That is correct. If he had have been lineal champ on his return, Wladimir would never have got that status and realistically it was a case where it was possibly made by the magazine's for wlad because Vitali and Wladimir never fought and they were numbers 1 & 2. I think Wladimir was number 1 and fought the number 3 of the ring magazine, to become champ I think. Could be wrong though Don't quote me on that
I think this is most likely correct. Big fan of fury but I don't know if he could still be called lineal champ but wouldn't be shocked if he did regain that status
You give an example then ask me for examples? Ali was considered the lineal champion against Frazier, who owned the belts. This was accepted at the time. Fury was out of the ring for less time than Ali was. Neither retired but rather were stripped of their titles. If one was lineal champ on their return, so was/is the other. Is that consistent enough for you?
Frazier entered and exited as the champion. Not sure what you're on about. You are missing the fact, as you like to mention that word, that Fury announced his legitimate retirement and continually and repeatedly announced it over and over during his two+ years enjoying... retirement. He retired. [shrugs] The lineal title didn't stay with Corbett, Jeffries, Louis, Marciano, Ali, or Lennox when they retired. It was immediately declared vacant and the top two challengers faced off for it. This isn't about me being consistent, this is about you being consistent since you're the one that took issue with my original statement. So I ask simply one question: "Was Marciano the last lineal HW champion ever?" If you don't believe so, then clearly Fury is not the lineal champ. If you do believe so, then clearly Fury is not as you would recognize the long deceased Marciano. When you retire, you vacate the title. Same thing happened with Mayweather between the Hatton and Mosley fights. Same thing happened with Pacquiao after he declared his move to 147 and a year went by. The sport doesn't wait for anyone. Certainly not someone that announced their retirement and continued to emphasize that he was retired from the sport for multiple years.
Fury retired: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/26/tyson-fury-retires-boxing-again Anyway to me the answer to this depends on the individual. According to the established rules on this, if you could say they even exist, he probably isn't strictly the lineal champ. However, he undoubtedly has some claim to be 'the man' having dethroned Wlad. I think Warrens embrace of the concept is entirely opportunistic, but it does add spice to the division and whatever you think of the claim, if either AJ or Wilder held the unified belts there would still be a Fury sized question to answer.
When those other guys retired, the top 2 faced off for the lineal title, I agree. Ali was put on hiatus, as was Fury. Both came back. Both at peak age. Frazier entered as the champion. Ali claimed he was the real champion because no one took them off him, he was forced to give them up. Everybody accepted this. Wilder entered as the champion. Fury claimed he was the real champion because no one took them off him, he was forced to give them up. It's almost an exact parallel. You can disagree with me, but most people who know what they're talking about agree thst Fury is the lineal champion. Even Wilder and AJ don't dispute it.
Yea you're right. I think this was the 3rd time he retired. A matter of months (weeks?) Later he announced 3 big fights for 2018.
It's a made up title but if you really want to be pedantic then Wladimir Klitschko wasn never really the lineal title holder either, he only unified three of four belts and didn't fight the other title holder who was the out and out second best fighter in the heavyweight division for most of that period. I obviously don't blame Wlad for not fighting Vitali but that's the way it swings. Last legit lineal title holder was Lennox Lewis who retired and didn't pass it on. No one has 100% unified the division since 1999.
When he was retired, 10% at most felt he was lineal and they were British. It was likely 5% or less. Only one good poster on this site felt that way (sorry and you're welcome, Rummy, haha). You don't get that status restored years later when you come back. Don't pull this "people who know boxing agree with me" BS, schmuck ass card. You have the opinion that if Lennox comes out of retirement that he would become lineal champion and, what, rewrite history so that Wladimir and Fury never were? Or multiple lineal champs? That's a wack opinion my man.
You say that's my opinion when I have said the exact opposite in my first post in this thread. Funny thing is I don't even care what Fury calls himself. I don't care who says it or whether it's true or not. All I'm saying is if there was such a thing, it can only be Tyson Fury.
Fury gave up his titles, literally, he not only retired, he not only vacated all of his titles, he was also banned for using PEDs in the Hammer fight and also refused PED tests for the second Klitschko fight. How is that Fury being forced to give them up, he either did it willingly or was stripped himself before he was banned from boxing.
Let's talk straight facts. Not whether he retired/didn't retire/pretended to retire.... not whether he was guilty/not guilty/half guilty of PEDs.... not that he gave up/was stripped of his belts. Just facts. Wlad was the man, this is fact. Fury beat Wlad, also fact. Fury is back, still undefeated, still of prime age, still just gave a boxing lesson and beat (unless ydksab) a current belt holder, fact. And you still don't think that Fury is the man at the top of the tree? You believe Wilder or AJ have a more legitimate claim to call themselves the man? Gimme a break.
