List of current world boxing champions

Contents

This is a list of current boxing world champions who are certified by the four major boxing sanctioning bodies[1] and The Ring magazine. Each champion's professional boxing record is shown in the following format: wins-losses-draws-no contests (knockout wins).

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—a Venezuelan-based worldwide regulating body.[2] According to WBA championship rules, when a boxer holds at least two titles of the four major sanctioning bodies, the boxer is granted special recognition: he is called the undisputed or super world champion. The "regular" WBA world title is vacated if it is one of the titles the respective boxer holds. When a boxer defends his WBA title for the tenth consecutive time, he is normally granted the "WBA Super belt".[3]

The World Boxing Council (WBC) was founded in Mexico City, Mexico on February 14, 1963 in order to establish an international regulating body.[4] The WBC established many of today's safety measures in boxing, such as the standing eight-count,[5] a limit of 12 rounds instead of 15,[6] and additional weight classes.[6] In its discretion, the WBC may designate and recognize, upon a two-thirds majority vote of their Board of Governors, one or more emeritus world champions in each weight class. Such a recognition is for life and is only bestowed upon present or past WBC world champions. The following boxers have earned the emeritus championship appellation throughout their careers: Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko, Bernard Hopkins, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Kostya Tszyu, Manny Pacquiao, and Erik Morales.

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.[7] In April 1983, The organization established an international division that was known as the United States Boxing Association-International (USBA-I).[7] In May 1984, the New Jersey-based USBA-I was renamed and became the IBF.[7]

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) was founded in San Juan, Puerto Rico (which is a self-governing commonwealth of the United States) in 1988. Its motto is "dignity, democracy, honesty."[8] Though Bernard Hopkins and Óscar De La Hoya don't have WBO belts at the moment, the WBO actually calls them "Super champion". Some media sites do not include the WBO in their list of champions,[9][10] whereas others do.[11][12]

The Ring is not a sanctioning body but is a boxing magazine that was founded in 1922. In 2002, The Ring created a championship system that is "intended to reward fighters who, by satisfying rigid criteria, can justify a claim as the true and only world champion in a given weight class."[13] There are currently only two ways that a boxer can win The Ring's title: defeat the reigning champion; or win a box-off between The Ring's number-one and number-two rated contenders (or, sometimes, number-one and number-three rated).[14] There are also only three ways that a boxer can lose The Ring's title: lose a championship fight, move to a different weight class, or retire.[14] (The Ring does not strip its champions' titles like the sanctioning bodies do.)

Current champions

Heavyweight (200+ lb, 90.7+ kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Russia Nikolay Valuev
49-1-0-1 (34 KO)
August 30, 2008		 Flag of Ukraine Vitali Klitschko
36-2 (35 KO)
October 11, 2008		 Flag of Ukraine Wladimir Klitschko[nb 1]
52-3 (46 KO)
April 22, 2006		 Flag of Ukraine Wladimir Klitschko[nb 2]
52-3 (46 KO)
February 23, 2008		 vacant
Flag of Uzbekistan Ruslan Chagaev[nb 3]
24-0-1 (17 KO)
April 14, 2007

Cruiserweight (200 lb, 90.7 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Panama Guillermo Jones
36-3-2 (28 KO)
September 27, 2008		 Flag of Italy Giacobbe Fragomeni
26-1 (10 KO)
October 24, 2008		 Flag of Poland Tomasz Adamek
36-1 (24 KO)
December 11, 2008		 vacant Flag of Poland Tomasz Adamek
36-1 (24 KO)
December 11, 2008

Light heavyweight (175 lb, 79.4 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Argentina Hugo Hernán Garay
32-3 (17 KO)
July 3, 2008		 Flag of Romania Adrian Diaconu
25-0 (15 KO)
July 11, 2008		 Flag of the United States Chad Dawson
27-0-0-1 (17 KO)
October 11, 2008		 Flag of Hungary Zsolt Erdei
29-0 (17 KO)
January 17, 2004		 Flag of Wales Joe Calzaghe
46-0 (32 KO)
April 19, 2008

Super middleweight (168 lb, 76.2 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Denmark Mikkel Kessler
41-1 (31 KO)
June 21, 2008		 Flag of England Carl Froch
24-0 (19 KO)
December 6, 2008		 Flag of Romania Lucian Bute
23-0 (18 KO)
October 19, 2007		 Flag of Russia Denis Inkin
34-0 (24 KO)
September 27, 2008		 vacant

