I hope that the Usyk - Fury II winner doesn't retire as undefeated champion.

[Mr Mitts]

I want Fury to lose so Usyk can have some more fights. If he can take out a few more good boys he could be in the discussion for ATG. I like it when a boxer reaches for the stars and succeeds. He is the only heavyweight left with that chance now.

[QueensburyRules]

I want Fury to lose so Usyk can have some more fights. If he can take out a few more good boys he could be in the discussion for ATG. I like it when a boxer reaches for the stars and succeeds. He is the only heavyweight left with that chance now.

- - Already a guaranteed HOFer, but he'll be 38 when your schedule starts, so nix that though he might take a mop up fight against the lessors...

[Mr Mitts]

- - Already a guaranteed HOFer, but he'll be 38 when your schedule starts, so nix that though he might take a mop up fight against the lessors...

What the hell are you even talking about?

[JAB5239]

What the hell are you even talking about?

Between the drink and dementia medication, he has no idea. It like this in every thread.

[QueensburyRules]

What the hell are you even talking about?

- - Poots from U peanut gallery is it now?

[tokon]

...Not because I don't like them. Usyk, whom I believe should again outpoint the Gypsy King; He's a great boxer, consummate professional and a fantastic personality.
It's because casual fans are MUCH too easily confused about meaning of what is often described as the "oldest, richest and more international title in sports".

Before Usyk-Fury I unified the belts (for a few weeks), even people who frequent this board were unclear about why the linial heavyweight title is the only real title!

If you can learn only one thing about boxing, it should be that the championship officially began when Onomastus of Smyrna, when he won the title in 688 B.C., and that the modern day's era continued with American John L. Sullivan's winning that title, and reigning from February 7, 1882, to September 7, 1892; where he won the title under Bareknuckle London prize ring rules and lost it using gloved, Marques of Queensbury rules.
2,712 years, same sport, same title.

Since Sullivan's time, the title had to be re-engaged just three times using the top active contenders in a box-off, when the reigning champ retired and never came back again. This occured when Gene Tunney retired July 28, 1928, and again when Rocky Marciano retired April 27, 1956, and finally, when Lennox Lewis retired February 6, 2004.

On those occasions, the press and the public saw no issue with how the line was reconnected, and the history was clear. But in very recent years, the collection of for-profit companies who sell title belts to promoters have gained the attention of the boxing writers and bloggers; very few of whom are proper historians of the sport; lending an opportunity to the sanctioning bodies to legitimize their personal claims about the value of their product, by hoodwinking the fans.

Therefore, should Oleksandr Usyk or Tyson Fury retire permanently while holding the title, a drawn-out process will surely follow, with self interested promoters, sanctioning bodies and even media outlets seeking to legitimize themselves and increase their profits, even if that means confounding the fanbase about the history of a sport that is largely tolerated by civilized society only because of it's rich, multicultural history.

Just my thoughts.

So what happened to " lineal" when Fury got banned for drugs?

You aren't going to argue that,when he "unretired" (a retirement that conveniently covered the duration of his "ban"), he automatically became the lineal champion again, or are you?

[Willie Pep 229]

So what happened to " lineal" when Fury got banned for drugs?

You aren't going to argue that,when he "unretired" (a retirement that conveniently covered the duration of his "ban"), he automatically became the lineal champion again, or are you?

Sure! Why not?

When Louis retired and then returned to fight Charles in '50 the NYSAC called Charles the champion but every fight fan knew that if Charles wanted to be champion he had to beat Louis (and then he did).

Ali retired and The Ring M-agazine recognized Frazier as champion, but that didn't mean much either. When Ali made his comeback everyone knew if Frazier was ever to be considered champion he needed to beat Ali (and then he did).

No difference with Fury. So long as he was 'out there' then he needed to be beaten if someone else wanted to be called champion.

That's the nature of being the lineal champion.

It sounds like you're a sanctioning body type of guy.

In the end, it's the ticket buyers who make this decision, not sanctioning bodies, commissions, or broadcasters. They just want to think they do.

[tokon]

Sure! Why not?

When Louis retired and then returned to fight Charles in '50 the NYSAC called Charles the champion but every fight fan knew that if Charles wanted to be champion he had to beat Louis (and then he did).

Ali retired and The Ring M-agazine recognized Frazier as champion, but that didn't mean much either. When Ali made his comeback everyone knew if Frazier was ever to be considered champion he needed to beat Ali (and then he did).

No difference with Fury. So long as he was 'out there' then he needed to be beaten if someone else wanted to be called champion.

That's the nature of being the lineal champion.

It sounds like you're a sanctioning body type of guy.

In the end, it's the ticket buyers who make this decision, not sanctioning bodies, commissions, or broadcasters. They just want to think they do.

No Willie, I'm a "no cheating" type of guy.

As far as I'm concerned, Fury lost his lineal (and all other titles/ when he got caught cheating.

'nuff said. Thanks

[JAB5239]

No Willie, I'm a "no cheating" type of guy.

As far as I'm concerned, Fury lost his lineal (and all other titles/ when he got caught cheating.

'nuff said. Thanks

What about Canelo Alvarez, do you think he is also a cheater?

[QueensburyRules]

No Willie, I'm a "no cheating" type of guy.

As far as I'm concerned, Fury lost his lineal (and all other titles/ when he got caught cheating.

'nuff said. Thanks

- - Well the lineal title is actually the peoples' champion with quite a bit of differences on how to assign that title.

The org titles are real and cannot be reversed unless a fighter falls in their disfavor, usually by not fighting their mandatory. Lewie sold off his IBF and WBA titles to Don King rather than get stripped, ie he informed them he was surrendering them.

Much later after begging for a Tyson match, his dream became fulfilled, but then the nightmare of Vitali knocked him into silly putty that caused him to revoke the WBC a day or two before the WBC was going to strip him for ducking Vitali's rematch.

Net result is a small fragment of lineal nutcases still think Lewie the Lineal Champ...go figure nutcase boxing fans as I have given up trying...