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]

Championships

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".

World Boxing Association

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.

World Boxing Council

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.

International Boxing Federation

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]

World Boxing Organization

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 Ring

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]

Current champions

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).

Heavyweight (+200 lb/+90.7 kg or +224 lb/+101.6 kg)

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		 Zhilei Zhang
Interim champion
26–1–1 (21 KO)
April 15, 2023

Bridgerweight/Super cruiserweight (224 lb/101.6 kg)

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

Cruiserweight/Junior heavyweight (200 lb/90.7 kg or 190 lb/86.2 kg)

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

Light heavyweight (175 lb/79.9 kg)

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

Super middleweight (168 lb/76.2 kg)

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

Middleweight (160 lb/72.6 kg)

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

Super welterweight/Junior middleweight (154 lb/69.9 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Jermell Charlo
Super champion
35–2–1 (19 KO)
September 26, 2020		 Jermell Charlo
35–2–1 (19 KO)
December 21, 2019		 vacant Tim Tszyu
24–0 (17 KO)
September 30, 2023		 Jermell Charlo
35–2–1 (19 KO)
September 26, 2020

Welterweight (147 lb/66.7 kg)

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

Super lightweight/Junior welterweight (140 lb/63.5 kg)

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

Lightweight (135 lb/61.2 kg)

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

Super featherweight/Junior lightweight (130 lb/59 kg)

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

Featherweight (126 lb/57.2 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
vacant Rey Vargas
36–1 (22 KO)
July 9, 2022		 Luis Alberto Lopez
29–2 (16 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

Super bantamweight/Junior featherweight (122 lb/55.3 kg)

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

Bantamweight (118 lb/53.5 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Takuma Inoue
18–1 (4 KO)
April 8, 2023		 Alexandro Santiago
28–3–5 (14 KO)
July 29, 2023		 Emmanuel Rodríguez
22–2–0–1 (13 KO)
August 12, 2023		 Jason Moloney
26–2 (19 KO)
May 13, 2023		 vacant

Super flyweight/Junior bantamweight (115 lb/52.2 kg)

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		 Junto Nakatani
26–0 (19 KO)
May 20, 2023		 Juan Francisco Estrada
44–3 (28 KO)
April 26, 2019
Carlos Cuadras
Interim champion
42–5–1 (28 KO)
November 17, 2023

Flyweight (112 lb/50.8 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Artem Dalakian
22–0 (15 KO)
February 24, 2018		 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

Light flyweight/Junior flyweight (108 lb/49 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Kenshiro Teraji
Super champion
22–1 (13 KO)
November 1, 2022		 Kenshiro Teraji
22–1 (13 KO)
March 19, 2022		 Adrian Curiel
24–4–1 (5 KO)
November 4, 2023		 Jonathan González
27–3–1–1 (14 KO)
October 17, 2021		 Kenshiro Teraji
21–1 (13 KO)
November 1, 2022
René Santiago
Interim champion
12–3 (9 KO)
October 27, 2023

Minimumweight/Mini flyweight/Strawweight (105 lb/47.6 kg)

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

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Rules of World Boxing Association" (PDF). World Boxing Association. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  2. ↑ "World Boxing Council Rules and Regulations" (PDF). World Boxing Council. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
  3. ↑ "IBF/USBA Rules Governing Championship Contests" (PDF). International Boxing Federation. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 14, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  4. ↑ "World Boxing Organization Regulations of World Championship Contests". World Boxing Organization. Retrieved March 2, 2009.
  5. ↑ Lewis, Ron (October 13, 2008). "Vitali Klitschko impressive in comeback victory". The Times. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
  6. ↑ "World Boxing Association History". World Boxing Association. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  7. ↑ "World Boxing Council". World Boxing Council. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Rules that have changed the History of Boxing". World Boxing Council. Archived from the original on September 25, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 "History of the IBF". International Boxing Federation. December 4, 2000. Archived from the original on December 4, 2000. Retrieved June 6, 2006.
  10. ↑ "WBO logo". World Boxing Organization. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
  11. ↑ "WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests" (PDF). World Boxing Organization. Section 14.
  12. ↑ "Boxing News : The Disputed Light Heavyweight Champion of the World". October 15, 2004. Archived from the original on October 15, 2004. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  13. ↑ DeLisa, Mike (August 2004). "What the CBZ Means When it Refers to "Lineal Championships"". The CBZ Journal. cyberboxingzone.
  14. ↑ "Golden Boy Enterprises' Subsidiary, Sports and Entertainment Publications, LLC, Acquires The Ring Magazine, KO, World Boxing and Pro Wrestling Illustrated". Golden Boy Promotions. September 12, 2007. Archived from the original on November 19, 2008. Retrieved November 20, 2008.
  15. ↑ Kimball, George (April 27, 2008). "Calzaghe claim far from undisputed". Boston Herald. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
  16. ↑ "Chat with Dan Rafael". Espn.go.com. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  17. ↑ The Horrible New Ring Magazine Championship Policy – Queensberry Rules Archived May 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  18. ↑ "Ring Magazine's pretend rankings upgrade 'championship' policy". Theboxingtribune.com. May 4, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Chat: Chat with Dan Rafael - SportsNation". Espn.com.
  20. ↑ Archived May 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  21. ↑ "Ring Magazine's pretend rankings upgrade 'championship' policy". Theboxingtribune.com.
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