Middleweight (160 lb, 72.6 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Germany Felix Sturm
31-2-1 (13 KO)
April 28, 2007		 Flag of the United States Kelly Pavlik[nb 1]
34-1 (30 KO)
September 29, 2007		 Flag of Armenia Arthur Abraham
28-0 (23 KO)
December 10, 2005		 Flag of the United States Kelly Pavlik[nb 2]
34-1 (30 KO)
September 29, 2007		 Flag of the United States Kelly Pavlik
34-1 (30 KO)
September 29, 2007

Super welterweight (154 lb, 69.9 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Puerto Rico Daniel Santos
32-3-1-1 (23 KO)
July 11, 2008		 Flag of the United States Vernon Forrest
41-3-0-1 (29 KO)
September 13, 2008		 vacant Flag of Ukraine Sergiy Dzinziruk
36-0 (22 KO)
December 3, 2005		 vacant
Flag of Argentina Sergio Gabriel Martínez[nb 4]
44-1-1 (24 KO)
October 4, 2008		 Flag of the United States Paul Williams[nb 4]
36-1 (27 KO)
November 29, 2008

Welterweight (147 lb, 66.7 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Mexico Antonio Margarito[nb 1]
37-5-0-1 (27 KO)
October 3, 2008		 Flag of the United States Andre Berto
23-0 (19 KO)
June 21, 2008		 Flag of Ghana Joshua Clottey
35-2-0-1 (20 KO)
August 2, 2008		 vacant vacant
Flag of Ukraine Yuriy Nuzhnenko
27-0-1 (13 KO)
October 3, 2008

Super lightweight (140 lb, 63.5 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Ukraine Andriy Kotelnik
30-2-1 (13 KO)
March 22, 2008		 Flag of the United States Timothy Bradley
23-0 (11 KO)
May 10, 2008		 vacant Flag of the United States Kendall Holt
25-2 (13 KO)
July 5, 2008		 Flag of England Ricky Hatton
45-1 (32 KO)
June 4, 2005

Lightweight (135 lb, 61.2 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of the United States Nate Campbell[nb 1]
32-5-1 (25 KO)
March 8, 2008		 Flag of the Philippines Manny Pacquiao
48-3-2 (36 KO)
June 28, 2008		 Flag of the United States Nate Campbell
32-5-1 (25 KO)
March 8, 2008		 Flag of the United States Nate Campbell
32-5-1 (25 KO)
March 8, 2008		 Flag of Mexico Juan Manuel Márquez
49-4-1 (36 KO)
September 13, 2008
Flag of Japan Yusuke Kobori
23-2-1 (12 KO)
May 19, 2008

Super featherweight (130 lb, 59 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Venezuela Jorge Linares
26-0 (17 KO)
November 28, 2008		 vacant Flag of South Africa Cassius Baloyi
36-3-1 (19 KO)
April 12, 2008		 Flag of England Nicky Cook
29-1 (16 KO)
September 6, 2008		 vacant
Flag of Mexico Humberto Soto[nb 4]
45-7-2-1 (29 KO)
October 11, 2008

Featherweight (126 lb, 57.2 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Indonesia Chris John
42-0-1 (22 KO)
November 1, 2003		 Flag of Mexico Óscar Larios
63-6-1 (39 KO)
August 13, 2008		 Flag of Mexico Cristóbal Cruz
37-11-1-1 (23 KO)
October 23, 2008		 Flag of the United States Steven Luevano
36-1-1 (15 KO)
July 14, 2007		 vacant

Super bantamweight (122 lb, 55.3 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Panama Celestino Caballero[nb 1]
31-2 (22 KO)
November 21, 2008		 Flag of Mexico Israel Vázquez
43-4 (31 KO)
August 4, 2007		 Flag of Panama Celestino Caballero
31-2 (22 KO)
November 21, 2008		 Flag of Puerto Rico Juan Manuel López
24-0 (22 KO)
June 7, 2008		 Flag of Mexico Israel Vázquez
43-4 (31 KO)
August 4, 2007
Flag of Panama Ricardo Córdoba
34-1-2 (21 KO)
November 21, 2008		 Flag of Japan Toshiaki Nishioka[nb 4]
32-4-3 (19 KO)
September 15, 2008

Bantamweight (118 lb, 53.5 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Panama Anselmo Moreno
24-1-1 (8 KO)
May 31, 2008		 Flag of Japan Hozumi Hasegawa
25-2 (9 KO)
April 16, 2005		 Flag of Ghana Joseph Agbeko
26-1 (22 KO)
September 29, 2007		 Flag of the Philippines Gerry Peñalosa
53-6-2 (36 KO)
August 11, 2007		 vacant

