Was It Ever Possible To Win a Ring Magazine Belt Without Owning a Major Title?

MonassaMauler9 · Aug 5, 2023

sweetsci said: ↑

Ring didn't have champions during most (if not all) of the 1990's. Stanley Weston, of World Boxing, International Boxing, KO, etc., bought the dead Ring magazine in late 1989. His family of magazines stopped recognizing champions in 1977 or so. They just did a 1-10 (or 1-12) and if someone held an organizational title, they noted it. For example: 1. Larry Holmes (WBC Champion), 2. Mike Weaver (WBA Champion), 3. Gerry Cooney, and so on. So when Ring joined his roster of magazines, it adopted the "no champions" policy. So they didn't officially recognize Shannon Briggs as a champion, although when the Lewis-Briggs fight was announced (and criticized) they noted in an editorial that Briggs could be looked at as heavyweight champion because of his victory over Foreman.

If I recall correctly, Ring started their "Ring Championship Policy" in the very early 2000's.

Going into the Tyson-Spinks fight, Ring did recognize Spinks as champion. I don't have a source for this, but I do recall reading in a magazine that even Tyson's management regarded Spinks as the real champion despite Tyson's holding all three organizational belt.
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Tyson held all 3 belts and was dubbed the UNDISPUTED heavyweight champion beating tony tucker.

However there was a huge problem with the sanctioning UNDISPUTED claim.

The claim was heavily disputed

Because of course spinks was regarded as the rightful champion holding lineal + ring championships.

In the end Tyson ended all remaining disputes after beating spinks.

But this is a example that If the lineal world is not held in tandem with all the belts

A all belt sanctioning UNDISPUTED claim will always be in dispute

Journeyman92 · Aug 5, 2023

Italian Stallion said: ↑

Not sure if this was a possible circumstance past or present? If it was, any examples from boxing history of fighters who did?
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You still with us pal? Haven’t posted since 2021…

Rodrigo Boom · Aug 6, 2023

The Italian Dragon did it when he beat Bernard Hopkins for the light heavyweight title.

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