The Linear title is the only title that has ANY value. The alphabet trinkets are worthless pieces of JUNK. Same goes for the Ring Magazine's worthless trinket...
Correct. When George KO'ed Moorer, EVERYBODY wanted to fight him. Even when he went off on his "bum of the month" tour. George was the Man to beat in the HW division until he lost to Briggs.
i couldn't disagree more. most times the linear champ is the man of the division but if you think briggs was the champ after his gift vs foreman, you would be in a very small minority. also, where a lineage starts has to be questioned as well. when roy jones wins a belt the day before hill-maske is for the supposed "linear title", it's a joke.
Please explain why Briggs wasn't the Man after getting the decision over Foreman? I'd love to hear it...
first off, briggs clearly lost the fight. it was a horrible decision. before this, foreman got a gift decision vs schulz tainting the so called linear title even more. at the time briggs was given the decision over foreman, george wasn't even ranked in the top 10 by the ring magazine nor did he hold any of the recognized belts. trust me when i say virtually no one during that time considered shannon briggs the heavyweight champion of the world.
It was quite clearly a robbery. The victory over schulz was debatable enough as it was. Foreman wasn't even a top ten fighter by 97. Noone considered him v briggs as a meaningful fight. For purposes of tracing lineage from holmes it is ok, but as has been made clear, the status held by foreman at that point was notional at best.
When ali announced his retirement the championship went vacant, how can you not understand that? Otherwise you would have to conclude there has been no champion since gene tunney. Atleast you've dropped the 1 v 2 nonsense. Seems great on paper but it doesn't hold true throughout history.
I have to go with Nay Sayers lineage here. It is a mistake to try to aply any sort of value judgment to this lineage. It is not fair and life is not fair. It is based on the outcomes of a series of fights that have happened and the reality on the ground that resulted from those fights (whatever the circumstances). At this stage it is as writtin in stone as the lineage of the British monarchy from Alfred the great to Elizabeth II.
That isn't the debate. The debatable points are as follows 1) is the only way to begin a new lineage a box off between 1 v 2. 2) what is the worth of the lineal champion in 96 when foreman is unranked and tyson is wiping the floor with the current beltholders. The flow of lineage from holmes through lewis can never ever change. Never. That is not for dispute.