how can a fighter beat a lb4lb number one and not become lb4lb champ?!

I think a good example to help you understand how this is true is Antonio Tarver vs. Roy Jones Jr. RJJ was looked at by many as the #1 P4P when he faced Tarver. Tarver was looked at as the best LtHvy in RJJ's absence. When RJJ came back he was logically looked at as still the best LtHvy while Tarver was not on anyone's P4P list at all. So, when Tarver beat RJJ, he became the best LtHvy and was then placed on many people's P4P list. However, he had to continue winning to move up and prove that he was worthy to usurp RJJ as the #1 P4P, which he didn't because he went on to lose to Glen Johnson, B-Hop, and Chad Dawson twice. Truth is, in many situations, the P4P fighters aren't even able to fight each other to surpass one another due to weight division differences, so P4P status comes down to individual body of work compared on an imaginary scale to others'. When we get P4P fighters to actually fight each other it is a rare treat.

 

good post

 

I don't think that's how it's perceived. Styles make fights and certain styles are just perfect to beat certain fighters no matter how great they are. Tarver was just all wrong stylistically for Roy. But he didn't have the credentials before beating Roy to even be considered for a P4P list. Once he beat a P4P fighter in RJJ, Tarver could get on the list, but had more work to do before getting to the top. Think about it like this: If the Boston Celtics currently hold the top spot in the East and the NJ Nets are the worst team in the East, but the Nets beat the Celtics in a game, do the Nets automatically become the top team in the East? No, of course not, because they don't have the body of work over the course of the season so far to claim that. P4P status in boxing functions more like this.

 

Simple, it's not some belt you pass around. Guys WORK their way up to that status. One win should not make you #1.