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Championship recognition[]

1884–1910[]

Champions were recognized by public acclamation. A champion in that era was a fighter who had a notable win over another fighter and kept winning afterward. Retirements or disputed results could lead to a championship being split among several men for periods of time.

1910–1961[]

Championship awarding organizations[]

  • The International Boxing Union (IBU), formed in Paris in 1910. Changed name to European Boxing Union in 1946. It organised world title fights from 1913 to 1963 after which it was incorporated into the World Boxing Council (WBC).
  • The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), formed in 1920. It organised world title bouts until the early 1970s when it became a member of World Boxing Council (WBC).
  • The National Boxing Association (NBA) formed in the USA in 1921.
  • Other bodies including the National Sporting Club in Great Britain and the California State Athletic Commission also awarded world titles.

An Australian version of the world title which existed briefly between 1914 and 1916 gained considerable credibility due to the fact that its holder, Les Darcy, was widely believed to be best boxer in the world in this division.

1961–present[]

Championship awarding organizations[]

Historical[]

Reign Began Reign Ended Champion Recognition
1884-07-30 1891-01-14 Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey (USA/Ireland) World
1891-01-14 1894-09-26 – vacated Bob Fitzsimmons (Great Britain) World
1896-12-26 1897-12-17 – vacated Kid McCoy (USA) World
1898-10-24 1907-05-28 – vacated Tommy Ryan (Ireland) World
1907-09-02 1908-09-07 Stanley Ketchel (USA/Poland) World
1908-09-07 1908-11-26 Billy Papke (USA) World
1908-11-26 1910-06-10 – vacated Stanley Ketchel (USA/Poland) World
1912-02-22 1913-10-11 Frank Klaus (USA) World
1913-10-11 1914-04-07 George Chip (USA) World
1914-04-07 1917-11-14 Al McCoy (USA) World
1917-11-14 1920-05-06 Mike O'Dowd (USA) World
1920-05-06 1923-08-31 Johnny Wilson (USA) World
1923-08-31 1926-02-26 Harry Greb (USA) World
1926-02-26 1926-12-03 Tiger Flowers (USA) World
1926-12-03 1929-10-29 – vacated Mickey Walker (USA) World
1932-01-25 1932-06-11 Gorilla Jones (USA) NBA
1932-06-11 1932-07-04 Marcel Thil (France) NBA
1933-10-30 1933-10-30 Lou Brouillard (Canada) World
1933-10-30 1934-09-11 Vince Dundee (USA) World
1934-09-11 1935-09-19 Teddy Yarosz (USA) World
1935-09-19 1936-07-11 Eddie Babe Risko (USA) World
1936-07-11 1938-07-26 Freddie Steele (USA) World
1937? 1939? Fred Apostoli (USA) World
1938-11-01 1939-06-27 Solly Krieger (USA) World
1939-06-27 1940-07-19 Al Hostak (USA) World
1939-10-02 1940-05-23 Ceferino Garcia (Philippines) World
1940-05-23 1941-05-09 Ken Overlin (USA) World
1941-05-09 1941 Billy Soose (USA) World
1940-07-19 1947-07-16 Tony Zale (USA) NBA
1947-07-16 1948-06-10 United States Rocky Graziano World
1948-06-10 1948-09-21 United States Tony Zale World
1948-09-21 1949-06-16 File:Flag of France.svg Marcel Cerdan World
1949-06-16 1951-02-14 United States Jake LaMotta World
1951-02-14 1951-07-10 United States Sugar Ray Robinson World
1951-07-10 1951-09-12 File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Randy Turpin World
1951-09-12 1952-04-16 – vacated United States Sugar Ray Robinson World
1953-10-21 1955-12-09 United States Bobo Olson World
1955-12-09 1957-01-02 United States Sugar Ray Robinson World
1957-01-02 1957-05-01 United States Gene Fullmer World
1957-05-01 1957-09-23 United States Sugar Ray Robinson World
1957-09-23 1958-03-25 United States Carmen Basilio World
1958-03-25 1960-01-22 United States Sugar Ray Robinson World
1960-01-22 1961-07-11 United States Paul Pender World
1961-07-11 1962-04-07 File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Terry Downes World
1962-04-07 1962-04-07 – vacated United States Paul Pender World
1962-08-10 1963-12-07 File:Flag of Nigeria.svg Dick Tiger Universal (WBA/WBC)
1963-12-07 1965-10-21 United States Joey Giardello Universal (WBA/WBC)
1965-10-21 1966-04-25 File:Flag of Nigeria.svg Dick Tiger Universal (WBA/WBC)
1966-04-25 1967-04-17 File:Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg Emile Griffith Universal (WBA/WBC)
1967-04-17 1967-09-29 Italy Nino Benvenuti Universal (WBA/WBC)
1967-09-29 1968-03-04 File:Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg Emile Griffith Universal (WBA/WBC)
1968-03-04 1970-11-07 Italy Nino Benvenuti Universal (WBA/WBC)
1970-11-07 1974-02-09 – title split Argentina Carlos Monzón Universal (WBA/WBC)
1976-06-26 1977-08-29 – retired Argentina Carlos Monzón Universal (WBA/WBC)
1980-09-27 1987-04-06 – title split United States Marvin Hagler Universal (WBA/WBC/IBF)
2004-09-18 2005-07-16 United States Bernard Hopkins Universal (WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO)
2005-07-16 2005-10-11 – title split United States Jermain Taylor Universal (WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO)

