Insights Into How A Vacant Lineal Is Filled

[koolkc107]

Some folks here are under the misconception that a vacant lineal MUST be filled by having a "#1 fight a #2".

While that is ideal, that is not the only way to get a lineal. I found a great article from 2009 discussing the lineal prior to the Wlad vs Chagaev fight, which took place between the #2 and #3 guy at the time.

Truth is, historical precedent will always favor "the man who beat the man" over everything else when it comes to lineal titles.

But then there was another wrench thrown into the works. Vitali came out of retirement. This had happened many times before: John Sullivan was mostly retired when he fought and lost to James Corbett; James Jeffries passed the title to Jack Johnson; Joe Louis re-emerged and ultimately passed on the title to Marciano via Ezzard Charles and Jersey Joe Walcott; and Ali twice did the same, first losing to Joe Frazier, and then un-retiring to lose to Larry Holmes.

Each time, the budding "lineage" was replaced by "the real thing", i.e the concept of "the man who beat the man" became more important than whatever occurred in the previous few years with the interloping champ. So what does that say about today?

This is why any purist should understand that Dec 1 is for the lineal title.

Yer welcome...

https://www.sports-ratings.com/fight...ear-champ.html

[Robbie Barrett]

Your article claims Vitali was lineal. Worthless.

[Larry the boss]

Vitali was never lineal

[Robbie Barrett]

"This article that is factually wrong agrees with my opinion so i'm going to post it like it has value."

[jglvz256]

The thing about the lineal title is that since it doesn't exist beyond a concept we can all make up our own rules for governing it and we can all be happy.

[mrlopez]

Your article claims Vitali was lineal. Worthless.

Vitali was never lineal

"This article that is factually wrong agrees with my opinion so i'm going to post it like it has value."

This hilarious. Vitali was lineal? Ts was trying way too hard and got pwned!

[koolkc107]

You know, you would think at least some of you would know better than to challenge me by now...

I don't post stuff unless I can back it up...usually big time.

How many of you getting paid for your takes like Fat Dan here?

This is where recent heavyweight lineage gets a bit murky.

In his final bout, Lewis defeated Vitali Klitschko, the clear No. 1 contender, in a very competitive fight that Klitschko was winning on the scorecards until it was stopped because of his badly cut eye. Under the circumstances, it was only logical that Klitschko should be involved in the fight to re-establish the lineage.

Fighting for the alphabet belt that Lewis vacated upon his retirement, Klitschko eventually faced the late Corrie Sanders, a legitimate contender who was coming off an upset knockout win against titleholder Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali's younger brother.

Vitali Klitschko stopped Sanders in the eighth round in April 2004 in an excellent fight. Besides winning a vacant alphabet belt, Klitschko was also awarded the vacant Ring magazine title, which had been created to clearly identify the legitimate champion in each division (before the magazine's championship policy had been radically altered and muddled).

There are many who view Vitali's victory over Sanders as his having re-established the lineage following Lewis' retirement. Others aren't so sure.

Regardless, after Klitschko defeated Danny Williams in his next fight, he retired for nearly four years because of various injuries. That broke the lineage again (or, depending on your view, left it unrepaired post-Lewis).


http://www.espn.com/blog/dan-rafael/...ineage-matters

LOL!

[Robbie Barrett]

You know, you would think at least some of you would know better than to challenge me by now...

I don't post stuff unless I can back it up...usually big time.

How many of you getting paid for your takes like Fat Dan here?

This is where recent heavyweight lineage gets a bit murky.

In his final bout, Lewis defeated Vitali Klitschko, the clear No. 1 contender, in a very competitive fight that Klitschko was winning on the scorecards until it was stopped because of his badly cut eye. Under the circumstances, it was only logical that Klitschko should be involved in the fight to re-establish the lineage.

Fighting for the alphabet belt that Lewis vacated upon his retirement, Klitschko eventually faced the late Corrie Sanders, a legitimate contender who was coming off an upset knockout win against titleholder Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali's younger brother.

Vitali Klitschko stopped Sanders in the eighth round in April 2004 in an excellent fight. Besides winning a vacant alphabet belt, Klitschko was also awarded the vacant Ring magazine title, which had been created to clearly identify the legitimate champion in each division (before the magazine's championship policy had been radically altered and muddled).

There are many who view Vitali's victory over Sanders as his having re-established the lineage following Lewis' retirement. Others aren't so sure.

Regardless, after Klitschko defeated Danny Williams in his next fight, he retired for nearly four years because of various injuries. That broke the lineage again (or, depending on your view, left it unrepaired post-Lewis).


http://www.espn.com/blog/dan-rafael/...ineage-matters

LOL!

Fat Dan isn't saying Vitali was lineal, only that some did. Again you're reaching and failing.

If Vitali was lineal Wlad wasn't and neither is Fury.

You lose either way.

[koolkc107]

Fat Dan isn't saying Vitali was lineal, only that some did. Again you're reaching and failing.

If Vitali was lineal Wlad wasn't and neither is Fury.

You lose either way.

How ****** can Robbie be?

Apparently, as ****** as he sees fit.

The point being made is that it doesn't take a #1 vs a #2 to fill a vacant lineal.

That's been shown to you several times but you still won't STFU.

Lineal is a nuanced thing but the biggest bottom line always comes back to "the man who beat the man".

Which is what we have Dec 1.

[Kezzer]

So in summary if #1 fights #3 while vacant they become lineal?

Well Joshua has fought klitschko (#1 at the time), Parker (#3 at the time) and Povetkin (#3 at the time).

Sounds like Joshua is now lineal then?