What exactly is a "paper champion" and some notable examples?

[Davidjacksonjones]

This is probably a noob question but I have seen the term thrown around on Sherdog a lot

From what I read online, "A Paper Champion is a boxing champion who is considered to be a false champion, or champion only on paper. Reasons for being called a Paper Champion are not fighting challenging opponents, fighting very little, or not gaining the belt by knocking out a champion."

I have seen people call Jon Jones a paper champion and even someone called Sean Strickland a paper champion which i don't believe makes any sense since he dominated the champ.

So is it someone who did not beat the actual champion? Or someone who doesn't defend against top opposition?

Who are some examples of paper champs?

 

[BisexualMMA]

Anyway the best example from the UFC might be Steve Jennum who won UFC 3 without having to beat Royce or Ken. If you look at how that tournament played out he just stepped in as a replacement in the later rounds and won the whole thing without having to do all the fights.

Something more modern... Well they started creating all those interim belts just after the TUF noob era. Maybe some of those guys. Some people thought Forrest wasn't a real champ for not defeating Rampage decisively to win the belt. Some people thought Serra wasn't legit because winning a season of TUF shouldn't have been enough for a title shot. Brock kind of had a path cleared for him to a belt as well.

Some people considered Sylvia and Arlovski paper champs because the best heavyweights were in Pride at the time.

The definitions vary but Jennum is the clearest example I can think of.

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

Anyway the best examples from the UFC might be Steve Jennum who won UFC 3 without having to beat Royce or Ken. If you look at how that tournament played out he just stepped in as a replacement in the later rounds and won the whole thing without having to do all the fights.

Something more modern... Well they started creating all those interim belts just after the TUF noob era. Maybe some of those guys. Some people thought Forrest wasn't a real champ for not defeating Rampage decisively to win the belt.

Would khabib have been considered a paper champ when he beat Al iaquinta or Robert Whittaker when he was promoted from interim to undisputed when gsp vacated

 

[ryun253]

Aljo winning the belt via DQ against Petr Yan, then he ended up beating Yan for real

 

[BisexualMMA]

Would khabib have been considered a paper champ when he beat Al iaquinta or Robert Whittaker when he was promoted from interim to undisputed when gsp vacated

Sure winning a vacant belt is a definition some people use.

You want to be the man, you got to beat the man.

But at the same time a champ can't just retire and reign forever. Otherwise Bobby Fischer would currently be the 50x running world chess champion and he's been dead for a while and didn't play in a top tournament since the 1970s.

 

[Fioretti]

DC is the best modern example. LHW champ on paper only.

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

Sure winning a vacant belt is a definition some people use.

You want to be the man, you got to beat the man.

But at the same time a champ can't just retire and reign forever. Otherwise Bobby Fischer would currently be the 50x running world chess champion and he's been dead for a while and didn't play in a top tournament since the 1970s.

Yeah some people say Jones is paper champ and Francis is lineal and true champ
Lets say that is true. But for how long will Francis be the true champ? What if he never fights in the UFC again? Are all future UFC HW's paper champs

 

[Chet Ubetcha]

I always considered Vitor's "reign" that of a paper champion. He didn't beat Randy, and subsequently got owned in the rematch.

 

[andgonsil]

Jones

 

[loisestrad]

You beat the champ, you become the champ.

You beat the paper champ, you become the paper champ.

You beat the paper, you become the paper.

/Aristotle

 

[tymikeson]

Jamall hill.

 

[AmericanMMA]

DC is the best modern example. LHW champ on paper only.

I always considered Vitor's "reign" that of a paper champion. He didn't beat Randy, and subsequently got owned in the rematch.

These are two great examples. Jamahal Hill fits the bill as well, he'll never even defend his paper title lol

 

[BisexualMMA]

Yeah some people say Jones is paper champ and Francis is lineal and true champ
Lets say that is true. But for how long will Francis be the true champ? What if he never fights in the UFC again? Are all future UFC HW's paper champs

Not to me but maybe to some people. I don't really get hung up on that stuff. I knew Fedor was the best but I considered Big Tim and Andrei and Randy etc. the legit UFC champs when they had the belt. Some guys actually left the UFC as champions to go to Japan if I remember right so the UFC belt they vacated felt a bit illegitimate for a while but time generally irons out the wrinkles in these things.

 

[Koro_11]

Bisping.

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

These are two great examples. Jamahal Hill fits the bill as well, he'll never even defend his paper title lol

Yeah it was weird that Glover vs Hill was for the title, when Glover just lost to Jiri

Jamahal Hill did ok in the UFC though

 

[loisestrad]

Bisping.

Weird definition. He beat the champ.

 

[ferrisjso]

DC and Jan.

 

[KarateYeah]

You beat the champ, you become the champ.

You beat the paper champ, you become the paper champ.

You beat the paper, you become the paper.

/Aristotle

What if you beat Aristotle?

 

[Mittens]

What if you beat Aristotle?

You become Plato. Just like Mike Perry did.

 

[loisestrad]

What if you beat Aristotle?

You become a) either the greatest philosopher of all times or b) some punk who just beat up Aristotle.