A question to those who say Tyson was the lineal champion going into the Spinks fight

Okay, let me try and spoon feed it to you this way,

If Wladimir Klitschko goes for the next three years without fighting ANYBODY, the way that Dempsey did from 1923-1926, does he still have a title come 2014? Keep in mind, the question has nothing to do with WORTHY challengers, only challengers period...

 

the thing i find confusing about this whole lineal business is

how long could spinks remain lineal champion if he had just fought complete and utter bums? as no mandatorys he could do what he likes.

i know this is being ott, but say he was fighting guys making their pro debuts, guys with losing records etc. and he had continued to do this till say 2001 undefeated...would he STILL be lineal champion all the way up to then?

 

That's your opinion and you're more than entitled to it, but the fact is, more men have been stripped of belts in the last 40 years, then they were in the early part of the 20th century, and denying title shots due to the color of one's skin has long been abolished. Your example of Haye's possesion of the WBA is valid, but its also only one segment of the sport and its politics and not how the game is governed as a whole, the way that it was a century ago..

 

The WBC just ordered an immediate rematch of Jean Pascal Bernard Hopkins due to the controversy surrounding that fight. Pascal has a rematch with Dawson as per his contract when he took his title. If Pascal fights Hopkins Dawson sues him for breach. If he fights Dawson, he loses his title and Hopkins gets to fight for it. Total BS.

 

At least he's being ordered to produce a defense though, even if it isn't against the man he should be fighting, whereas if it were Dempsey, he'd be allowed to take a 3 year vacation to Hollywood, CA. to **** movie stars... Now those were the days when being a champion had its perks!!!!

 

Let's simplify this even further.

Is lacing up the gloves, smearing vaseline on your body and stepping in the ring with another guy who has done the same, better or worse than taking a 3 year vacation to hollywood?

 

Yeah I agree. I think the one year mandatory defense against the top rated contender is fair enough, its just all the other stuff they cook up in between. The fight was not that bad that a mandated rematch should have been ordered like this. Its politics to get the biggest sanctioning fee off of Hopkins name. Pascal Hopkins II makes more money than a rematch with Dawson, the WBC knows this, and they know Dawson will get a step aside fee from Pascal that wont affect them one bit. What good is it for Dawson to fight Pascal for no title? Big corrupt buisness.

 

The United States was a pretty big country, even back then my friend... New York was not the only place to hold a championship fight.

 

What about those that want to claim Jones was linear champion at 175?...

 

Did n't Spinks relinquish the IBF,thus linear by association,title ? If so,the new lineage was established by Tyson.