So, this guy is the lineal lightheavyweight champion having taken the from Denis Grachev who took it from Zslots Erdei who took it from Julio Cesar Gonzales who took it from Dariuz Michalsewski who took it from Virgil Hill. The dude recently lost VS Andre Ward but that was a supermiddleweight fight so he didn't lose his lineal championship during that one. It's funny, when you ask anyone who's the champ at 175 nobody mentions the name Edwin Rodriguez and yet he is. Is his lineal championship irrelevant? Did Zslots Erdei make it lose its significance by not fighting anyone of note? Should the belt holders at 175 give this guy a fight or should he just get in line?
The only way Edwin is the lineal champ at 175 is if you believe lineages do not end with retirements. Zsolt lost his claim as lineal champ once and for all with his official retirement well before he ever lost the title to Grachev.
Retirement in boxing? They're about as credible as well they're not credible... if he was so retired then what was he doing in a boxing ring? A 22 month retirement... nahh. Moving up to cruiser weight also doesn't really matter since he moved back down and lost his title at light heavyweight. Edwin Rodriguez is!!!! the Lineal Light heavyweight Champion.
Stevenson is. Erdei moved to Cw thus vacating his lineal crown. Thereafter, the lineal throne can only be contested by number 1 and 2 ranked contenders who were dawson and Hopkins
The lineage ended once Zsolt retired. In any case, the Ring title won by Hopkins and later Calzaghe wasn't lineal, so I don't know how much of a "title" is Ring magazine considered by itself and without the lineage.
