Golovkin, Canelo, and The Lineal Middleweight Title

I havent looked but was Jacobs and GGG actually ranked #1 and #2? If Canelo is lineal he can only lose it by fighting and losing to another MW, right? That hasnt happened and he hasnt been challenged with a mandatory. Its cute for conversation but no...a good fight last night, but nothing to remove him from the top lineal spot he earned it fair and square and shouldnt lose it over something trivial like that.
 
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I think lineal is stupid. The majority of people considered GGG the champ and not Canelo, just as people feel Kovalev is the champ and now Chickenson
 
I only really care about interesting fights at the end of the day. GGG has long established himself as the #1 MW.
 
I honestly don't put any stock in the "lineal" designation anyway. I feel like it has lost all meaning in the current landscape of the sport.
I know that's sacrelage to some of y'all but it doesn't mean anything to me.

GGG's the man @ MW right now, so, sure, new lineage.
 
After the Chavez fight, Canelo will have had 2 fights in a row that haven't been MW fights.

I think if he doesn't defend against a top 5 MW after Chavez, then the MW title should be declared vacant. I do not agree with just declaring Golovkin the champ. That title needs to be won in the ring.
 
Seano said:
After the Chavez fight, Canelo will have had 2 fights in a row that haven't been MW fights.

I think if he doesn't defend against a top 5 MW after Chavez, then the MW title should be declared vacant. I do not agree with just declaring Golovkin the champ. That title needs to be won in the ring.
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Yeah I agree but it's more a matter of how many fights he should get before it's vacant.
 
nastyleft said:
I havent looked but was Jacobs and GGG actually ranked #1 and #2? If Canelo is lineal he can only lose it by fighting and losing to another MW, right? That hasnt happened and he hasnt been challenged with a mandatory. Its cute for conversation but no...a good fight last night, but nothing to remove him from the top lineal spot he earned it fair and square and shouldnt lose it over something trivial lime that.
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Eh I don't think it's trivial really, him taking two fights in a row outside of middleweight. But seeing as it's been less than a year since he fought Khan, I suppose it makes sense that the title would remain his until he at least announces his fight after Chavez.
 
cottagecheesefan said:
I think lineal is stupid. The majority of people considered GGG the champ and not Canelo, just as people feel Kovalev is the champ and now Chickenson
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tehmvp said:
I only really care about interesting fights at the end of the day. GGG has long established himself as the #1 MW.
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I get you guys. Thanks for weighing in anyway, wanted to talk about something besides weight and robberies today.
 
Unless you're prepared to go back and rewrite boxing history from the very beginning, it's still Canelo. For whatever that's worth.
 
Shoemaker said:
I didn't want to make another thread, but I posted this in the 24/7 thread and I think it's going to get buried underneath all the day-after fallout and I want to talk about something a little different.

Canelo won the lineal championship when he beat Cotto back in 2015. But since then, he's moved back down to 154, winning a title off of Liam Smith, and he has now signed to fight Chavez Jr. at Super Middleweight. Considering Canelo isn't currently campaigning at middleweight and hasn't in some time, the topic seems like it's open for debate.

With Golovkin winning the battle of #1 and #2 in the division, has a new lineage begun (began? I think it's begun)? I think so.
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That's a good question. I think Canelo's claim is tenuous at best since dropping down to fight Smith. I'd still like for the Saunders fight to be made though and have a fully unified title before starting a new lineage. Hopefully though the fight against Canelo gets made for September.
 
Shoemaker said:
Eh I don't think it's trivial really, him taking two fights in a row outside of middleweight. But seeing as it's been less than a year since he fought Khan, I suppose it makes sense that the title would remain his until he at least announces his fight after Chavez.
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This is true but by the time he fights Chavez Jr. it will have been 12 months since he last fought at Middleweight against Khan. He fought Khan May 7th of last year and May 6th he's fighting Chavez Jr., his second consecutive non-MW bout as you mentioned. Factor in recovery time, any injuries (which he was in the Smith fight at JMW), scheduling of his next fight hopefully at Middleweight, his fight camp and you're easily looking at well over a year of not competing in the Middleweight division to even defend his lineal throne. ESPN defaults the lineal champion to the #1 spot in their divisional rankings and they don't recognize Canelo anymore since he last fought at JMW and won a major world title (WBO). He's now ranked #1 at JMW according to their rankings but not at Middleweight.
 
Sharkey said:
Unless you're prepared to go back and rewrite boxing history from the very beginning, it's still Canelo. For whatever that's worth.
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Would you mind elaborating? Not disagreeing, just curious.
 
Shoemaker said:
Would you mind elaborating? Not disagreeing, just curious.
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Meaning that history is filled with fighters who maintained their lineal claims despite them being inactive champions by either not competing in the ring at all for an extended period of time (multiple years in a lot of cases) or by concentrating on other divisions. Canelo just won the lineal MW claim 16 months ago and has participated in a MW fight since then against Khan not even a year ago.
 
Sharkey said:
Meaning that history is filled with fighters who maintained their lineal claims despite them being inactive champions by either not competing in the ring at all for an extended period of time (multiple years in a lot of cases) or by concentrating on other divisions. Canelo just won the lineal MW claim 16 months ago and has participated in a MW fight since then against Khan not even a year ago.
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Ah gotcha, thanks.
 
I think there should be a new lineage. Canelo hasn't fought a top rated MW contender in more than a year.
 
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