World Heavyweight Championship

Depends what you consider the Charles/Louis and Ali/FrazierI fights as.

And then there is alphabet crap (Terrell/Ali)...

 

Does anyone really class Ali as still champ by the time he lost to Spinks?

he got gifts against Young, Norton and Shavers beforehand.

 

Nope. Norton and Holmes were determining that.

 

Ali was champion for the third time when he beat Spinks. Norton never beat anyone to be the worlds hwt champion. Judges verdicts are final. Champion can only Lise the championship by losing it or retiring.....of course.

 

he deserved to beat Ali in the rubber. Plus he beat Young who deserved to beat Ali.

Judges decisions are only subjective like anyone else's.

 

Judges decisions dictate the sport. Disagree with them, but they determine records, and the history books. This is how it must be, or its a sham of a sport.

Ali was the lineal heavyweight king until he lost it to Spinks. He regained that title, then lost it to Holmes.

You can, however, argue that he ceased being the best heavyweight in the world around that time. He was the lineal champ, not the man. Both prestigious prizes, but very, very different.

Take Wlad, now. Whether he's re-established the lineage is debateable, but him being the king of the division is not. He's the heavyweight champion of the world AND the best heavyweight alive.

 

I agree with every word. I just don't value the lineal championship above any other.

A belt is only as valuable as the man wearing it in my opinion.

 

I'd agree with you, and I wish I could express how much it hurts me personally to do so.

The title of lineal champion? You own a piece of history.

The best man in the division, thats the real prize.

 

yeah that's how I see the sport.

in today's world we have 3 or 4 men claiming to be champion in each division, it's more important to be the best of the bunch rather than any individual claimant in my opinion.