WBC[]

Title inaugurated
1963-08-10 1963-12-07 File:Flag of Nigeria.svg Dick Tiger WBC
1963-12-07 1965-10-21 United States Joey Giardello WBC
1965-10-21 1966-04-25 File:Flag of Nigeria.svg Dick Tiger WBC
1966-04-25 1967-04-17 File:Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg Emile Griffith WBC
1967-04-17 1967-09-29 Italy Nino Benvenuti WBC
1967-09-29 1968-03-04 File:Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg Emile Griffith WBC
1968-03-04 1970-11-07 Italy Nino Benvenuti WBC
1970-11-07 1974-02-09-Stripped Argentina Carlos Monzon WBC
1974-05-25 1976-06-26 File:Flag of Colombia.svg Rodrigo Valdez WBC
1976-06-26 1977-08-29-Retired Argentina Carlos Monzón WBC
1977-11-05 1978-04-22 File:Flag of Colombia.svg Rodrigo Valdez WBC
1978-04-22 1979-06-30 Argentina Hugo Pastor Corro WBC
1979-06-30 1980-03-16 Italy Vito Antuofermo WBC
1980-03-16 1980-09-27 File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alan Minter WBC
1980-09-27 1987-04-06 United States Marvin Hagler WBC
1987-04-06 1987-05-27-Vacated United States Sugar Ray Leonard WBC
1987-10-29 1988-06-06 United States Thomas Hearns WBC
1988-06-06 1989-02-24 United States Iran Barkley WBC
1989-02-24 1989-12-07-Vacated File:Flag of Panama.svg Roberto Durán WBC
1990-11-24 1993-05-08 File:Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg Julian Jackson WBC
1993-05-08 1994-05-07-Vacated United States Gerald McClellan WBC
1995-03-17 1995-08-19 File:Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg Julian Jackson WBC
1995-08-19 1996-03-16 United States Quincy Taylor WBC
1996-03-16 1998-05-02 United States Keith Holmes WBC
1998-05-02 1999-04-24 File:Flag of France.svg Hacine Cherifi WBC
1999-04-24 2001-04-14 United States Keith Holmes WBC
2001-04-14 2005-07-16 United States Bernard Hopkins WBC
2005-07-16 2007-09-29 United States Jermain Taylor WBC
2007-09-29 2010-04-17 United States Kelly Pavlik WBC
2010-04-17 2011-01-17-Stripped Argentina Sergio Martínez WBC
2011-01-17 2011-06-04 Germany Sebastian Zbik WBC
2011-06-04 2012-09-15 Mexico Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. WBC
2012-09-15 Current Argentina Sergio Martínez WBC

WBA[]

