By Geoffrey Ciani – 06/03/2024 – Comments
The Lineal World Heavyweight Championship – from John L Sullivan to Oleksandr Usyk!
Oleksandr Usyk made boxing history with his recent victory against Tyson Fury. With the win Usyk became the first undisputed world heavyweight champion since the great Lennox Lewis last held that distinction nearly a quarter of a century ago (back in April 2000).
The win also marked Usyk as the first undisputed world heavyweight champion during the modern 4-belt era. Usyk also became just the second boxer in history to become undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, joining an exclusive club that also includes Evander Holyfield. But perhaps most importantly, the victory earned Usyk a rightful claim to the lineal world heavyweight championship, which dates all the way back to John L Sullivan way back in the 1880s.
In boxing today we have 4 major world titles, and this complicates the sport with politics and a great abundance of title holders that make following the championship more complicated than it ought to be. That is why the concept behind the lineal championship, the man who beat the man, still remains important to this day. Right now Oleksandr Usyk is the undisputed world lineal heavyweight champion, holding claim to all 4 major alphabet belts, and more importantly he holds a valid claim to the lineage. The alphabet bodies may technically ruin the undisputed part of it, with the IBF already scheming away, but Usyk will remain the lineal world heavyweight champion until someone beats him, or until he really retires without ever coming back. Until one of those things happen, Oleksandr will remain the one and only true lineal world heavyweight champion.
This edition of Rummy’s Corner will provide a complete chronology of the lineal world heavyweight championship from John L Sullivan to Oleksandr Usyk, while exploring the historical precedents that have been established for forming a new lineage whenever a break occurs whenever a heavyweight champion retires with the crown. Please watch and enjoy the video for one man’s opinion. This is Rummy’s Corner (produced and narrated by Geoffrey Ciani).
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