Ei guys, im confused. In boxing, what does "lineal" champion mean?

Question

Ei guys, im confused. In boxing, what does "lineal" champion mean?

Answer 1

The lineal champion is the one who is the TRUE champion in their weight division because they beat the man who was previously the champ.  In the event that the lineal title is vacant, the number1 and number 2 contenders fight each other to determine who is to be the champion.

Example: # 1 contender Jose Luis Castillo beat  #2 contender Juan Lazcano for the lineal and true lightweight championship.  Jose Luis Castillo lost to Diego Corrales.  Diego Corrales lost to Joel Casamayor.  Casamayor is currently the lineal and true lightweight champion of the world after successfully defending his title against Michael Katsidis last Saturday.

Answer 2

once upon a time, there was only one champion per division.

so, taking the heavyweights as an example, a linear champion is one who can trace the title back to john l sullivan, james corbett & bob fitz simmons etc.

in the event of a champion retiring (or moving up in weight if not talking about heavyweights), the two best must fight each other to be recognised as a linear champ.

ring magazine is a good place to start, but their ratings are a matter of opinion, as are the ratings of any publication...who do their best to list the top 10 best in every division ,eg WBC ratings do not list WBA or IBF titleholders in their ratings, and vice versa.....while boxing publications try to be more objective and list them all if they are deemed worthy of a top 10 rating.

back to the heavyweight's for now.....larry holmes became linear champion when he beat muhammad ali, mike tyson became linear champ when he beat michael spinks who beat larry holmes who beat ali ect.

george foreman became a linear champ a second time beating michael moorer...foreman lost to shannon briggs who lost to lennox lewis......

joel cassamayor is concidered the linear champion at 135 pounds.

Answer 3

Ah ok. For example, what if a lineal lightweight champ moves up to welterweight. So how do lightweight boxers become lineal champ?

Answer 4

This was being used a lot in the Casamayor fight. They say a "lineal" champion is the one who beat the previously regarded best champion in the division. If there is a champion to be considered the undisputed champion in any division, he who beats him, is the lineal champion. To be the man you have to beat the man.