Biggest Current Paper Champions

[HeroBando]

GGG. Won't accept $15 million yet won't make $15 million if he fought for the next 100 years.
Ward. Basically, stole the belt and holding it ransom, waiting for Kovalev to die.

Why would you post something so stupid? That's the rep you're aiming for? Even Ward, there's a worse champ in his own division, Chickenson.

[keith_head]

It's not earth shattering. He's still young. His biggest fights are yet to come. But in the last 2 years, he shut out the TBRB #3 in the world and knocked out a guy that TBRB had in their top ten for six consecutive months last year.

Have Joshua or Parker beaten a guy that was ranked in the top 3 by TBRB when they faced them?

Wilder is held to a double standard because people hate Al Haymon. Plain and simple.

Wilder easily could have vacated and picked up the IBF belt. Instead, he flew to Moscow to face the current TBRB #1 in enemy territory.

Anybody criticizing Wilder is being ridiculous. He's literally facing all comers and knocking them out. Staying very active and clearing out the WBC rankings.

He's expressed a strong desire to unify. Instead of ****ting all over the guy, he should be given a chance to back up that claim. I believe he will attempt to unify. The fact that he flew to Moscow should show he's willing to face anybody.

I think there's an intermediate position between yours and the general consensus.

Stiverne is a legite win, probably a top 10 heavyweight at the time they fought. Duhaupas is probably top 20-ish. Malik Scott on his day ain't bad but gee that one looked fishy.

I would put the Takam win at least on par with the Stiverne win though. Joshua hasn't really fought anyone in the top 30 but he gets a pass for booking Klitschko.

So of the beltholders his record is probably the best. I think where people get annoyed with Wilder is that the voluntaries he takes are clearly the weakest in the available list - which is not something unique to him - and he hasn't had a proper mandatory enforced - which again is kinda out of his control.

That Warwyzk guy etc. He could have called:
- Andy Ruiz or Carlos Takam - would've made for an interesting comparison with Parker
- Dillian Whyte I believe was rated, again would've been interesting, as I think he's improved since the Joshua fight
- Ortiz, although I accept why his team don't want to go with a proven drugs cheat.

[Sadiqkingofko]

Some title holders won their vacant titles from good competition though.

Easter Jr vs Commey - IBF
Bellew vs Makabu - WBC
DeGale vs Dirrell - IBF
Pacquiao vs Bradley - WBO

Exactly so that's why I didn't count those as paper champions

[original zero]

Stiverne is a legite win, probably a top 10 heavyweight at the time they fought.

No, not probably. He was TBRB #3 in the world when they fought. If we're ignoring the sanctioning bodies, TBRB is the most logical ranking to look at.

I would put the Takam win at least on par with the Stiverne win though. Joshua hasn't really fought anyone in the top 30 but he gets a pass for booking Klitschko.

Takam was #8 when Parker fought him. #8 is not on par with #3. False equivalency.

And Klitschko has been out of the ring for so long that he's not even ranked at all. But either way, as things stand right now, Wilder has the best win of any current heavyweight champion, yet the members of this site have been brainwashed by the HBO propaganda machine into believing that Wilder hasn't fought anybody.

So of the beltholders his record is probably the best. I think where people get annoyed with Wilder is that the voluntaries he takes are clearly the weakest in the available list

More double standard. Joshua's voluntaries have been against Breazeale and Molina. Wilder had already successfully defended against Molina before Joshua faced him.

No matter how you slice it, Wilder has the best resume of the 3 heavyweight champions. He's been champion the longest. And his title has the longest unbroken lineage.

But because he's with Haymon, he is trashed here day in and day out.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Pretty much every champ is a paper champ, easier to name the legit champs..

[Rip Chudd]

Who exactly did Keith Thurman beat for his title? Wasn't he just elevated to champ?

[alexguiness]

Its hard to look beyond Wilder to be honest...dude takes bigger risks crossing the street than fighting a live dog.

[therealpugilist]

Wilder always gets flack over his level of compettion but at least he fought a top ten heavyweight for that title


as long as they're fighting for the belts, whether vacant or not....its fine by me....at least they fought for it


the biggest paper champion in boxing today is Gennady " TRIPLE G" Golovkin

He is hyped as the " unified middleweight champion of the world"

yet he only won one title in the ring, Vs David Lemieux and the WBC and wba WERE gift wrapped and he didn't even fight for them


kinda lame, and just another way to add accolades with actually earning the hype in the ring.

[Prince Madison]

deontay wilder has to be the first name that comes to mind...

[original zero]

Who exactly did Keith Thurman beat for his title? Wasn't he just elevated to champ?

Diego Chaves was interim champion and Thurman knocked him out to win the title. He successfully defended the interim title three times and was then elevated to world champion.

He then successfully defended the world title against Guerrero, Collazo and Thurman. He was recently elevated to super champion.

Unfair to criticize him for following the rules of the WBA.