I'm going to go ahead and call Klitschko the heavyweight champion.

What's your method? :think

 

Tyson and Lewis were linear champions but other fighters could claim to be champions too. It was only when they were also WBC/IBF/WBA champions that no one could dispute that they were the champions.

As Lewis was the last linear champion and he is retired we need unification of all three belts to create a new linear champ.

 

Clearly Klitschko is the best Heavyweight, but he is not the undisputed champion. He must defeat Chagaev first. After Peter beats Maskaev and Klitschko has defeated Chagaev, then Klitschko will have completed the steps necessary to be the undisputed champion....even though he will not be the unified champion...thus leaving the possibility for Vitali to win the WBC belt and finally achieving the brothers dream....next year! Hopefully sooner!

 

The other fighters that claimed to be Champions were only talking. Anyone who believed in them was blind. It is similar to the current situation...I would laugh if I hear Oleg Maskaev or Ruslan Chagaev say "I'm the real Champ". The Champ is, clearly, Klitschko.

Times have changed, there are now four belts. Unifying two of them is right now the only thing that can be done.

 

They wouldn't say they were the rela champ, only dispute it if Klitschko made such a claim. That's the point.

 

even with one belt i called him the 'main' HW champion

dont even like him though