List of current world boxing champions
This is a list of current 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 seventeen 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, and is the only one in boxing history to achieve it. 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] Joe Louis holds the record of being the longest reigning world champion in boxing.[6]
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.[7] 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 defences. 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 defences, 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 in order to establish an international regulating body.[8] The WBC established many of today's safety measures in boxing, such as the standing eight count,[9] 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 in order to legitimize boxing in the United States with "unbiased" ratings.[10] In April 1983, the organization established an international division that was known as the United States Boxing Association-International (USBA-I).[10] In May 1984, the New Jersey-based USBA-I was renamed and became the IBF.[10]
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."[11] When a WBO champion has reached "preeminent status", the WBO's Executive Committee may designate him as a "Super Champion".[12] 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.[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 (knockout wins).
Heavyweight (200+ lb/90.7+ kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Anthony Joshua Super champion  United Kingdom24–1 (22 KO) December 7, 2019 |
Tyson Fury United Kingdom 30–0–1 (21 KO) February 22, 2020 |
Anthony Joshua United Kingdom 24–1 (22 KO) December 7, 2019 |
Anthony Joshua United Kingdom 24–1 (22 KO) December 7, 2019 |
Tyson Fury United Kingdom 30–0–1 (21 KO) February 22, 2020 |
| Trevor Bryan Regular champion  United States21–0 (15 KO) January 29, 2021 | ||||
| Daniel Dubois Interim champion United Kingdom16–1 (15 KO) June 5, 2021 |
Dillian Whyte Interim champion United Kingdom28–2 (19 KO) March 27, 2021 |
Cruiserweight/Junior heavyweight (200 lb/90.7 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Arsen Goulamirian Super champion  France26–0 (18 KO) August 31, 2019 |
Ilunga Makabu Democratic Republic of the Congo28–2 (25 KO) January 31, 2020 |
Mairis Briedis Latvia27–1 (19 KO) September 26, 2020 |
Lawrence Okolie United Kingdom 16–0 (13 KO) March 20, 2021 |
Mairis Briedis Latvia 27–1 (19 KO) September 26, 2020 |
| Ryad Merhy Regular champion  Belgium30–1 (25 KO) January 29, 2021 |
Light heavyweight (175 lb/79.4 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Dmitry Bivol Super champion  Russia18–0 (11 KO) October 10, 2019 |
Artur Beterbiev Russia 16–0 (16 KO) October 18, 2019 |
Artur Beterbiev Russia 16–0 (16 KO) November 11, 2017 |
Joe Smith Jr. United States 27–3 (21 KO) April 10, 2021 |
vacant |
| Robin Krasniqi Interim champion  Germany51–6 (19 KO) October 10, 2020 |
Super middleweight (168 lb/76.2 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Canelo Álvarez Super champion  Mexico56–1–2 (38 KO) December 19, 2020 |
Canelo Álvarez Mexico 56–1–2 (38 KO) December 19, 2020 |
Caleb Plant United States 21–0 (12 KO) January 13, 2019 |
seb pangan Mexico 56–1–2 (38 KO) May 8, 2021 |
Canelo Álvarez Mexico 56–1–2 (38 KO) December 19, 2020 |
| David Morrell Regular champion  Cuba5–0 (4 KO) January 19, 2021 |
Middleweight (160 lb/72.6 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Ryōta Murata Super champion  Japan16–2 (13 KO) January 6, 2021 |
Jermall Charlo United States 32–0 (22 KO) June 26, 2019 |
Gennady Golovkin Kazakhstan41–1–1 (36 KO) October 5, 2019 |
Demetrius Andrade United States 30–0 (18 KO) October 20, 2018 |
vacant |
| Erislandy Lara Regular champion United States28–3–3 (16 KO) May 1, 2021 | ||||
| Chris Eubank Jr. Interim champion United Kingdom29–2 (22 KO) December 7, 2019 |
Super welterweight/Junior middleweight (154 lb/69.9 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Jermell Charlo Super champion United States34–1–1 (18 KO) September 26, 2020 |
Jermell Charlo United States 34–1–1 (18 KO) December 21, 2019 |
Jermell Charlo United States 34–1–1 (18 KO) September 26, 2020 |
Brian Castaño Argentina17–0–2 (12 KO) February 13, 2021 |
