Greatest "Paper" Champion?

[Thread Stealer]

Would you count someone like Jimmy Bivins, who were "Duration" champs (held the titles while the champ was in WW2)?

What about "Colored" champions? Some of them were greater than the "real" champs.

[Oasis_Lad]

I'd say Roy Jones, but that would be overrating him.

[GJC]

Would you count someone like Jimmy Bivins, who were "Duration" champs (held the titles while the champ was in WW2)?

What about "Colored" champions? Some of them were greater than the "real" champs.

Good points, they certainly derserve to be remembered with more respect than a WTF holder of an artificial weight who makes one defense. I'm sure it has been done but maybe a poll on ATG non title holders to give the Langford's etc their due

[BennyST]

I think it's more about whether a fighter won a title by fighting an opponent not worthy of a title match, rather than just winning it on a vacant title. If the two top fighters fought for the title then it's not really a paper title as such because it's the two top ranked guys going at it. It's the only way to get a new champion.

Though with things the way are today and the constant jumping around of fighters through weight divisions and everything more and more people are winning vacant titles but too often today they are winning just an alphabet title, and as such become 'champion' of another weight class, by fighting someone who wouldn't have even been in the top five of the division thirty years ago.

[#1Assassin]

Who would you say is the best paper champion in the history of boxing? And for those who don't understand, by paper champion I mean a fighter that was awarded a title without ever actually beating the champion.

An example would be Floyd Patterson, who after the retirement of Rocky Marciano, fought Archie Moore for the vacant title and then became heavyweight champion of the world.

thats not at all the definition of a paper champion. a paper champion is someone who benefits from the multiple titles being tossed around and calls himself champion without havin deserved that distinction. floyd patterson deserved to call himself champion! there was only ONE HW champion and it was him. when marciano retired he was no longer active so he was irrelevant. patterson won a tournament involving all the top contenders to prove he was beyond belief the best HW in the world.

but to answer your question.. joe calzgahe.

[them_apples]

Joe Calzaghe his at 168lbs for ten years, whilst the elite had to jump around him to make big fights, from 160 to 175 or even meet at a catch weight of 170!

gotta agree, it's got to be Joe Calzaghe.

[bklynboy]

Who would you say is the best paper champion in the history of boxing? And for those who don't understand, by paper champion I mean a fighter that was awarded a title without ever actually beating the champion.

An example would be Floyd Patterson, who after the retirement of Rocky Marciano, fought Archie Moore for the vacant title and then became heavyweight champion of the world.

Well, by that standard, Joe Frazier would be among the best. But, as with Floyd, it shouldn't be held against him that he couldn't take the title from the champion. It wasn't Patterson's fault that Marciano retired and it wasn't Frazier's fault that Ali's title was stripped away from him.

[black.ink]

Well, by that standard, Joe Frazier would be among the best. But, as with Floyd, it shouldn't be held against him that he couldn't take the title from the champion. It wasn't Patterson's fault that Marciano retired and it wasn't Frazier's fault that Ali's title was stripped away from him.

He did beat Ali for the undisputed title though, no matter what the circumstances were.

[bklynboy]

He did beat Ali for the undisputed title though, no matter what the circumstances were.

True. But there was a period of time when he was champion without having fought Ali.

[#1Assassin]

True. But there was a period of time when he was champion without having fought Ali.

well ali shuffles definition of a paper champion is wrong. neighter frazier or patterson were paper champions at all.

paper champions didnt excist until the multiple titles came along. then u was able to hold a belt that didnt mean anything, a paper title, hense be a paper champion. it has nothing to do with weather u win a vacant title or take it from the champion. ali wasnt active so frazier was THE man, not a paper champion. patterson won a tournament with all the top contenders at HW, so he was THE man. calzaghe held one of 4 titles and only defended it against bums = paper champion