I made this tournament bracket: https://challonge.com/tournaments/bracket_generator?ref=nrkvcejTqY Featuring the heavyweight champions generally considered the worst. Because this tournament is meant to determine the worst fighter, whoever loses their matchup will advance to the next round. Who do you think "wins" this competition of incompetence? Oh, and before you get on my case, the seedings were randomised.
Can't pick a winner because several of those names I haven't got a clue who they are - Marvin Hart, Tommy Burns, Liakhovich. Based on the names I know it's gotta be Charles Martin.
I don't think he counts since he was only recognised as champion by the British Boxing Board of Control
I think his recognition was also endorsed by the European governing body too. In those days that’s More recognition than whatever body Charles Martin became champion of.
Lee Savold held the British Boxing Board of Control and European (EBU) version of the World Heavyweight championship between 1950 and 1951. The only other official rival “world championship” title to this was the NBA.
With four different belts going around, there are a lot of former "Champions" who briefly held one of the four belts and thus could techincally be considered a former HW champion. I guess it all depends on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go. Charles Martin, Wilder, Stiverne, John Ruiz, Chagaev, Maskaev, Herbie Hide, Akinwande, Bruce Seldon.
The correct answer is Monte Masters, who held the WAA (aka the WAO’Grady) heavyweight title in the early 1980s. Sean’s dad started his own organization and recognized Sean (who gave up his WBA title rather than face, I think, perennial challenger Ernesto Espana) ... and defended it unsuccessfully against Andy Gannigan. Monte’s main qualification was being married to Sean’s sister.
Briggs Liakhovich Spinks Stiverne Braddock Peter Hart Martin Liakhovich Stiverne Peter Martin Stiverne Martin Martin!
Briggs goes through Liakovich goes through Spinks goes through Stiverne goes through Braddock goes through Valuev goes through Hart goes through Martin goes through Liakovich goes through Spinks goes through Valuev goes through Hart goes through Liakovich goes through Hart goes through Hart 'wins'
In terms of credentials, Leon Spinks and Charles Martin are 2 of the worst. Their title winning efforts were incredibly dubious. Spinks beat a parkinsons ridden washed up Ali and didn't really accomplish anything else at HW getting clobbered by Coetzee, Qawi, Holmes, etc. Neither Ali nor Spinks had a legitimate claim to the title in the rematch due to the fact they refused to face Norton and set in motion a chain of events that would always leave us with splintered titles at HW. Martin "won" his title due to his opponent's knee imploding and then lost his very next defense in a 1 sided ass whooping. Briggs is pretty close too with his very controversial win over a nearly 50 Foreman in a fight many thought he lost. He too didn't do much else at HW other than setting a record for KOing complete bums and pulling a last minute stoppage out of his rear against Liakhovich.
