Heavyweight Title pre-Tunney"just a showpiece"?

And this pains me a bit...

Do we discount every time Ali clinched excessively, held the ropes or his opponents head? Do we count against Lewis for every hold behind the neck/uppercut combo he threw? Do we...

ehhh, **** it. Dempsey low blowed Sharkey into submission plain and simple.

 

Dempsey's follow up left hook to Sharkey's jaw was a very powerful blow, but such a shame it came after 2 uppercuts right to the sweets.

 

Well Sharkey would be familiar with that area , he threw enough in that direction during fights.

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:rofl

 

The heavyweight boxing championship was the most prestigious of the vaudeville acts that were so popular at that time. I also think that it wasn't defended like a 'proper' championship until Louis.

No real consistency. Tunney ended the original lineage by retiring and only then did the heavyweight championship really function like those below it.

I think the fact it was so highly coveted reflects that. Gans and Dixon suffered less forcibly strenuous paths to the title than Johnson did. When held it was a symbol. The last time you fought, you were the best fighter in the world, and next time you fought, it would be an event.

Floyd has kinda' taken it back to that as his career has gone on. Avoid the best but fight someone ranked enough that it's a 'show' regardless of how competitive the fight could potentially be. With heavyweight champion no longer the most glamorous title the modern audience seems to be enamoured with the 'P4P title'. Floyd has come back to establish his credentials time and time again, just enough for people to still recognise him as the best.

Ortiz is the Ketchel of his reign, taking out an overmatched opponent who tried a little too hard*
















*of course I'm joking

 

well yeah people's understanding of a champion has changed throughout the times.

At one point he was just the man who beat the man and he'd stay that way until someone else beat him, a challenger was never more than that - a challenger.

Now a champion is expected to do more, numerous people claim to be a champion so a man has to separate himself by either unifying claims or defeating better opponenets than his peers.

The 30's was a golden era for HW's with everyone fighting each other and Louis was the man left standing and he dominated for the next decade. From then on we've seen a champion define himself more by his reign than his title winning victory.

Ali even in late 70's was still fighting the best despite clearly being past it and receiving gift after gift. The 90's saw a change again with some dodgey decisions and fight selection but Lewis sorted the mess out.