Can Sullivan,Corbett,Fitz,Jeffries,& Hart Truly Be Called "World" Champions?

To answer the OP the answer is yes due to a different time and era. Was it right the colour line being drawn then no but it is what it is and trying to append history is not gonna make any difference. Only have to go back to Don King era and alphabet bandits to see it did not just happen in the good old days. With numerous titles a champ can avoid a fighter by relinquising and fighting for different version even today.

The one who could be disputed is Hart but it was endorsed by Jeffries then later retracted but still down on paper as a champ when it was 8 divisions.

 

The problem with that was that others thought it was a deliberate foul-out on Corbett's instructions to save face.

 

It likely cost Corbett a rematch with Fitzsimmons, so I doubt that he did it to win bets.

 

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I meant that Corbett felt he was beaten and his second jumped onto the apron to engineer a disqualification loss in order to save face for Jim.

 

It could just be the ones I've seen, but the reports I've seen had Corbett doing better by the time it was stopped. I checked the Sun again and it had Corbett looing uncomfortable, but doing decently early, then getting more comfortable, and even hurting Sharkey in the 8th.

 

Either way, Corbett and his team all ended up in court, but they were acquitted.

The ringside reports give a mixed picture in terms of how the fight was going.

 

That maybe the case and although Hart's claim was disputed by some it was endorsed by others and Jeffries standing at the time was highly viewed. From postings on the board I gather you are not a Jeffries fan although I may have got that wrong but at the time he was the numero uno and it was accepted by some his endorsement for Hart to fight for vacent title. Was there more deserving challengers, well he had a disputed decision over Johnson so maybe that should have been the fight to make but the colour line reared it's ugly head.

https://www.ibroresearch.com/2008/07/marvin-hart-true-heavyweight-champion/

I have the Hart book by Pollack and it's been a few years since reading so might be different info in that short tome.

My point is although an interesting point of the thread, revising history is a bit pointless due to it having happened. The case could be made against Alan Minter not being as World Champ due to Hagler getting a raw deal against Antuofermo and not getting immediate rematch but boxing history is littered with these kind of raw deal stories and what if's

 

Well Isn' Dempsey Jewish from his father's side? You're trying to dig yourself out of a deep hole ( By saying Max Baer didn't; have any Jewish blood ) , then you change the rules after saying Dempsey was part Jewish!

Now you're conflicting yourself, Mr. Double standard by saying if its past on the mother side Dempsey doesn't qualify! So which way do you want to be wrong this time?

Bawhahahahaha. An older post below from this forum:

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Right you are.

Posters keep shoving dirt on McVey's claims...

 

It is a fact that his father was a non-practicing Jew. So yes he was part Jewish.