Quote Originally Posted by CutMeMick
Quote Originally Posted by El Gamo
I'm confused,maybe I have misread something but it says Zsolt Erdei.So how is B Hop the Lineal champion too?
Gamo heres my understanding and how it went. I'll trace the lineal a few years back.
This is IMO the Lineal Championship flow excuse me if the dates are wrong or for any misspells. :P

I'll start from this year as it was a year that begins with the Lineal being vacated (That plus the book I have starts off there also )

1939 - Conn vs. Bettina (It was decided by the 2 (NYS & NBA) major bodies that the winner of this fight would be the champion)

1939 to 1941 - Billy Conn (vacates the title)
1941 to 1948 - Gus Lesnevich
1948 to 1950 - Freddie Mills
1950 to 1952 - Joey Maxim
1952 to 1962 - Archie Moore (Moore is stripped of the titles)

1962 - Johnson vs. Jones (This fight is made to decide who is the champion)

1962 to 1962 - Harold Johnson
1963 to 1965 - Willie Pastrano
1965 to 1966 - Jose Torres
1966 to 1968 - Dick Tiger
1968 to 1974 - Bob Foster (Foster retires in '74)

And heres where it begins to get a little shady.... So pay close attention. After Foster took off there were a shit load of LHW wanting to claim status of Lineal Champ you had guys like Galindez, Rossman, Cuello, Conteh and at least 4 or 5 more guys who were all the cream of the crop.
From '74 to '83 there were a lot of fighters claiming to be the real champs but it wasn't until '81 that we actually got a Lineal Champ.

* Spinks beat Mustafa for the WBA title (The NBA & NYS titles used to be the major ones the NBA later became the WBA which is why it's considered to be the most respect)
* Braxton (aka. Qawi) then beat Saad for the WBC title
* In '83 Spinks (WBA) beat Braxton (aka. Qawi) (WBC) to claim himself as the Lineal Champ.

1983 to 1985 - Michael Spinks (vacates the titles)
1996 to 1997 - Virgil Hill
1997 to 2003 - Dariusz Michalczewski
2003 to 2004 - Julio Cesar Gonzalez (2003-2004)
2004 to present - Zsolt Erdei

Although RJJ held all the titles and was a decorated fighter that is why I've always said and will continue to say sure RJJ had all those skills and ability but not once did he "tango" with a REAL champion for a title. Every title he picked up was a given title it's that simple. NOt hating on RJJ I've just always said the truth and the facts.

So there you have it that's my input.
CC,that explained alot. So can someone answer these 2 questions for me please:

1.) When Bernard fought Tarver and won,he didNOT become the lineal champion?

2.) is the lineal champion the same as the RING mag 1 champ per division?If not,which is the more respectable.

Sorry for all the questions and thanks.