In the rich history of professional boxing, there have been many champions, especially in the last 30 to 40 years when things evolved to the point where we now have 4 major sanctioning bodies. We don’t have many undisputed champions in boxing these days, and in the rare instance that one emerges, boxing politics and the corrupt nature of sanctioning bodies usually make for short-lived undisputed reigns.
Tracing the the championship lineage in any weight class isn’t an exact science, and in some instances in can get tricky. At any given time, the lineal champ isn’t necessarily the highest regarded champion in his division. Indeed, the lineal champion may not even technically possess a world title. Even so, tracing the lineage of the man who beat the man – this typically tends to be a far more objective guideline than adhering to the ever-changing whims of any of the 4 alphabet bodies.
And an excellent example of this can be seen if we trace the heavyweight lineage.
This edition of Rummy’s Corner provides a brief recap into the history of the lineal heavyweight championship, from John L Sullivan all the way up to Tyson Fury. During that talented-rich span of history, from one generation to the next, we saw some of the absolute greatest heavyweight pugilists in history lace up the gloves. And what a long and illustrious history that was, whether it was Jack Dempsey in the 1920s, Joe Louis in the 30s and 40s, Rocky Marciano in the 50s, Muhammad Ali throughout the 60s and 70s, Mike Tyson and the 80s, Lennox Lewis and the 90s, and Wladimir Klitschko in the 00s. In total, five different boxers in history have regained the heavyweight championship, and only one man has done it three times.
With Tyson Fury being inactive the last 2 years since his dominant upset victory against Wladimir Klitschko, a somewhat unique situation has surfaced. Will Fury return and solidify his claim to the lineage? Or will someone like Deontay Wilder or Anthony Joshua earn that right? Please watch and enjoy the video for a brief stroll through the heavyweight championship lineage.