This is a list of current male world boxing champions. Since at least John L. Sullivan, in the late 19th century, there have been world champions in professional boxing. The first of the current organizations to award a world title was the World Boxing Association (WBA), then known as the National Boxing Association (NBA), when it sanctioned its first title fight in 1921 between Jack Dempsey and Georges Carpentier for the world heavyweight championship.
There are now four major sanctioning bodies in professional boxing. The official rules and regulations of the World Boxing Association (WBA), [1] World Boxing Council (WBC), [2] International Boxing Federation (IBF), [3] and World Boxing Organization (WBO) [4] all recognize each other in their rankings and title unification rules. Each of these organizations sanction and regulate championship bouts and award world titles. American boxing magazine The Ring began awarding world titles in 1922.
There are 18 weight divisions. To compete in a division, a boxer's weight must not exceed the upper limit. Manny Pacquiao has won world championships in eight weight divisions, more than any other boxer in history. The Klitschko brothers, Vitali and Wladimir, held all four major titles in the heavyweight division from 2011 to 2013; they were the first brothers to hold versions of the heavyweight championship at the same time. [5]
When a champion, for reasons beyond his control such as an illness or injury, is unable to defend his title within the normal mandatory time, the sanctioning bodies may order an interim title bout and award the winner an interim championship. The WBA and WBC have often changed the status of their inactive champions to a "Champion in Recess" or "Champion Emeritus".
The World Boxing Association (WBA) was founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA), a national regulating body of the United States. On August 23, 1962, the NBA became the WBA, which today has its head office in Panama. [6] According to WBA championship rules, when a champion also holds a title of one of the other three major sanctioning bodies in an equivalent weight division, that boxer is granted a special recognition of "Unified Champion", and is given more time between mandatory title defenses. The WBA Championships Committee and President may also designate a champion as a "Super Champion" or "Undisputed Champion" in exceptional circumstances; [1] the standard WBA title is then vacated and contested between WBA-ranked contenders. When a WBA "Regular Champion" makes between five and ten successful defenses, he may be granted the WBA "Super" title upon discretion of a vote of the WBA's board of governors.
The World Boxing Council (WBC) was founded in Mexico City, Mexico on February 14, 1963, to establish an international regulating body. [7] The WBC established many of today's safety measures in boxing, such as the standing eight count, [8] a limit of 12 rounds instead of 15, and additional weight divisions. More information about the WBC's other titles including "Silver", "Diamond", "Emeritus", "Franchise", "Honorary", and "Supreme Champion" can be read at the WBC article.
The International Boxing Federation (IBF) originated in September 1976 as the United States Boxing Association (USBA) when American members of the WBA withdrew to legitimize boxing in the United States with "unbiased" ratings. [9] In April 1983, the organization established an international division that was known as the United States Boxing Association-International (USBA-I). [9] In May 1984, the New Jersey-based USBA-I was renamed and became the IBF. [9]
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) was founded in San Juan, Puerto Rico (which is a self-governing commonwealth of the United States) in 1988. In its early years the WBO's titles were not widely recognized. By 2012 when the Japan Boxing Commission officially recognized the governing body, it had gained similar status to the other three major sanctioning bodies. Its motto is "dignity, democracy, honesty." [10] When a WBO champion has reached "preeminent status", the WBO's Executive Committee may designate him as a "Super Champion". [11] However, this is only an honorary title and not the same as the WBA's policy of having separate "Super" and "Regular" champions. A WBO "Super Champion" cannot win or lose that recognition in the ring; it is merely awarded by the WBO.
The boxing magazine The Ring awards its own belts. The original title sequence began from the magazine's first publication in the 1920s until its titles were placed on hiatus in 1989, continuing as late as 1992 in some divisions. When The Ring started awarding titles again in 2001, it did not calculate retrospective lineages to fill in the gap years, instead nominating a new champion. [12] [13]
In 2007, The Ring was acquired by the owners of fight promoter Golden Boy Promotions, [14] which has publicized The Ring's world championships when they are at stake in fights it promotes (such as Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones Jr. in 2008). [15] Since 2012, to reduce the number of vacant titles, The Ring allows fights between a number one or two contender; or alternatively a number three, four, or five contender to fill a vacant title. This has prompted further doubts about its credibility. [16] [17] [18] Some boxing journalists have been extremely critical of the new championship policy and state that if this new policy is followed, the Ring title may lose the credibility it once held. [19] [20] [21]
The current champions in each weight division are listed below. Each champion's professional boxing record is shown in the following format: wins–losses–draws–no contests (knockout wins).