Super flyweight (115 lb, 52.2 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Armenia Vic Darchinyan[nb 1]
31-1-1 (25 KO)
November 1, 2008		 Flag of Armenia Vic Darchinyan
31-1-1 (25 KO)
November 1, 2008		 Flag of Armenia Vic Darchinyan
31-1-1 (25 KO)
August 2, 2008		 Flag of Mexico Fernando Montiel
38-2-1 (28 KO)
April 9, 2005		 vacant
Flag of Japan Nobuo Nashiro
12-1 (7 KO)
September 15, 2008
Flag of Mexico Jorge Arce[nb 4]
51-4-1 (39 KO)
September 15, 2008

Flyweight (112 lb, 50.8 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Japan Takefumi Sakata
33-4-2 (15 KO)
March 19, 2007		 Flag of Japan Daisuke Naito
33-2-3 (21 KO)
July 18, 2007		 Flag of the Philippines Nonito Donaire
20-1 (13 KO)
July 7, 2007		 Flag of Argentina Omar Andrés Narváez
28-0-2 (17 KO)
July 13, 2002		 vacant

Light flyweight (108 lb, 49 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of France Brahim Asloum[nb 3]
23-2 (9 KO)
December 8, 2007		 Flag of Mexico Édgar Sosa
34-5 (18 KO)
April 14, 2007		 Flag of Mexico Ulises Solís
28-1-2 (20 KO)
January 7, 2006		 Flag of Puerto Rico Iván Calderón[nb 2]
32-0 (6 KO)
August 25, 2007		 Flag of Puerto Rico Iván Calderón
32-0 (6 KO)
August 25, 2007
Flag of Colombia César Canchila[nb 4]
27-1 (21 KO)
July 26, 2008

Strawweight (105 lb, 47.6 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Flag of Nicaragua Román González
22-0 (20 KO)
September 15, 2008		 Flag of Thailand Oleydong Sithsamerchai
29-0 (12 KO)
November 29, 2007		 Flag of Mexico Raúl García
25-0-1 (15 KO)
June 14, 2008		 Flag of the Philippines Donnie Nietes
23-1-3 (14 KO)
September 30, 2007		 vacant
Flag of Nicaragua Juan Palacios[nb 4]
25-2-0-1 (20 KO)
August 2, 2008		 Flag of Mexico Manuel Vargas[nb 4]
25-3-1 (11 KO)
December 6, 2008

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Undisputed world champion.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 WBO super champion.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Champion in recess.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Interim world champion.

References

  1. ↑ The official rules and regulations of the WBA, IBF, and WBO all mention by name the other three major sanctioning bodies in their title unification rules. The WBC does not mention by name any other sanctioning body in its rules, but it does list the other three major sanctioning bodies' champions on its website. [1] Thus, all four organizations consider only themselves and the other three organizations to be major sanctioning bodies. They do not consider organizations such as the IBO and IBA to be major sanctioning bodies.
  2. ↑ Bastidas, Angel M. "World Boxing Association History". World Boxing Association. Retrieved on 2006-06-06.
  3. ↑ "World Boxing Association World Championships Regulations". World Boxing Association. Retrieved on 2006-06-06.
  4. ↑ "World Boxing Council: History & Founding Fathers". World Boxing Council. Retrieved on 2006-06-06.
  5. ↑ "Rules that have changed the History of Boxing". World Boxing Council. Retrieved on 2006-06-06.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Permanent Medical Research Program". World Boxing Council. Retrieved on 2006-06-06.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "History of the IBF". International Boxing Federation (December 4, 2000). Archived from the original on 2000-12-04. Retrieved on 2006-06-06.
  8. ↑ "WBO logo". World Boxing Organization. Retrieved on 2006-06-06.
  9. ↑ "Current Boxing Champions.". Yahoo! (May 7, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  10. ↑ "Current Boxing Champions". Sports Illustrated (April 5, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  11. ↑ Eisele, Andrew (May 6, 2007). "Boxing Champions". About.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  12. ↑ "List of Champions". BBC Sport (May 5, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  13. ↑ "About The Ring". The Ring (June 26, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-06-06.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Kellerman, Max (January 22, 2004). "Gatti vs. the unknown". ESPN. Retrieved on 2006-06-06.
World boxing champions
Champions by weight class
Heavyweight · Cruiserweight · Light heavyweight · Super middleweight · Middleweight · Super welterweight · Welterweight · Super lightweight · Lightweight · Super featherweight · Featherweight · Super bantamweight · Bantamweight · Super flyweight · Flyweight · Light flyweight · Strawweight
Champions by organization
WBA · WBC · IBF · WBO · IBO · The Ring · Undisputed
Terms
Interim championship · Undisputed championship