Dariusz Michalczewski is the LINEAR LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION
(Hamburg, 30 March 1999) We live in an era
where almost as many different boxing sanctioning bodys exist as there are weightclasses. In every division the four main world boxing federations (WBC,
WBA, IBF, WBO) have crowned their champions beside an unknown number of
dubious further organizations.
But there is a procedure that allows to determine the single real
world champion of every weightclass. This fighter is the successor of
former great champions, who were holding a unified or then single title in an earlier
era. This real world champion is called Linear Champion. In the light
heavyweight division the Linear Champion is Dariusz Michalczewski.
The Lineage of the Light Heavyweight World Title:
- Michael Spinks reigned from 1981 to
1985, unifyed all titles (then only WBC+WBA) and eventualy vacated them.
[Lineage temporarily interrupted. Title is divided
into two and the IBF is created additionaly.]
- Virgil Hill KO4 Leslie Stewart for WBA
Title, September 1987
Hill is accepted as the linear successor of
Michael Spinks, because of his adjacent long string of title defenses (10)
and because he won the crown against highly ranked Leslie Stewart, the
conquerer of Marvin Johnson.
- Thomas Hearns W12 Virgil Hill for WBA
Title, June 1991
- Iran Barkley W12 Thomas Hearns for WBA
Title, March 1992
Barkley vacates his WBA title. His next light
heavyweight title fight comes against Maske.
- Henry Maske KO10 Iran Barkley for IBF
Title, October 1994
Maske comes out of 4 IBF defenses and makes 5
more after beating Barkley.
- Virgil Hill W12 Henry Maske for WBA+IBF
Titles, November 1996
Hill comes out of 9 straight WBA defenses
before beating the undefeated Henry Maske, who comes out of 10 IBF defenses
himself.
- Dariusz Michalczewski W12 Virgil Hill for
WBA+IBF+WBO Titles, June 1997
After beating Hill "The
Tiger" relinquishes the WBA and IBF titles and they would be eventualy
won by Lou del Valle (WBA), who gets beaten by Roy Jones, and William
Guthrie (IBF), who gets beaten by Reggie Johnson.
On Saturday, 3 April, Dariusz Michalczewski, 39-0 (32 KO´s), will
make the 15th defense of his WBO title along with the 6th defense of his LINEAR LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE against Russian
Muslim Biarslanov in Bremen.
q
Fabian
Weber International Press
Spokesman Universum Box-Promotion GmbH Am Stadtrand
27 22047 Hamburg Germany Tel: +49 40 696559-0 Fax:+49 40
696559-50
*Note: The CBZ has recognized Dariusz Michalczewski as lineal champ since he beat Virgil Hill
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