The Ring

The Ring, boxing's most respected magazine, has awarded world championships in professional boxing within each weight class from its foundation in 1922 until the 1990s, and again since 2001. The Ring champions were, at one point, considered the linear reign to the throne, the man who beat the man. The lineal champion is also known as the true champion of the division. The Ring stopped awarding world titles in the 1990s but began again in 2002.

In 2002, The Ring created a championship system that is "intended to reward fighters who, by satisfying rigid criteria, can justify a claim as the true and only world champion in a given weight class."^[1] The Ring claims to be more authoritative and open than the sanctioning bodies' rankings, with a page devoted to full explanations for ranking changes. A fighter pays no sanctioning fees to defend or fight for the title at stake, contrary to practices of the sanctioning bodies. There are currently only two ways that a boxer can win The Ring's title: defeat the reigning champion; or win a box-off between The Ring's number-one and number-two rated contenders (or, sometimes, number-one and number-three rated).^[2] There are also only three ways that a boxer can lose The Ring's title: lose a championship fight, move to a different weight class, or retire.^[2] In May 2012, citing the number of vacancies in various weight classes as primary motivation, The Ring unveiled a new championship policy. Under the new policy, The Ring title can be awarded when the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked fighters face one another or when the No. 1 and 2 contenders choose not to fight one another and either of them fights No. 3, No. 4 or No. 5, the winner may be awarded The Ring title. In addition, there are now six ways for a fighter to lose his title: lose a fight in his championship weight class; move to another weight class; not schedule a fight in any weight class for 18 months; not schedule a fight in his championship weight class for 18 months, even if fighting at another weight class; not scheduling a fight with a top 5 contender in any weight class for two years; or retiring. Many media outlets and members are extremely critical of the new championship policy and state that if this new policy is followed The Ring title will lose the credibility it once held.

Lineal

The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board (TBRB) lists a version of the lineal championship in their rankings. TBRB lists a champion when their two top-ranked fighters in any division meet and currently recognizes legitimate world champions or "true champions" in each weight classes. The Board was formed to continue where The Ring "left off" in the aftermath of its purchase by Golden Boy Promotions in 2007 and the following dismissal of Nigel Collins. After the new editors announced a controversial new championship policy in May 2012, three prominent members of the Ring Advisory Panel resigned. These three members (Springs Toledo, Cliff Rold and Tim Starks) became the founding members of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, which was formed over the summer of 2012 with the assistance of Stewart Howe of England.

Since 2012, a version of lineal champions is predetermined by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, which promotes the concept of a singular world champion per weight class.^[3] Another version of lineal champions are listed on the Cyber Boxing Zone website which list lineal champions of the Queensberry Era to date.^[4]

Note

• Dates in bold format signify the date when they won their 3rd division title.