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

Even if we assume that Johnson beats Jeffries at the earliest point when the fight would realistically have been made, Jeffries would still have been a dominant champion.

This is a case where it really made no difference.

 

It does to Jeffries legacy which is my point. Going out as a destroyed, embarrassed , arrogant , losing bigot was terrible for him.

 

That is only relevant, if a strong black challenger was available.

Very often there simply wasn't.

Also, very few champions truly drew the color line, when the best black fighter was a complete stumble bum!

 

It as a prize fight dolt. Had Griffin won via KO, he's the new lineal champ. Understand? Get that through whatever is left in your skull. Jeffries had mix race matches, he was not Sullivan.

Now for some schooling. Childs was too small, and there are reports of Jeffries KO'ing him. In fact, the San Fran news mentioned him by name as a Jeffries KO victim.

Ed Martin had a glass body and jaw. He was stopped many times early and was not seen as better than Sharkey, Fitz or Corbett. Besides he was Ko'd by Armstrong whom Jeffries beat. There are also reports of Jeffries Ko'ing Martin.

1899-1905 while Jeffries was champion. How good was Johnson in this time line?

1 ) Johnson was TKO'd by Klondike,
2 ) KO'd by Choynski,
3 ) Lost to Hank Griffin who Jeffries beat twice.
4 ) Failed to stop an older Pete Everett, a fighter Jeffries blew out when Everett was in much better shape.
5 ) Johnson failed to stop an out of shape Munroe, a fighter Jeffries blew out, and man you think was terrible!
6 ) Drew with Stift who was not very good and a middleweight
6 ) Johnson lost a high stakes match to Marvin Hart.

Do I need to say more?

 

By dominant, I mean reigned for a few years, had a number of title defenses.

That is the broad definition of a dominant champion, as opposed to a short tenure champion.

If Johnson beats Jeffries, not much really changes.

Jeffries still wins the title, and holds it for a few years, ergo Jeffries was as much a champion as anybody else.

 

Finnegan and Kennedy, yes but its irrelevant.

Munro debatable.

Cobbett II, no in the circumstances.

 

I disagree.

If Anthony Joshua declared that he would never defend his titles against Dominic Breazle, because he has a funny name, nobody would really give a damn.

 

For the record, there was no color line.

There was the Jackson line.

Jeffries was probably the only man on that list who truly believed in the color line!