Should Calzaghe be considered the ring champ/ linear champ at 175?

I don't consider him to be #1 at 175.. I currently have Chad Dawson ranked #1 even though he isn't the linear champ..

 

Not linear champ.

 

DW? Linear lineage? :think

 

Yes cuz he beat Hopkins.Not always the best in the division is the champ,altough Calzaghe and Dawson would make for a good slap

 

I agree, but I was confused by the DW part.

Michalczewski was the linear champ from 1997-2003. Like Calzaghe, he fought some top fighters, but a lot of easy defences as well.

 

I don't think anyone is the linear champ at 175. Ever since RJJ didn't fight DM, the waters have been muddied at 175. It has taken this long for someone like Dawson to possibly clean up at 175, and through quality victories be considered the new linear champ. There can't be a guy who is the lineal champ by being "the man who beat the man", due to the controversy of DM being the lineal champ, but then RJJ being handed that title by SOME PEOPLE for the WAY he was winning his fights and DM not fighting outside of Germany.

Personally I think that is a load of crap, but whatever. As it stands now, we just need a dominate LHW that pretty much cleans up the beltholders and contenders for a couple of years and then that would be our new lineal champ.

Personally I think that Calzaghe will retire within the next year, after POSSIBLY fighting Pavlik, which doesn't do much for a LHW legacy. Meanwhile if Dawson fights (and wins) against the likes of Garay, Diaconu, and possibly a Glen Johnson rematch, he would be considered the new lineal champ.

 

it's kinda a hard pick because since joe was very good at 168 and performed well at 175, you still have to give credit to the fighter/champ that's been at 175 longer. like a seniority type of deal how i see it. funny thing is dawson has been champ longer than joe has at 175. just because he dominated at one weight doesn't guarantee he'll rule the other. if anything i gotta respect the guy his will is admirable he just doesn't give up. i'd really like to see him fight dawson, but i think b-hop beat tarver far more convincingly so i can go with joe as the 175 ring champ.

 

There is no controversy. DM was linear champ, therefore the reigning linear champ is Zsolt Erdei. RJJ became Ring Champ (not linear).

I agree that LHW is pretty messed up at the moment. There are essentially 5 champions with 6 titles:

Erdei- WBO/Linear
Calzaghe-Ring
Dawson-WBC
Garay-WBA

I know it's almost impossible for a complete unification but at the very least The Ring belt should be 'unified' with the linear title. However the problem is that Erdei is not a popular fighter who hasn't really fought any meaningful comptetion recently and doesn't bring any money to the table. Therefore the likes of Calzaghe and Dawson see no interest in fighting him.

Dawson seems the future of the division so he should take a risk and go over to Germany and fight Erdei for a small purse and become linear champion. When the Ring belt becomes vacant then Dawson should take on the no.2 fighter and also become new Ring champ(unless the winner of JC-RJJ decides to face him). Then we'll have some order in the division.

 

obviously he should be considered the ring champ cos he is. linear is another matter, one which i dont want to delve into for fear of being criticised for my definition of the word!!

 

Well he is the Ring champion, but not the linear champ..Isn't Erdei technically the linear champ?

 

Correct:good

 

1) Yes, Calzaghe is the Ring champ, and that's that.

2) Erdei is the lineal champ. There are a few people who don't get it, but Roy Jones Jr. was never the lineal champ at LHW, because Tiger was ALREADY lineal champ when Jones moved up to LHW, and the two never fought.

3) Who you want to define as #1 is your choice. H2H, I'd put Dawson at #1, but he's not THE man.