I'm gonna count the following "World Titles" Any Universally Recognized World Champ IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO go ahead... gotta birthday party to tend to
Harry Greb probably still takes some beating. 14 lineal champions, and 17 champions if you include disputed title claimants.
Arguello defeated Riasco, Kobayashi, Limon, Chacon, Navarrete, Boza Edwards, Ramirez, and Mancini. All eight were future champions, and only Ramirez went the distance. He dethroned Olivares, Escalera and Watt. Many consider Ganigan's upset blowout of O'Grady to have been a championship fight, thus Arguello's knockout of Ganigan to be a unification of sorts. Former champions he defeated were Jose Legra, Claude Noel and Billy Costello. That's no less than 15 champions if Ganigan's claim is accepted, and Alex stopped 13 of them. There was almost a 16th champion there. Several months after Arguello stopped Leonel Hernandez for the WBA FW Title, Hernandez drew with Escalera for the WBC SFW belt. Janitor, you mentioned Greb, but how many of those wins were official verdicts, rather than newspaper decisions? Arguello's win over Ramirez was a controversial SD, but there's no disputing who won his other 14 matches against fellow champions. To the best of your knowledge, who exceeds his 14 stoppages against World Champs? (This is including the Escalera rematch.)
Ezzard Charles went 13-2 (3) vs. the following 6 men: A. Christoforidis, Joey Maxim x5, Archie Moore x3, Jersey Joe Walcott x4, Gus Lesnevich, and Joe Louis. He also went 6-1 (1) vs. Hall of Famers Charley Burley (2-0) and Jimmy Bivins (4-1 (1))... two of the best fighters to have never won world titles)
Evander Holyfield went 19-4-1 (10) vs. the following 17 World Champs: Tyrone Booze (WBO), D. Qawi x2, R. Parkey, O. Ocasio, C. DeLeon, P. Thomas, M. Dokes, B. Douglas, G. Foreman, L. Holmes, R. Bowe x3, M. Moorer x2, R. Mercer (WBO), B. Czyz, M. Tyson x2, J. Ruiz x3, and H. Rahman. Julio C. Chavez has also defeated 17 World Champs. I don't know if these guys are #1 though... maybe they are?
Chavez beat 17 World Champs and went 20-1 vs. them. He beat- 1. M. Martinez 2. R. Castillo 3. R. Mayweather x2 4. R. Lockridge 5.. J. LaPorte 6. E. Rosario 7. R. Limon 8. J.L. Ramirez 9. S. Fuentas (WBO champ) 10. M. Taylor x2 11. L. Smith 12. H. Camacho 13. G. Haugen 14. F. Randall 2 out of 3 15. T. Lopez 16. G. Parisi 17. J. Gamache :deal