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Oleksandr Usyk Super champion 21–0 (14 KO) September 25, 2021 | Tyson Fury 34–0–1 (24 KO) February 22, 2020 | Oleksandr Usyk 21–0 (14 KO) September 25, 2021 | Oleksandr Usyk 21–0 (14 KO) September 25, 2021 | Oleksandr Usyk 21–0 (14 KO) August 20, 2022 |
Mahmoud Charr Regular champion 34–4 (20 KO) August 31, 2023 | Joseph Parker Interim champion 35–3 (23 KO) March 8, 2024 |
WBA | WBC |
Evgeny Tishchenko 13–1 (8 KO) December 9, 2023 | Lukasz Rozanski 15–0 (14 KO) April 22, 2023 |
Kevin Lerena Interim champion 30–2 (14 KO) November 25, 2023 |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Arsen Goulamirian Super champion 27–0 (18 KO) August 31, 2019 | Noel Mikaelian 27–2 (12 KO) November 4, 2023 | vacant | Chris Billam-Smith 18–1 (12 KO) May 27, 2023 | Jai Opetaia 24–0 (19 KO) July 2, 2022 |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Dmitry Bivol Super champion 22–0 (11 KO) September 23, 2017 | Artur Beterbiev 20–0 (20 KO) October 18, 2019 | Artur Beterbiev 20–0 (20 KO) November 11, 2017 | Artur Beterbiev 20–0 (20 KO) June 18, 2022 | vacant |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Canelo Álvarez Super champion 60–2–2 (39 KO) December 19, 2020 | Canelo Álvarez 60–2–2 (39 KO) December 19, 2020 | Canelo Álvarez 60–2–2 (39 KO) November 6, 2021 | Canelo Álvarez 60–2–2 (39 KO) May 8, 2021 | Canelo Álvarez 60–2–2 (39 KO) December 19, 2020 |
David Morrell Regular champion 10–0 (9 KO) January 19, 2021 | David Benavidez Interim champion 28–0 (24 KO) May 21, 2022 |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Erislandy Lara 29–3–3 (17 KO) May 1, 2021 | Jermall Charlo 32–0 (22 KO) June 26, 2019 | Janibek Alimkhanuly 15–0 (10 KO) October 14, 2023 | Janibek Alimkhanuly 15–0 (10 KO) August 26, 2022 | vacant |
Carlos Adames Interim champion 23–1 (18 KO) October 8, 2022 |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Israil Madrimov 10–0–1 (7 KO) March 8, 2024 | vacant | vacant | Tim Tszyu 24–0 (17 KO) September 30, 2023 | Jermell Charlo 35–2–1 (19 KO) September 26, 2020 |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Terence Crawford Super champion 40–0 (31 KO) July 29, 2023 | Terence Crawford 40–0 (31 KO) July 29, 2023 | Jaron Ennis 30–0–0–1 (28 KO) November 9, 2023 | Terence Crawford 40–0 (31 KO) June 9, 2018 | Terence Crawford 40–0 (31 KO) July 29, 2023 |
Eimantas Stanionis Regular champion 14–0–0-1 (9 KO) April 16, 2022 | Mario Barrios Interim champion 28–2 (18 KO) September 30, 2023 |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Rolando Romero 15–1 (13 KO) May 13, 2023 | Devin Haney 31–0 (15 KO) December 9, 2023 | Subriel Matías 19–1 (19 KO) February 25, 2023 | Teofimo Lopez 19–1 (13 KO) June 10, 2023 | Teofimo Lopez 19–1 (13 KO) June 10, 2023 |
Ismael Barroso Interim champion 25–4–2 (23 KO) January 6, 2024 |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Gervonta Davis 29–0 (27 KO) December 28, 2019 | Shakur Stevenson 21–0 (10 KO) November 16, 2023 | vacant | vacant | vacant |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Lamont Roach Jr. 24–1–1 (9 KO) November 25, 2023 | O'Shaquie Foster 20–2 (11 KO) February 11, 2023 | Joe Cordina 17–0 (9 KO) April 22, 2023 | Emanuel Navarrete 38–1–1 (31 KO) August 12, 2023 | vacant |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Raymond Ford 15–0–1 (8 KO) March 2, 2024 | Rey Vargas 36–1–1 (22 KO) July 9, 2022 | Luis Alberto Lopez 30–2 (17 KO) December 10, 2022 | Rafael Espinoza 24–0 (20 KO) December 9, 2023 | vacant |
Brandon Figueroa Interim champion 24–1–1 (18 KO) March 4, 2023 |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Naoya Inoue 26–0 (23 KO) December 26, 2023 | Naoya Inoue 26–0 (23 KO) July 25, 2023 | Naoya Inoue 26–0 (23 KO) December 26, 2023 | Naoya Inoue 26–0 (23 KO) July 25, 2023 | Naoya Inoue 26–0 (23 KO) December 26, 2023 |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Takuma Inoue 19–1 (5 KO) April 8, 2023 | Junto Nakatani 27–0 (21 KO) February 24, 2024 | Emmanuel Rodríguez 22–2–0–1 (13 KO) August 12, 2023 | Jason Moloney 26–2 (19 KO) May 13, 2023 | vacant |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Kazuto Ioka 30–2–1 (15 KO) June 24, 2023 | Juan Francisco Estrada 44–3 (28 KO) December 3, 2022 | Fernando Martínez 16–0 (8 KO) February 26, 2022 | Kosei Tanaka 20–1 (11 KO) February 24, 2024 | Juan Francisco Estrada 44–3 (28 KO) April 26, 2019 |
