Was Vitali Klitchko ever the Lineal HW champion?

In the 2004-2005 period he was. Pretty much all the other beltholders were a joke, Sanders was the #2 and the fight was for the vacant belt Lewis held.

 

Well he was recognised as HW champion by Ring and WBC.

But lineage traces back to the days when the top 2 had to fight each other (aside from a handful of exceptions). And since the proliferation of belts 1 v 2 has been insisted upon by hardcore fans.

When Vitali was ranked number 1, Byrd was number 2 and Sanders was number 3. To complicate matters Byrd had a stoppage victory over Vitali. Rightly or wrongly Vitali never ever competed in a 1 v 2 matchup despite big the best HW ok the planet from Lewis retirement up until his own.

I just don't see the logic behind calling him champion given Byrd was a current belt holder and had beaten Vitali.

I get why people refer to him as champion, I just don't agree with it. But what does it matter anyway? What has been, has been.

It wouldn't be the first time a champion was crowned without 1v2 but it would be the first time since the belt proliferation and allowing 1 v 3 to take the crown opens up too many complications with lineage.

 

Voted yes but meant no.

The way i see it
, to be lineal you have to either beat the lineal champion or win all three main belts in the division. Maybe not hold them at the same time since ABCs strip people for bull**** but win them all without losing in between.

It is not the same as being the ring champ which is just 1 and 2 fighting each other and it not about being the recognised best.

Just the way I see it

For what it is worth I think vitali was better than wlad and would have been lineal if he beat Lewis or ever fought his brother when he was lineal

 

No he never was. The guy is a fraud, sanders is his best win. And if sanders had even bothered to train he would have finished him after he knocked him down

 

said the guy with smel in his name.

one who smelt it delt it. don't set yourself up for such fails next time.

 

Vitali vs. Sanders filled the vacancy left by Lennox...

 

I've been a tennis fan as long as I've been a sports fan, not hardcore though, I only watch the 4 majors.

However I'm willing to concede this point if you can show me multiple rankings that have Sanders number 2.