Old Timers and the Lineal Championship

The Linear Championship is a nice idea, too bad it can't exist the way it sounds. It is a championship for " the man who beat the man who beat the man."

Sometimes, "the man" retires without coming back. Like Gene Tunney. Like Rocky Marciano.

Then you are stuck with waiting for worthy people to fight for the title. If these organizations would rank all fighter, and consider no other champion valid, things would be better. That is why I like the site mentioned in my signature. They may not be the answer, but they seem to be after the answer.

 

Ralf Tiger Jones, World Middle Weight Champ after beating Robinson.
lol.

 

The thing is if your going to denie Hart and Burns the right to be champ, because Jeff made a come back. Than when Robinson came back and LOST to Jones. That would denie Bolo as champ.(Robinson would regain the belt vs Bolo) But STILL, Jones would walk around with more right to be champ than Robinson lol.

Than Benny Leonard retires, comes back after 7 long years, Than loses to Jimmy McLarin. Wait a movement, that makes McLarin the new lightweight champ lol.

Bob Foster retires as champ, Only to RETURN and lose to Mustafa Wassaja. So Wassaja is the new champ.

 

It is obvious when a fighter retires he loses his claim to be lineal champion the title of lineal champion then passes to the best fighter out there at the moment. At the moment Wlad is the best HW so despite not winning the title in the ring he is still the Lineal champion.

 

There has to be a champion.

 

Foster always weighed more than 175 post 1974, so no Wassaja could not be considered Light Heavyweight Champion of the World.

 

It has to be that way someone has to be lineal champ unless Lewis makes a return.

 

Unfortunately it doesn't work very well

 

The World Heavyweight Title was created by unifying the British Heavyweight Title, and the American Heavyweight Title.

Jem Mace was the first fighter to be recognised as the World Heavyweight Champion, but he retired without being separated from the title.

John L Sullivan unified the remaining title claims, to be recognised as the World Heavyweight Champion, and indeed the Champion of Champions.

The lineal champion is therefore the lineal successor to John L Sullivan, whether they won the title from the previous incumbent like Fury, or unified the more important title claims like Klitschko.

 

Certainly Fitz should be recognised as winning the title when he defeated Maher in Mexico as Corbett had retired (and bequeathed the title to Maher, a less valid claim) rather than box Bob. He came out of retirement but lost to Fitz a year later.

 

Yes, there are gross inconsistencies in how it has been applied.

Tom Sharkey and Vitally Klitschko should arguably be recognised as lineal champions.

 

Peter Jackson also had at the time a legitimate claim when The Police Gazette recognized him as champ.

 

That could be argued.

Sullivan had announced his retirement publically.

If Sullivan had never come back to fight Corbett, then Jackson would definitely be recognised as a champion.

 

Interesting the SRR really didn't want to give his conqueror Tiger Jones a shot at the MW title, nor Johnny Lombardo & Rocky Castellani, who SRR beat by split decisions in 1955. He regained his title from Carl "Bobo" Olsen....whose "glass chin" SRR knew how to crack.