Title inaugurated
1962-10-23 1963-12-07 File:Flag of Nigeria.svg Dick Tiger WBA
1963-12-07 1965-10-21 United States Joey Giardello WBA
1965-10-21 1966-04-25 File:Flag of Nigeria.svg Dick Tiger WBA
1966-04-25 1967-04-17 File:Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg Emile Griffith WBA
1967-04-17 1967-09-29 Italy Nino Benvenuti WBA
1967-04-17 1968-03-04 File:Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg Emile Griffith WBA
1968-03-04 1970-11-04 Italy Nino Benvenuti WBA
1970-11-07 1977-08-29-Retired Argentina Carlos Monzon WBA
1977-11-05 1978-04-22 File:Flag of Colombia.svg Rodrigo Valdez WBA
1978-04-22 1979-06-30 Argentina Hugo Pastor Corro WBA
1979-06-30 1980-03-16 Italy Vito Antuofermo WBA
1980-03-16 1980-09-27 File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alan Minter WBA
1980-09-27 1987-Stripped United States Marvin Hagler WBA
1987-10-23 1989-Stripped Italy Sumbu Kalambay WBA
1989-05-10 1991-04-01-Vacated File:Flag of Jamaica.svg Mike McCallum WBA
1992-04-22 1993-10-01 United States Reggie Johnson WBA
1993-10-01 1994-08-Vacated United States John David Jackson WBA
1994-08-12 1995-12-19 Argentina Jorge Fernando Castro WBA
1995-12-19 1996-06-24 File:Flag of Japan.svg Shinji Takehara WBA
1996-06-24 1997-08-23 United States William Joppy WBA
1997-08-23 1998-01-31 File:Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Julio César Green WBA
1998-01-31 2001-05-12 United States William Joppy WBA
2001-05-12 2001-09-29 File:Flag of Puerto Rico.svg Félix Trinidad WBA
2001-09-29 2005-07-16 United States Bernard Hopkins WBA Super Champion
2001-11-17 2003-12-13-Lost to Super Champion United States William Joppy WBA Regular Champion
2004-05-01 2006-03-11 File:Flag of New Zealand.svg Maselino Masoe WBA Regular Champion
2005-07-16 2006-12-14-Stripped United States Jermain Taylor WBA Super Champion
2006-03-11 2006-07-15 Germany Felix Sturm WBA Regular Champion
2006-07-15 2007-04-28 File:Flag of Spain.svg Javier Castillejo WBA Regular Champion
2007-04-28 2012-09-01 Germany Felix Sturm WBA Super Champion
2010-10-14 Current File:Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Gennady Golovkin WBA Regular Champion
2012-09-01 2012-11-02-Stripped File:Flag of Australia.svg Daniel Geale WBA Super Champion

IBF[]

Title inaugurated
1983-05-27 1987-04-06-Stripped United States Marvin Hagler IBF
1987-10-10 1988-07-28 United States Frank Tate IBF
1988-07-28 1991-05-10 United States Michael Nunn IBF
1991-05-10 1993-02-13-Vacated United States James Toney IBF
1993-05-22 1994-11-18-Vacated United States Roy Jones Jr IBF
1995-04-29 2005-07-16 United States Bernard Hopkins IBF
2005-07-16 2005-10-11-Vacated United States Jermain Taylor IBF
2005-12-10 2009-07-12-Vacated Germany Arthur Abraham IBF
2009-09-19 2011-05-07 Germany Sebastian Sylvester IBF
2011-05-07 Current File:Flag of Australia.svg Daniel Geale IBF

WBO[]

Title inaugurated
1989-04-18 1990-04-29 United States Doug DeWitt WBO
1990-04-29 1990-11-18 File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Nigel Benn WBO
1990-11-18 1991-06-22-Vacated File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Chris Eubank WBO
1991-11-20 1992-Vacated United States Gerald McClellan WBO
1993-05-19 1994-05-11 File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Chris Pyatt WBO
1994-05-11 1995-03-Vacated File:Flag of Ireland.svg Steve Collins WBO
1995-05-19 1997-06-28-Vacated United States Lonnie Bradley WBO
1997-12-13 1998-05-12-Vacated File:Flag of Jamaica.svg Otis Grant WBO
1999-01-30 1999-11-Stripped Germany Bert Schenk WBO
1999-11 1999-11-27 File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jason Matthews WBO
1999-11-27 2002-04-06 File:Flag of Sweden.svg Armand Krajnc WBO
2002-04-06 2003-Retired File:Flag of Namibia.svg Harry Simon WBO
2003-05-10 2003-09-13 Argentina Hector Javier Velazco WBO
2003-09-13 2004-06-05 Germany Felix Sturm WBO
2004-06-05 2004-09-18 United States Oscar De La Hoya WBO
2004-09-18 2005-07-16 United States Bernard Hopkins WBO
2005-07-16 2007-09-29 United States Jermain Taylor WBO
2007-09-29 2010-04-17 United States Kelly Pavlik WBO
2010-04-17 2010-06-01-Stripped Argentina Sergio Gabriel Martínez WBO
2010-07-31 2012-08-25-Stripped File:Flag of Russia.svg Dmitry Pirog WBO
2012-08-25 2012-10-20 File:Flag of France.svg Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam WBO
2012-10-20 Current United States Peter Quillin WBO

References[]

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