Here is the crux of the matter as I see it. Sullivan was the champion, and Jackson was the outstanding contender, and probably the best fighter in the world. Corbett's draw with Jackson, put him on a level pegging, as the joint best contender. Corbett then beat Sullivan to win the tile. Whether you measure who was the best in the world by beating the champion, or matching the best fighter of the day, Corbett has got it covered. I don't think we can quite say this for Maher at any point in his career. I would add that I have always thought Corbett over rated, but now perhaps the pendulum is swinging too fat the other way in some quarters.
On the potential Corbett Maher fight in 1895, this is what Corbett had to say: https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/50404075/?terms=peter+maher He stated the he was retired, and that Maher was the champion now by his nomination!
This is similar situation to Jeffries, many people call Hart and Burns linear champions but nobody ever said the same with Maher. Interesting read, thanks a lot.
I guess that the debacle with the Fitzsimmons Sharkey DQ, discredited the Maher Fitzsimmons lineage. If it had been a clean result, we might be calling Maher a lineal champion today!
Corbett wanted to be a stage actor, and this cut down his chances of defending the title. By picking Fitz, he did in fact pick far better than Maher, and he lost that one. Maher was a good fighter, but not in the class of Jackson, Choynski, or Sullivan. If these four could not stop Corbett, I doubt Maher could. Corbett UD or TKO in the later rounds had they meet. When you review Maher's record, you'll not he often lost to the best Jackson, Goddard 2x Fitz 2x, McCoy, and Choynski. By contrast, Corbett beat McCoy, and Choynski and drew with Jackson. While Corbett did lose to Fitz, he had him down and was in the lead. Fitz made Maher quit in the first fight, and blew him away in one round in the second match. So in terms of common opponents faced, Corbett was vastly better that Maher.
There is nothing that makes Choynski better than Maher, let alone in different class. Fitz was out of his feet in the first round against Maher, it was posted not so long ago. I wouldn't say that he did much worse.
Maher lost to the best fighters in the world, so did Corbett. He drew with Jackson indeed, but it was worse version of Jackson than who Maher faced. McCoy fight was past Maher prime, he already fought almost 120 fights before it. Choynski loss was also past his prime and he also beat Choynski before, when both were prime fighters. Corbett beat Joe when he was a novice. Corbett never fought Goddard, so we don't know how would he fare against him. Maher also has win over Goddard, another win that you don't include in your post. Vastly better? Corbett won against 3-0-0 Choynski and had NC the fight before. Maher won against 34-5-3 Choynski who was in his prime. Of course, he also lost twice to him but they fought in Maher's 139th and 126th fights. He was well past his prime. Corbett beat McCaffey, Maher had one NC bout. Corbett has a draw against Jackson, Maher lost to him (as a novice). Corbett drew and lost with Sharkey (his lost was past his prime). Maher drew and had NC loss with Sharkey. Corbett beat McCoy, Maher lost to him twice (both past his prime). We all know that Fitz beat both and clearly was better fighter than either of them. Of course, Corbett didn't face: Goddard, Hall, Daly, Fallon, Ed Smith, Craig, Ruhlin, O'Donnell, C.C. Smith in his prime. He also didn't face Klondike, Russell, O'Brien, Hart, Gardner and Butler past his prime. Maher schedule after 1900 is brutal for someone with over 100 fights and past his prime. Maher never fought Jeffries, Mitchell, Sullivan and Kilrain. Only Jeffries and Kilrain were in their primes when Corbett fought them and he lost twice to Jeffries. Maybe Corbett has a few more impressive wins, but Maher has much bigger resume.
Some, I've seen a good few in the UK papers, were saying Fitz was the heavyweight champion before the Corbett fight. It wouldn't be the only dodgy DQ that generally gets ignored in the lineage.
Fitz made Maher quit in the first fight, Maher asking Fitz if he could please finish the round, Fitz was okay with it. In the rematch, it was over in 1 round. Choysnki beat Johnson, Maher, Godfrey, and Goddard and drew with Jeffries. Peter's best wins / draws are not in the same class as Choynski's Spin it any way you wish Corbett fought many of the same opponents the Maher did, and had much better results as I showed. Want more? Corbett toys with Peter Courtney and Ko's him on cue. Maher takes the same guy the distance! If you saw Courtney's lack of size and skills, Maher must not have be very skilled either to take him the distance. Corbett KO's Dominick McCaffrey. Maher has an NC vs. McCaffery. Same thing. There is an undeniable trend that Corbett did much better vs. the same opponents.
Maher had an exhibition with an old McCaffrey, not a NC. He knocked out Goddard, Godfrey and when he and Choynski met in their only peak clash, Maher knocked him out cold. Choynski never beat Goddard but was stopped by him twice. As for Courtnry, Maher stopped him and quicker than Corbett but if either of them had wanted, Courtney would not have lasted one minute.
Maher beat Choynski, Goddard, Godfrey. He didn't fought Johnson or Jeffries but neither one of them was a worldclass opponent when Choynki fought them. Maher has wins over Slavin, C.C. Smith and Hall. Choynski also got worse of Sharkey and Ruhlin while Maher was on their level. Choynski was far more inconsistent fighter in 1890s and his best wins aren't really better than Maher's. Maher also destroyed him h2h in their only prime fight and Choynski was at their absolute best.
Choysnki beat Johnson, Maher, Godfrey, and Goddard and drew with Jeffries. Maher beat Godfrey and was 1-2 vs Goddard. For now, let's take Godfrey and Goddard out. Now who has better results, Choysnki who Ko'd Johnson and drew with Jeffries or Maher who beat an on the decline Slavin, and Choysnki. I have not focuses much on the shape of Maher's opponents. In addition Choynski beat Matter twice. Once on points, once via 2nd round KO. So Choynski 2-1 over Maher. Seems pretty clear to me.
LOL, I knew it! It only took one typo / grammar error for Mcvey's alt's to show their colors! Just come out now, it's beyond embarrassing! Tonto62 and Rainer = McVey. If you could only read some of the PM's I got.