This is precisely why when you have a clear Lineage / Lineal Champion you don't just create a new one as many posters on here are advocating in regard to Canelo and the MW Title. The Middleweight Lineage for example has not been broken for such a long time, it's not supposed to be broken unless there's absolutely zero chance of the Lineal Champ ever defending it.
I think the more it gets broken in any given division over time the less legitimacy it holds. It's not really linear or true to itself at all! I mean Adamek is still 'lineal' at CW. No ones fighting him any time soon! 'Adamek is the man' LOL
And that's why Lineal "means more" at Middleweight than it does at other weights, because it hasn't been broken in so long. Middleweight has such a rich history of great Lineal Champions, that really Lineal Champion should mean more at Middleweight than say Cruiserweight. Adamek isn't the Lineal Champion at Crusierwight though. Hasn't been since 09. The Lineal Title was vacant at Cruiserweight from 1988 when Holyfield went up to Heavyweight until 2006 and a new lineage was started with O'Neil Bell vs Jean-Marc Mormeck. Bell won it, then lost it to Mormeck in 07, then Haye won it from Mormeck, then Haye moved up to Heavyweight, then it was re-established once again with Adamek vs Cunningham and Adamek defended it against Banks and then finally vs Bobby Gunn before moving up to Heavyweight. Since then the Lineal Title has been vacant at Cruiserweight. That'd be funny if they started a new lineage with Roy Jones vs Bobby Gunn. Gunn's the last Cruiserweight that actaully fought for it that is still a Cruiserweight.
Well, the RING titel is definitely obsolete and has been for quite a while, but being the true linear champ of a division isn't for sure.
Shatap yu muggy ****! You can't even make our mind up on who is lineal lat alone argue for it's integrity: 2011 in response to an individual who stated Pascal (who Stevensons lineage is traced back to) has the lineal title: Followed up in 2013: LOL Finally we arrive at 2016:
Well that's opinion & dependent upon how highly you value a particular fighters 'in ring' condition. Context & objectivity should apply too rather than jut blind faith. Yes Canelo beat Cotto who beat Martinez sure. However Cotto & Canelo fought at a of 155 pound (this was obviously for a reason!) & both Martinez & Cotto were well past prime, this was plainly evident by the Trout & Murray performances IMO Martinez was near shot & Cotto is certainly in decline. I think at some point we have to be reasonable & sort of disregard a fighters lineal status & admit regardless that lineal or not he's clearly not the fighter or force he was. To stop using it as a crutch or a weapon to diminish other fighters status within a division. Performance is more important to me. Martinez wasn't performing like he was prior.. See Murray & Cotto. Lineal? Yes. Best? No. Jacobs would destroy Trout!!
The linear belt is non-sense and has no meaning whatsoever since people can just sit on it and not defend it against top 10 let alone the top 2 fighter.