alex leapai. the southern hemespheres first heavyweight world champ.

I don't believe there is a current clear cut champion. Vitali hasn't been beaten since Lewis, though Wladimir looks to be in better form. The two best fighters in the division won't fight each other to determine who's número uno, not that I expect them to. You can make a case for either.

 

Without putting too fine a point on it, I bet Corrie Sanders and his family considered he won a world title when he beat Wlad. As do many others. Most know he wasn't 'the man in the division'. But there isn't a title for that is there?

 

I believe it's called The Ring magazine championship. It's generally on the money.

 

Is it?

Just one example of where sadly, whether someone is a world champion or not comes down to a matter of opinion.

In this case, virtually the entire world recognize both Wlad & Vitali as current world heavyweight champions :good

 

I respect Ring better than most other sources. But more and more people are questioning it's 'accuracy' in recent times.

Unfortunately there is no definitive source and therein lies the problem.

 

Absolutely. If I was pressed I'd go with Wladimir. He has the lineage since Vitali retired. If someone wanted to argue black and blue that Vitali is the champ, it wouldn't bother me greatly. Riddle me this, did you consider Francesco Damiani a world champion? Assuming you followed boxing back then. If you did, you'd be in a club of 5 I reckon.

 

It would be wrong to suggest either of the Klitschkos isn't a world champion. Admittedly they are the most extreme case to split. But sadly there is no clear line in the sand that determines who is a world champion and who isn't in this day and age.

Damiani? Well titles have to begin somewhere. But I'm not 1 of the 5

 

Essentially we're on the same page. The Klits are an extreme case and due to them being related can't really be separated. I honestly reckon you can go through division by division and pick out who is the best fighter in it. Sure there's going to be conjecture, especially when there's a couple of top fighters who haven't faced each other. There's always conjecture though. My recognition of Heavyweight is pretty clear cut. It's a division that has a fairly clear path of lineage, from John L Sullivan onwards.

That being said, I don't follow "lineage" per se as the only guide line. For example Shannon Briggs was a lineal champion when he beat Foreman. He was never the best fighter in the division though.

 

Looks like Alex's opponent is up on Boxrec, Akmal ASLANOV.

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=48936&cat=boxer

 

Take a look at that list of opponents :yikes

 

I see him and tank Williams are fighting on the same card potential future match up?

 

its a payday and ranking fight.

better than nothing.

 

ray wheatley i think..

 

hes just had a hand operation remember....:huh

looks like someone is looking at alex as a vlad opponent.....:hey

vacant WBO China Zone heavyweight title
vacant WBO Asia Pacific heavyweight title

its not like me to say (read my earliest posts..)

i told you so...:deal

the southern hemesphere have never had a world champ (arguably). we deserve another shot. alex..give him one shot on vlads chin....just one. :bbb

 

Good ole Ray... i put his opinion right up there with Johnny Lewis atsch