List of current world boxing champions
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 | Joseph Parker Interim champion 35–3 (23 KO) March 8, 2024 |
Bridgerweight (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 |
| Gilberto Ramírez Super champion 46–1 (30 KO) March 30, 2024 | 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 30–3–3 (18 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 |
| Israil Madrimov 10–0–1 (7 KO) March 8, 2024 | Sebastian Fundora 21–1–1 (13 KO) March 30, 2024 | Bakhram Murtazaliev 22–0 (16 KO) April 6, 2024 | Sebastian Fundora 21–1–1 (13 KO) March 30, 2024 | 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 |
| Isaac Cruz 26–2–1 (18 KO) March 30, 2024 | 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 |
| 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 |
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 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 |
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 | 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 |
Flyweight (112 lb/50.8 kg)
| WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | The Ring |
| Seigo Yuri Akui 19–2–1 (11 KO) January 23, 2024 | Julio Cesar Martinez 21–3–0–2 (15 KO) December 20, 2019 | vacant | vacant | vacant |
Light flyweight/Junior flyweight (108 lb/49 kg)
| 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 |
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 | Melvin Jerusalem 22–3 (12 KO) March 31, 2024 | Ginjiro Shigeoka 11–0–0–1 (9 KO) October 7, 2023 | Oscar Collazo 8–0 (6 KO) May 27, 2023 | vacant |
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 world boxing champions (retired only)
- List of undisputed world 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.
- ^ (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.
- ^ "World Boxing Association History". World Boxing Association. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ^ . World Boxing Council. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
- ^ . World Boxing Council. Archived from the original on September 25, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
- ^ a b c . 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.
- ^ . October 15, 2004. Archived from the original on October 15, 2004. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
- ^ DeLisa, Mike (August 2004). "What the CBZ Means When it Refers to "Lineal Championships"". The CBZ Journal. cyberboxingzone.
- ^ . Golden Boy Promotions. September 12, 2007. Archived from the original on November 19, 2008. Retrieved November 20, 2008.
- ^ Kimball, George (April 27, 2008). . 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 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] May 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Ring Magazine's pretend rankings upgrade 'championship' policy". Theboxingtribune.com.
External links
- Official list of current WBA champions
- Official list of current WBC champions
- Official list of current IBF champions
- Official list of current WBO champions
- Official list of current Ring magazine champions
- List of current boxing champions at BoxRec