An Open Letter to Richard Schaefer: From: Nate Campbell

[XaduBoxer]

That's not really true though. I haven't heard anyone say that Casamayor is the best lightweight in the world for years. I also wouldn't personally consider him the man to beat at all. For starters, it's highly unlikely imo that he'll beat Juan Diaz when they meet. Now your telling me Campbell will be seen as just an alphabet holder wheras Diaz will be heralded as the true champion in this case, even though Campbell clearly beat him this year and Casamayor is ancient? I understand what you are saying as far as from a promotional standpoint it will be hard for Nate to get the big fights, but I'd say he's definetly considered the top lightweight in the world by most fans.

Its very true! I never said Casamayor is the best fighter in the division & I don't think he is. But he is the champion! If you don't think the champion should be beaten in the ring then your part of the problem! If Diaz defeats the champion why shouldn't he become champion?

The best fighter in a division is not always the champion if that were the case the championship would never change hands!

I too consider Campbell the best fighter in the division but until he defeats Casamayor (or Diaz should he win) he will only be the holder worthless trinkets that will sooner or later be stripped from him.

I just think Ring titles, or even the lineal title, is just like any other championship. It's only worth as much as the champion holding it. I mean I've heard that Zolt Erdie is the lineal light HW champion... Apparently Darius was the lineal champ at LHW during Roy Jones reign... But did it matter to the general audience, or to Roy Jones as far as being considered the man and landing the best fights? Not whatsoever. In this case it's not to the same extreme, but even still as was said few would consider Joel the best lightweight in the world. And sure you can make the point that Campbell is at risk of being stripped at any point, but Casamyor is in just as much danger of being overmatched and jerked around. The entire point I was trying to make previously is that with Golden Boy owning the ring, it may become just as political as sanctioning bodies. It's obvious Golden Boy WANTS Cas to lose the title, he's no safer than Campbell. And again, I just don't see what makes Campbell's belts "worthless", wheras Casa's is so meaningful. I understand the historical signifigance, but like I said, Casamayor never really did anything recently to solidify his being the man at lightweight. I just don't consider his recent wins anywhere near as meaningful as Campbell's, and that's what I'll go by. I don't think I'm alone either.

I'm with you Bro...

[Hulk]

Boy there sure is a lot of Golden Boy Promotions paranoia goin round here huh?

Campbell is a pimp. Gotta agree with him though.

[Galaxy]

That's not really true though. I haven't heard anyone say that Casamayor is the best lightweight in the world for years. I also wouldn't personally consider him the man to beat at all. For starters, it's highly unlikely imo that he'll beat Juan Diaz when they meet. Now your telling me Campbell will be seen as just an alphabet holder wheras Diaz will be heralded as the true champion in this case, even though Campbell clearly beat him this year and Casamayor is ancient? I understand what you are saying as far as from a promotional standpoint it will be hard for Nate to get the big fights, but I'd say he's definetly considered the top lightweight in the world by most fans.

Its very true! I never said Casamayor is the best fighter in the division & I don't think he is. But he is the champion! If you don't think the champion should be beaten in the ring then your part of the problem! If Diaz defeats the champion why shouldn't he become champion?

The best fighter in a division is not always the champion if that were the case the championship would never change hands!

I too consider Campbell the best fighter in the division but until he defeats Casamayor (or Diaz should he win) he will only be the holder worthless trinkets that will sooner or later be stripped from him.

I just think Ring titles, or even the lineal title, is just like any other championship. It's only worth as much as the champion holding it. I mean I've heard that Zolt Erdie is the lineal light HW champion... Apparently Darius was the lineal champ at LHW during Roy Jones reign... But did it matter to the general audience, or to Roy Jones as far as being considered the man and landing the best fights? Not whatsoever. In this case it's not to the same extreme, but even still as was said few would consider Joel the best lightweight in the world. And sure you can make the point that Campbell is at risk of being stripped at any point, but Casamyor is in just as much danger of being overmatched and jerked around. The entire point I was trying to make previously is that with Golden Boy owning the ring, it may become just as political as sanctioning bodies. It's obvious Golden Boy WANTS Cas to lose the title, he's no safer than Campbell. And again, I just don't see what makes Campbell's belts "worthless", wheras Casa's is so meaningful. I understand the historical signifigance, but like I said, Casamayor never really did anything recently to solidify his being the man at lightweight. I just don't consider his recent wins anywhere near as meaningful as Campbell's, and that's what I'll go by. I don't think I'm alone either.

Me & Mick have been through this before but Erdei is not the linear champ.

The lineal champion of the world in boxing is someone who has won all the major belts (WBC, IBF, WBA) and has never lost them in the ring. Alternatively if you beat the person who did this, whether or not they possess the titles you will become the linear champion. The concept of a 'linear champion' in boxing is that the politics are ignored. It is a term used by only hardcore fans, journalists and television pundits. It looks at the lineage of the championship rather that the actual awarding of belts by sanctioning bodies. The Ring magazine are known to award their own version of a world title belt to the linear champion. Sometimes they are also referred to as the undisputed champion, or the peoples champion. However the latter can also be used to refer to a boxer who has lost but remains popular.
Source

The Ring Magazine, September 2002

According to The Ring Michalcsweski never was the linear champ because he didn't unify all 3 belts. Jones Jr did.

