How/why was Mikey Garcia vs. Sergey Lipinets for the vacant Lineal 140 lb. title?

[W1LL]

A serious question that would have attracted too many nuthuggers in the NSB sub-forum.

How was this fight for the Lineal 140 lb./Super Lightweight/Light Welterweight title? On the face of it, it seems the Boxing fraternity were all too eager to label Mikey "lineal."

When you consider that belts have been vacant in other divisions for years, some for decades. Yet the 140 Lineal title has been passed around by Danny Garcia, Terrence Crawford and now to Mikey Garcia in the past 3 years.

All three won the vacant title. Danny by beating Lucas Mattyhsse?! Crawford by beating Viktor Postol?! And Mikey by beating Sergey Lipinets?! Are the losers in these fights really worthy of contending a vacant Lineal title?

[drablj]

it's simple. when number 1 and number 2 fight, it's for the lineal title (if there's no lineal champion). to be number 1 or 2 you don't have to be great. you just have to be considered better than the rest. it's the same story for p4p lists.
when mikey fought lipinets, they were number 1 and number 2. mikey had a win over broner which was the best recent win in that division. lipinets was the ONLY champion and that's the only reason mikey fought him. everybody else was green and unproven or recently lost. that's why this fight was for the lineal title.

[QueensburyRules]

- -Dumb lineal thread, eh?

[OctoberRed]

it's simple. when number 1 and number 2 fight, it's for the lineal title (if there's no lineal champion). to be number 1 or 2 you don't have to be great. you just have to be considered better than the rest. it's the same story for p4p lists.
when mikey fought lipinets, they were number 1 and number 2. mikey had a win over broner which was the best recent win in that division. lipinets was the ONLY champion and that's the only reason mikey fought him. everybody else was green and unproven or recently lost. that's why this fight was for the lineal title.

Yup, when Crawford left lineal was up for grabs.