Jermell Charlo United States 34–1–1 (18 KO) September 26, 2020 |
| Erislandy Lara Regular champion United States28–3–3 (16 KO) August 31, 2019 |
Welterweight (147 lb/66.7 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Yordenis Ugás Super champion Cuba27–4 (12 KO) January 29, 2021 |
Errol Spence Jr. United States 27–0 (21 KO) September 28, 2019 |
Errol Spence Jr. United States 27–0 (21 KO) May 27, 2017 |
Terence Crawford United States 37–0 (28 KO) June 9, 2018 |
vacant |
| Jamal James Regular champion United States27–1 (12 KO) February 4, 2021 |
Super lightweight/Junior welterweight (140 lb/63.5 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Josh Taylor Super champion United Kingdom18–0 (13 KO) October 26, 2019 |
Josh Taylor United Kingdom 18–0 (13 KO) May 22, 2021 |
Josh Taylor United Kingdom 18–0 (13 KO) May 18, 2019 |
Josh Taylor United Kingdom 18–0 (13 KO) May 22, 2021 |
Josh Taylor United Kingdom 18–0 (13 KO) October 26, 2019 |
| Gervonta Davis Regular champion United States25–0 (24 KO) June 26, 2021 | ||||
| Alberto Puello Interim champion  Dominican Republic19–0 (10 KO) July 27, 2019 |
Lightweight (135 lb/61.2 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Teófimo López Super champion United States16–0 (12 KO) October 17, 2020 |
Devin Haney United States 26–0 (15 KO) October 23, 2019 |
Teófimo López United States 16–0 (12 KO) December 14, 2019 |
Teófimo López United States 16–0 (12 KO) October 17, 2020 |
Teófimo López United States 16–0 (12 KO) October 17, 2020 |
| Gervonta Davis Regular champion United States25–0 (24 KO) December 28, 2019 | ||||
| Rolando Romero Interim champion United States14–0 (12 KO) August 15, 2020 |
Joseph Diaz Interim champion United States32–1–1 (15 KO) July 9, 2021 |
Super featherweight/Junior lightweight (130 lb/59 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Gervonta Davis Super champion United States25–0 (24 KO) October 31, 2020 |
Óscar Valdez Mexico 29–0 (23 KO) February 20, 2021 |
vacant | Jamel Herring United States 23–2 (11 KO) May 25, 2019 |
vacant |
| Roger Gutiérrez Regular champion  Venezuela25–3–1 (20 KO) January 2, 2021 | ||||
| Chris Colbert Interim champion United States16–0 (6 KO) January 18, 2020 |
Shakur Stevenson Interim champion United States16–0 (8 KO) June 12, 2021 |
Featherweight (126 lb/57.2 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Léo Santa Cruz Super champion Mexico37–2–1 (19 KO) January 28, 2017 |
Gary Russell Jr. United States 31–1 (18 KO) March 28, 2015 |
Kid Galahad United Kingdom 28–1 (17 KO) August 7, 2021 |
Emanuel Navarrete Mexico 33–1–0–1 (28 KO) October 9, 2020 |
vacant |
| Leigh Wood Regular champion United Kingdom25–2 (15 KO) July 31, 2021 | ||||
| Michael Conlan Interim champion  Ireland16–0 (8 KO) August 6, 2021 |
Super bantamweight/Junior featherweight (122 lb/55.3 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Murodjon Akhmadaliev Super champion  Uzbekistan9–0 (7 KO) January 30, 2020 |
Brandon Figueroa United States 22–0–1 (17 KO) May 15, 2021 |
Murodjon Akhmadaliev Uzbekistan 9–0 (7 KO) January 30, 2020 |
Stephen Fulton United States 19–0 (8 KO) January 23, 2021 |
vacant |
| Brandon Figueroa Regular champion United States22–0–1 (17 KO) April 20, 2019 | ||||
| Ra'eese Aleem Interim champion United States18–0 (12 KO) January 23, 2021 |
Bantamweight (118 lb/53.5 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Naoya Inoue Super champion Japan21–0 (18 KO) November 7, 2019 |
Nonito "Excuses" Donaire Philippines41–6 (27 KO) May 29, 2021 |
Naoya Inoue Japan 21–0 (18 KO) May 18, 2019 |
John Riel "Yabang" Casimero Philippines 31–4 (21 KO) November 30, 2019 |
Naoya Inoue Japan 21–0 (18 KO) May 18, 2019 |
Super flyweight/Junior bantamweight (115 lb/52.2 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Juan Francisco Estrada Super champion Mexico42–3 (28 KO) March 13, 2021 |
vacant | Jerwin Ancajas Philippines 33–1–2 (22 KO) September 3, 2016 |
Kazuto Ioka Japan 26–2 (15 KO) June 19, 2019 |
Juan Francisco Estrada Mexico 42–3 (28 KO) April 26, 2019 |
| Joshua Franco Regular champion United States18–1–2–1 (8 KO) June 23, 2020 |
Flyweight (112 lb/50.8 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
Artem Dalakian Ukraine20–0 (14 KO) February 24, 2018 |
Julio Cesar Martinez Mexico 18–1–0–1 (14 KO) December 20, 2019 |
