List of current world boxing champions

Since at least John L. Sullivan, in the late 19th century, there have been world boxing champions. The first of today's organizations to award a world title was the World Boxing Association, known as the National Boxing Association when it sanctioned its first title fight in 1921 between Jack Dempsey and Georges Carpentier for the heavyweight championship.

There are now four major sanctioning bodies in professional boxing. The official rules and regulations of the World Boxing Association,[1] World Boxing Council,[2] International Boxing Federation[3] and World Boxing Organization[4] all recognize the other three major sanctioning bodies in their rankings and title unification rules. Each of these organizations sanction and regulate championship bouts and award championships. American boxing magazine The Ring began awarding world championship belts in 1922.

There are seventeen weight divisions. To compete in a weight division, a boxer's weight must not exceed the upper limit. Manny Pacquiao has won world championships in eight different weight divisions, more than any other boxer. The Klitschko brothers, Vitali and Wladimir, held all five major titles in the heavyweight division; they were the first brothers to hold versions of the heavyweight championship at the same time.[5] Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is currently champion in two weight divisions: welterweight and super welterweight.

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 may change the status of their inactive champions to Champion in Recess.

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, the boxer is granted special recognition: he is called the unified champion and is given more time between mandatory title defences. The WBA Championships Committee and President may designate a champion as a Super Champion in exceptional circumstances.[1] The WBA title is vacated if it is one of the titles the respective boxer holds. When a WBA 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.[7]

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 division. More information about the WBC's titles including Silver, Diamond, Emeritus, 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]

The Ring

The Ring is a respected boxing magazine that was founded in 1922, upon which it first began awarding world championship belts. It maintains its own version of lineal championships in each weight division. Title belts ceased to be awarded in the 1990s, but the practice was resumed in 2002.[13] From 2002 onwards, a championship system was created with the intention to "reward fighters who, by satisfying rigid criteria, can justify a claim as the true and only world champion in a given weight division."[13] The Ring claims to be more authoritative and open than that of the sanctioning bodies with regards to rankings, with a page devoted to full explanations for ranking changes. A fighter pays no sanctioning fees to defend or fight for the title at stake, contrary to practices of the sanctioning bodies. There are currently three ways that a fighter can win The Ring's title:

The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board was formed in October 2012, after controversy emerged surrounding changes to The Ring's championship policy.[15]

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)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Wladimir Klitschko
Super champion
 Ukraine
64–3–0–0 (53)
July 2, 2011		 Deontay Wilder
 United States
33–0–0–0 (32)
January 17, 2015		 Wladimir Klitschko
 Ukraine
64–3–0–0 (53)
April 22, 2006		 Wladimir Klitschko
Super champion
 Ukraine
64–3–0–0 (53)
February 23, 2008		 Wladimir Klitschko
 Ukraine
64–3–0–0 (53)
June 20, 2009
Ruslan Chagaev
 Uzbekistan
33–2–1–0 (20)
July 6, 2014

Cruiserweight, Junior heavyweight (200 lb, 90.7 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Denis Lebedev
 Russia
27–2–0–0 (20)
October 30, 2012		 Grigory Drozd
 Russia
39–1–0–0 (27)
September 27, 2014		 Yoan Pablo Hernández
 Cuba
29–1–0–0 (14)
October 1, 2011		 Marco Huck
Super champion
 Germany
38–2–1–0 (26)
August 29, 2009		 Yoan Pablo Hernández
 Cuba
29–1–0–0 (14)
February 4, 2012
Victor Emilio Ramírez
Interim champion
 Argentina
22–2–0–1 (17)
April 10, 2015

Light heavyweight (175 lb, 79.4 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Sergey Kovalev
Undisputed champion
 Russia
27–0–1–0 (24)
November 8, 2014		 Adonis Stevenson
 Canada
26–1–0–0 (21)
June 8, 2013		 Sergey Kovalev
 Russia
27–0–1–0 (24)
November 8, 2014		 Sergey Kovalev
Super champion
 Russia
27–0–1–0 (24)
January 16, 2015		 Adonis Stevenson
 Canada
26–1–0–0 (21)
June 8, 2013
Jürgen Brähmer
 Germany
46–2–0–0 (34)
December 14, 2013

