It doesn't matter much to me who your champ is, though I do prefer it be an Eddie. That said, I think you should max TG... he can be a lot of fun, in the right circumstances. Aces is pretty baddass too... if you have him, I'd say he'd be worth the shards as well.

... and if I actually still believed that Gauntlet was ever gonna come out (I don't), I'd say maxing Pharaoh would be a fine idea... for that purpose.