Carlos Cuadras Interim champion 42–5–1 (28 KO) November 17, 2023 |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Seigo Yuri Akui 19–2–1 (11 KO) January 23, 2024 | Julio Cesar Martinez 20–2–0–2 (15 KO) December 20, 2019 | Jesse Rodriguez 19–0 (12 KO) December 16, 2023 | Jesse Rodriguez 19–0 (12 KO) April 8, 2023 | vacant |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Kenshiro Teraji Unified champion 23–1 (13 KO) November 1, 2022 | Kenshiro Teraji 23–1 (13 KO) March 19, 2022 | Sivenathi Nontshinga 13–1 (10 KO) February 16, 2024 | Jonathan González 28–3–1–1 (14 KO) October 17, 2021 | Kenshiro Teraji 21–1 (13 KO) November 1, 2022 |
WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Knockout CP Freshmart Super champion 24–0 (9 KO) June 29, 2016 | Yudai Shigeoka 8–0 (5 KO) October 7, 2023 | Ginjiro Shigeoka 10–0–0–1 (8 KO) October 7, 2023 | Oscar Collazo 8–0 (6 KO) May 27, 2023 | vacant |
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is an organization which sanctions professional boxing bouts. It is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), and International Boxing Federation (IBF). The WBO's headquarters are located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO).
The International Boxing Organization (IBO) is a US based corporation that sanctions professional boxing matches and awards world and regional championships.
Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling.
Mini flyweight, also known as strawweight, minimumweight or super atomweight, is a weight class in combat sports.
In boxing, the undisputed champion of a weight class is the boxer who simultaneously holds world titles from all recognized major organisations by each other and the International Boxing Hall of Fame. There are currently four major sanctioning bodies: WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO. There were many undisputed champions before the number of major sanctioning bodies recognizing each other increased to four in 2007, but there have only been 18 boxers to hold all four titles simultaneously.
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory authority to guarantee the fighters' safety. Most high-profile bouts obtain the endorsement of a sanctioning body, which awards championship belts, establishes rules, and assigns its own judges and referees.
In combat sports where champions are decided by a challenge, the lineal championship in a weight class represents an intangible world title initially held by the victor of a bout between top contenders in the division, as commonly interpreted. An alternative, less mainstream perspective suggests that vacancies in divisional championships can only be filled by an undisputed champion. A fighter who defeats the reigning champion in a match within that weight class becomes the next lineal champion. In professional boxing, the informal term for the lineal champion is "the man who beat the man."
In different sports when a sportsman wins seven crowns, titles, medals, belts or another distinctions is called a Septuple Champion.
In boxing, a weight class is a measurement weight range for boxers. The lower limit of a weight class is equal to the upper weight limit of the class below it. The top class, with no upper limit, is called heavyweight in professional boxing and super heavyweight in amateur boxing. A boxing match is usually scheduled for a fixed weight class, and each boxer's weight must not exceed the upper limit. Although professional boxers may fight above their weight class, an amateur boxer's weight must not fall below the lower limit. A nonstandard weight limit is called a catchweight.
An octuple champion is a boxer who has won major world titles in eight different weight classes. Manny Pacquiao is the only boxer in history to have won twelve major world titles in eight different weight divisions.