Worst lineal heavyweight champion of all time

It seems like a bit of an odd list generally.

We shouldn't look at Sharkey as one of the worst lineal champions, so much as somebody who should have been one of the better ones.

 

I have been very clear in saying that Moorer is not the worst lineal champion.

I only mention his name because others have.

 

Shannon Briggs.

 

Probably Leon Spinks, although I did watch his ko win over Bernardo Mercado which he looked impressive recently.

 

I'm puzzled that Braddock isn't even on your list.

 

I can't think of anyone worst than Leon tbh .ironically he's one of only 5men to have a win over probably the greatest lineal champ. Only in boxing!

 

This was done before, i think.

Has to be Shannon Briggs. He "beat" an ancient Foreman who had been lucky to get by Axel Schultz and who didn't even have a title at the time of the fight. It had been two years since he'd defended his world title and had been stripped for not defending it. Also, it was a bad decision. Foreman won in the eyes of most observers.

I don't think it's Spinks.

He legitimately outworked Ali for a clear UD to garner the Undisputed HW Title. Yes, he should have fought Norton later, but he did win the Undisputed Title.

Yes, Ali was past it, but had beaten a live and dangerous opponent - Ernie Shavers, only a few months earlier.

I don't care that Spinks fell apart shortly thereafter.

What he accomplished the night he dethroned Ali is greater than anything Briggs did.

 

He does

He put in a great performance to annex the Undisputed title.

 

I think that Sharkey and Carnera have too much depth to their resumes to be serious candidates, and I think that Douglas and Rahman's should be dismissed based on the caliber of the champions that they defeated.

So the candidates that have some momentum behind them, seem to be Hart, Braddock, Leon Spinks, and Briggs, and we probably can't avoid discussing Moorer.

I submit that all of these fighters deserved to be the lineal champion, with the arguable exception or Briggs.

That then brings us to the question of what they accomplished outside of their title winning effort:

Hart defeated Jack Johnson, and a couple of other contenders, so that makes him the right side of unlikely for the title in my eyes.

Braddock did beat a couple of legitimate contenders aside from Baer, so he probably wriggles out, same with Moorer.

I can't really see much for Spinks, apart from his title winning effort.

Briggs obviously came back to win the WBO title, beating a top contender in the process.

My conclusion is that you should either give it to Spinks based on his lack of another top win, or give it to Briggs based on the uncertainty regarding wither he deserved the win against Foreman.

What it remarkable about this list for me, is that even though these guys are the worst lineal champions, they still all seem to have an X factor! They were all exceptionally tough and brave men, who were still standouts in their own right!

 

I agree on both points.
Shannon Briggs was gifted a decision over an already discredited - and 48 year-old - Foreman.
Briggs didn't even make any noise about being lineal champ at the time, he was lucky to be considered at all worthy to challenge for Lennox Lewis's WBC title in his next fight. Lewis swept him away in 5 rounds.

On Leon Spinks, I'll add that his rematch loss to Ali was another one of Ali's "hold and stall" efforts, and while I have no problem with the decision I think Leon (who was already on a severe party/drugs binge and decline) may have managed to retain the title with a more stringent referee.

 

Briggs for me. The man was terrible and insanely overhyped. I attended a book signing over 20 years ago and he was in attendance, his handlers told me he was a bigger version of Mike Tyson too be on the look out for him before givning me an autographed Tshirt. about a year later he was on hbo and got clubbed out in a couple of rounds. I was shocked. Even though he didn't look like a patch on Tyson to me during the bout to begin with. But I was willing to give him more than a chance, considering upsets happen but he never looked good to me and Foreman as old as he was outboxed and out hustled him before being robbed on the cards. Botha was robbed too. Briggs resume is paper thin. He has fought a lot though and that may count for something. For me it's him and spinks and If you want to include the old timers Hart. Those 3

 

Of the guys on this list i pick shannon.the guy could not beat an ancient foreman

 

One guy who is perhaps getting unfairly picked here is Hart.

Yes he was one of the weaker lineal champions, but I don't think that you could make a case for him being the weakest.

He got his title shot by beating Jack Johnson, who had not lost a fight in four years, and would essentially not lose one for another ten.

He then fought for the vacant title against Jack Root, who was installed as a 3/1 favorite by the way, and knocked Root out.

It's not even like he was a two hit wonder either.

He defeated men like Ruhlin, Ferguson, and O'Brien.

In my opinion, he pulls clear of the bottom of the pile.

 

Tye Fields won the Vacant Native American Boxing Council Championship belt. And it was a lineal belt victory.