So Wilder will be the lineal champion when he wins in a few weeks?

Wilder might even be able to hang with Briggs if he becomes lineal.

 

The whole idea of a 'lineal' champ is a very bad joke. It's an imaginary title that fanboys bring out when it suits them in order to try and bestow some kind of kudos on their fighter. The actual meaning is also routinely twisted in order to suit the agenda of the person making the argument. For a prime example witness the whole fiasco with Canelo fanboys trying to claim him as 'lineal' middleweight champ after the Cotto fight. And this is not an exaggeration, the below comments were all made on this board.

Err.... guys, he's never actually fought a middleweight bout so how can he possibly have any legitimate claim to middleweight championship status.

"Doesn't matter because the imaginary title can be won at any weight, it doesn't actually need to be at the championship weight".

Canelo moves down in weight to fight for the title at 154

"Doesn't matter because you are imaginary champion unless you move UP in weight"

Canelo moves up to fight Chavez at 164

"Doesn't matter because the imaginary title can't be vacated unless you move up in weight because you can't make it anymore"

Canelo says he's not a middleweight champ anymore

"Doesn't matter because he's got no say in it and doesn't have the right to decide whether he has a claim to championship status so ner ner nah booo".

After all that, it gets very hard to take the whole thing at all seriously!!!

 

If in some cases a lineal championship is complicated and controversial it doesn't mean that the whole idea is a joke. Far from it. Especially now, when we have four major boxing associations and some of them have several championship titles in one weight category.

 

OK maybe has become a very bad joke would be more appropriate.

 

Plus he ducked Wlad twice even though he signed the rematch contract. He lost any claim to any sort of fantasy title right there.

 

So am I right in thinking that on the basis that Wlad never beat him. If Lennox Lewis came out retirement tomorrow ... he'd become lineal heavyweight champion?

 

Both very valid points and further show how ridiculous the whole thing has become. According to fanboys when it suits their arguments, you can basically spend as long doing naff all as you feel like, duck the hell out of anyone who is any danger and still nobody else has any right to call themselves champ.

I think the usual argument people make is that where a fighter has formally and officially announced their retirement (i.e. Lewis), this usually counts as disclaiming championship status and the lineage is broken. But even that can be argued given that there are no official rules for this imaginary title. Hence why people make them up as they go along to suit their own agenda.

 

The "lineal champion" has become something that people use it whenever it fits their agenda. When Wilder wins (which most here expect, including myself) Wilder and his fans will claim he's the "real champ". When Fury beat Wlad, Wilder has zero interest in fighting him. You know, when Fury was actually the champ.

 

So, let me get this straight: Being the lineal heavyweight champion doesn't count if you win it via shattering English glass?

 

A deluded American with what appears to be low level down syndrome fights a formerly suicidal, mentally unstable gypsy for an imaginary title that Lennox Lewis may or may not still have a right too ....

Did Vince McMahon book this?

 

You know, when Fury wasn't actually fighting.

 

Fury needs to win this to prove he's the real deal, at this point his biggest victory is shot Wlad. Who cares about liberal belt

 

Wilder is not going to win, so no.

 

Ahhhh I never really honed in on this before but an argument could be made supporting the liberal nature of a “lineal belt”.

The underlying definition of the belt is what gives it that generational passing of the torch appeal. You’re calling it a “liberal belt” because it has liberal implications...it’s supposed to represent progressive change and fighter evolution. Well done with the word play sir.