Sunny Edwards United Kingdom 16–0 (4 KO) April 30, 2021 |
Junto Nakatani Japan 21–0 (16 KO) November 6, 2020 |
vacant |
| Luis Concepción Interim champion  Panama39–8 (28 KO) February 7, 2020 |
McWilliams Arroyo Interim champion  Puerto Rico21–4 (16 KO) February 27, 2021 |
Light flyweight/Junior flyweight (108 lb/49 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Hiroto Kyoguchi Super champion Japan15–0 (10 KO) December 31, 2018 |
Kenshiro Teraji Japan 18–0 (10 KO) May 20, 2017 |
Felix Alvarado Nicaragua36–2 (31 KO) October 29, 2018 |
Elwin Soto Mexico 19–1 (13 KO) June 21, 2019 |
Hiroto Kyoguchi Japan 15–0 (10 KO) December 31, 2018 |
| Esteban Bermudez Regular champion Mexico14-3–2 (10 KO) May 28, 2021 | ||||
| Daniel Matellon Interim champion Cuba11–0–2 (6 KO) February 7, 2020 |
Minimumweight/Strawweight/Mini flyweight (105 lb/47.6 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Thammanoon Niyomtrong Super champion  Thailand21–0 (7 KO) June 29, 2016 |
Panya Pradabsri Thailand 36–1 (23 KO) November 27, 2020 |
Rene Mark Cuarto Philippines 19–2–2 (11 KO) February 27, 2021 |
Wilfredo Méndez Puerto Rico 16–1 (6 KO) August 24, 2019 |
vacant |
| Vic Saludar Regular champion Philippines21–4 (11 KO) February 20, 2021 | ||||
| Erick Rosa Interim champion Dominican Republic4–0 (1 KO) July 21, 2021 |
See also
- List of WBA world champions
- List of WBC world champions
- List of IBF world champions
- List of WBO world champions
- List of The Ring world champions
- List of current female world boxing champions
- List of undefeated boxing world champions (retired only)
- List of undisputed boxing champions
- List of current boxing rankings
References
- ^ a b "Rules of World Boxing Association" (PDF). World Boxing Association. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ^ "World Boxing Council Rules and Regulations" (PDF). World Boxing Council. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
- ^ "IBF/USBA Rules Governing Championship Contests" (PDF). International Boxing Federation. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 14, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
- ^ "World Boxing Organization Regulations of World Championship Contests". World Boxing Organization. Retrieved March 2, 2009.
- ^ Lewis, Ron (October 13, 2008). "Vitali Klitschko impressive in comeback victory". The Times. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
- ^ Longest reigning boxing world champion
- ^ "World Boxing Association History". World Boxing Association. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ^ "World Boxing Council". World Boxing Council. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
- ^ "Rules that have changed the History of Boxing". World Boxing Council. Archived from the original on September 25, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
- ^ a b c "History of the IBF". International Boxing Federation. December 4, 2000. Archived from the original on December 4, 2000. Retrieved June 6, 2006.
- ^ "WBO logo". World Boxing Organization. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
- ^ "WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests" (PDF). World Boxing Organization. Section 14.
- ^ "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.web|url=http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/w0804-lineal.html%7Ctitle=What the CBZ Means When it Refers to "Lineal Championships"|last=DeLisa|first=Mike|date=August 2004|work=The CBZ Journal|publisher=cyberboxingzone|access-date=August 12, 2013}}
- ^ "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.
- ^ Kimball, George (April 27, 2008). "Calzaghe claim far from undisputed". Boston Herald. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
- ^ "Chat with Dan Rafael". Espn.go.com. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
- ^ The Horrible New Ring Magazine Championship Policy - Queensberry Rules Archived May 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Ring Magazine's pretend rankings upgrade 'championship' policy". Theboxingtribune.com. May 4, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
- ^ "Chat: Chat with Dan Rafael - SportsNation". Espn.com.
- ^ [1] Archived May 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Ring Magazine's pretend rankings upgrade 'championship' policy". Theboxingtribune.com.