Rigondeaux
Kameda
Inoue(until Gonzalez beats his ass)
Gonzalez
Nietes
Vacant

**soul_survivor** · 03-31-2015, 06:02 AM

Ward and Hernandez shouldn't be regarded as champs, Stevenson is a decent choice, Mayweather at 154 is a joke...Mayweather at 147 is even worse lol

Crawford at LW is understandable as is DG at 140.

**therealpugilist** · 03-31-2015, 06:05 AM

Originally posted by soul_survivor

Ward and Hernandez shouldn't be regarded as champs, Stevenson is a decent choice, Mayweather at 154 is a joke...Mayweather at 147 is even worse lol

Crawford at LW is understandable as is DG at 140.

In your eyes who is champ @ 147,154?

Floyd did beat the number one guy at both weights doe

**Rath** · 03-31-2015, 06:08 AM

there goes the legitimate world champion thread.

ended up on the first page

**Ben Bolt** · 03-31-2015, 07:01 AM

Originally posted by denium

How is Stevenson ranked higher than Kovalev?

The Ring and TBRB might agree with you that Kovalev is the better boxer (ex. The Ring picked him as Fighter of the Year), but what it�s all about is, that a title should be won by defeating the reigning champ between the ropes.

As Stevenson has the strongest claim to the [lineal] title, it�s up to Kovalev to challenge him.

**////** · 03-31-2015, 07:27 AM

It's not a "best fighter in each division" list, it's a champion list.

So yes Stevenson & Cotto are the lineral champions even if they took the path of least resistance to get there and Floyd is lineal at 154 despite never fighting at 154 lbs. It's why lineal titles are just as silly as alphabet belts.

**#1Assassin** · 03-31-2015, 08:58 AM

Originally posted by nerd slapper

It's not a "best fighter in each division" list, it's a champion list.

So yes Stevenson & Cotto are the lineral champions even if they took the path of least resistance to get there and Floyd is lineal at 154 despite never fighting at 154 lbs. It's why lineal titles are just as silly as alphabet belts.

you are the one who is being silly.

becoming lineal champion is the opposite of taking "the path of least resistance", its beating the man. you can pick up a vacant alphabet title against a fighter who isnt even a top 5 fighter, you cant do that with a lineal title. to be lineal champion you have to beat the man who beat the man, thats usually going to be the best fighter in the division and always at least one of the best. its never easy.

on rare instances a lineal champion denies the logical contender a shot at that crown, but thats rare. even so thats holding onto it, not winning it. holding onto a lineal title can admittedly be easier than it should, but winning it? gtfo..

floyd has fought at 154 too btw.

**////** · 03-31-2015, 09:11 AM

Martinez was "the man" but most of the occasional gym visitors on this forum would have beat him that night, he could barely move his legs, and Cotto himself has been pretty clear about having no intention to fight top MWs.

Adonis is lineal but ducked Kovalev/Pascal/Hopkins to hang onto it, so nobody cares until he fights the "reality" champion.

Floyd is definitely the best fighter at 147 but he is not active at 154 by the same standards which would be applied to any other fighter.

Swooping in on an opportunistic lineal belt then storing it in a buried chest does not = best fighter in that division. It's barely more meaningful than IBF/WBO/etc. Just politics and money really.

Legitimate World Champions