As I've said before I don't consider Casamayor the best fighter in the division but that doesn't change the fact that he is still the champion!

You don’t like a decision the champion got? No problem—just recognize another guy in the division. He has an alphabet belt anyway, so what’s the difference? What does it matter?
Guess what—it matters.
Relatively few world champions in the modern history of our sport deserved, in the majority of the viewing public, every single decision they received. That includes those in the pantheon.
Everyone thought Jersey Joe Walcott got robbed against Joe Louis in their first fight. Muhammad Ali got a whole string of debatable decisions toward the end. Larry Holmes too.
The answer was not simply to recognize a different guy as the champion. To do so would have been to invite chaos, which is precisely what we have today.

Source

thering-online 2008

A lot of younger fans don't know any different & think what we have today is acceptable. But its not. A champion should only lose his title in the ring to think differently is only to add to the problem!

[Mikkel_K]

If the Ring Magazine had had their titles back in 1996, when Hill met Maske, Hill would have been crowned the Ring's Light Heavyweight champ. Then after beating Hill, the title would have belonged to Michalczewski and thus finally Erdei would be the Ring champ today.

However, The Ring didnt appoint their champs until 2002, wherefore Roy Jones Jr. became the (rightful) owner of the LHW crown.

[Galaxy]

If the Ring Magazine had had their titles back in 1996, when Hill met Maske, Hill would have been crowned the Ring's Light Heavyweight champ. Then after beating Hill, the title would have belonged to Michalczewski and thus finally Erdei would be the Ring champ today.

However, The Ring didnt appoint their champs until 2002, wherefore Roy Jones Jr. became the (rightful) owner of the LHW crown.

Exactly so according to The Rings criteria of the time Hill/ Maske was not for the linear title.

Jones became the champion in '99 with his victory over Reggie Johnson unifying all 3 major belts.

[donnydarkoIRL]

Its very true! I never said Casamayor is the best fighter in the division & I don't think he is. But he is the champion! If you don't think the champion should be beaten in the ring then your part of the problem! If Diaz defeats the champion why shouldn't he become champion?

The best fighter in a division is not always the champion if that were the case the championship would never change hands!

I too consider Campbell the best fighter in the division but until he defeats Casamayor (or Diaz should he win) he will only be the holder worthless trinkets that will sooner or later be stripped from him.

I just think Ring titles, or even the lineal title, is just like any other championship. It's only worth as much as the champion holding it. I mean I've heard that Zolt Erdie is the lineal light HW champion... Apparently Darius was the lineal champ at LHW during Roy Jones reign... But did it matter to the general audience, or to Roy Jones as far as being considered the man and landing the best fights? Not whatsoever. In this case it's not to the same extreme, but even still as was said few would consider Joel the best lightweight in the world. And sure you can make the point that Campbell is at risk of being stripped at any point, but Casamyor is in just as much danger of being overmatched and jerked around. The entire point I was trying to make previously is that with Golden Boy owning the ring, it may become just as political as sanctioning bodies. It's obvious Golden Boy WANTS Cas to lose the title, he's no safer than Campbell. And again, I just don't see what makes Campbell's belts "worthless", wheras Casa's is so meaningful. I understand the historical signifigance, but like I said, Casamayor never really did anything recently to solidify his being the man at lightweight. I just don't consider his recent wins anywhere near as meaningful as Campbell's, and that's what I'll go by. I don't think I'm alone either.

Me & Mick have been through this before but Erdei is not the linear champ.

The lineal champion of the world in boxing is someone who has won all the major belts (WBC, IBF, WBA) and has never lost them in the ring. Alternatively if you beat the person who did this, whether or not they possess the titles you will become the linear champion. The concept of a 'linear champion' in boxing is that the politics are ignored. It is a term used by only hardcore fans, journalists and television pundits. It looks at the lineage of the championship rather that the actual awarding of belts by sanctioning bodies. The Ring magazine are known to award their own version of a world title belt to the linear champion. Sometimes they are also referred to as the undisputed champion, or the peoples champion. However the latter can also be used to refer to a boxer who has lost but remains popular.
Source

The Ring Magazine, September 2002

According to The Ring Michalcsweski never was the linear champ because he didn't unify all 3 belts. Jones Jr did.

As I've said before I don't consider Casamayor the best fighter in the division but that doesn't change the fact that he is still the champion!

You don’t like a decision the champion got? No problem—just recognize another guy in the division. He has an alphabet belt anyway, so what’s the difference? What does it matter?
Guess what—it matters.
Relatively few world champions in the modern history of our sport deserved, in the majority of the viewing public, every single decision they received. That includes those in the pantheon.
Everyone thought Jersey Joe Walcott got robbed against Joe Louis in their first fight. Muhammad Ali got a whole string of debatable decisions toward the end. Larry Holmes too.
The answer was not simply to recognize a different guy as the champion. To do so would have been to invite chaos, which is precisely what we have today.

Source

thering-online 2008

A lot of younger fans don't know any different & think what we have today is acceptable. But its not. A champion should only lose his title in the ring to think differently is only to add to the problem!

Look up my Light heavyweight history thread and suggest how you wouls amend the situation.