Super middleweight (168 lb, 76.2 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Andre Ward
Super champion
 United States
27–0–0–0 (14)
November 21, 2009		 Badou Jack
 Sweden
19–1–1–0 (12)
April 24, 2015		 vacant Arthur Abraham
 Germany
42–4–0–0 (28)
March 1, 2014		 vacant
Carl Froch
 United Kingdom
33–2–0–0 (24)
May 25, 2013
Fedor Chudinov
Interim champion
 Russia
12–0–0–0 (10)
December 11, 2014

Middleweight (160 lb, 72.6 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Gennady Golovkin
Super champion
 Kazakhstan
32–0–0–0 (29)
June 3, 2014		 Miguel Cotto
 Puerto Rico
39–4–0–0 (32)
June 7, 2014		 vacant Andy Lee
 Ireland
34–2–1–0 (24)
December 13, 2014		 Miguel Cotto
 Puerto Rico
39–4–0–0 (32)
June 7, 2014
Daniel Jacobs
 United States
29–1–0–0 (26)
August 9, 2014
Chris Eubank, Jr.
Interim champion
 United Kingdom
19–1–0–0 (14)
February 28, 2015		 Gennady Golovkin
Interim champion
 Kazakhstan
32–0–0–0 (29)
October 18, 2014

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

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Super champion
 United States
47–0–0–0 (26)
May 5, 2012		 Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
 United States
47–0–0–0 (26)
September 14, 2013		 Cornelius Bundrage
 United States
34–5–0–1 (19)
October 11, 2014		 Demetrius Andrade
 United States
21–0–0–0 (14)
November 9, 2013		 Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
 United States
47–0–0–0 (26)
September 14, 2013
Erislandy Lara
 Cuba
20–2–2–0 (12)
March 8, 2014

Welterweight (147 lb, 66.7 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Unified champion
 United States
47–0–0–0 (26)
May 3, 2014		 Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
 United States
47–0–0–0 (26)
September 17, 2011		 Kell Brook
 United Kingdom
34–0–0–0 (23)
August 16, 2014		 Manny Pacquiao
Super champion
 Philippines
57–5–2–0 (38)
April 12, 2014		 Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
 United States
47–0–0–0 (26)
May 4, 2013
Keith Thurman
 United States
25–0–0–1 (21)
January 16, 2015
Andre Berto
Interim champion
 United States
30–3–0–0 (23)
March 13, 2015

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

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Danny García
Super champion
 United States
30–0–0–0 (17)
July 14, 2012		 Danny García
 United States
30–0–0–0 (17)
March 24, 2012		 vacant Terence Crawford
 United States
26–0–0–0 (18)
April 18, 2015		 Danny García
 United States
30–0–0–0 (17)
July 14, 2012
Jessie Vargas
 United States
26–0–0–0 (9)
April 12, 2014
José Benavidez
Interim champion
 United States
22–0–0–0 (15)
December 13, 2014

Lightweight (135 lb, 61.2 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Darleys Pérez
 Colombia
32–1–0–0 (20)
April 9, 2015		 Jorge Linares
 Venezuela
38–3–0–0 (25)
December 30, 2014		 Mickey Bey
 United States
21–1–1–1 (10)
September 13, 2014		 vacant vacant
Richar Abril
In recess
 Cuba
19–3–1–0 (8)
April 9, 2015
Derry Mathews
Interim champion
 United Kingdom
38–9–2–0 (20)
April 18, 2015		 Omar Figueroa, Jr.
In recess
 United States
24–0–1–0 (18)
November 10, 2014

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

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Takashi Uchiyama
Super champion
 Japan
22–0–1–0 (18)
February 21, 2015		 Takashi Miura
 Japan
29–2–2–0 (22)
April 8, 2013		 vacant Román Martínez
 Puerto Rico
29–2–2–0 (17)
April 11, 2015		 vacant
vacant
Emanuel López
Interim champion
 Mexico
18–4–1–0 (7)
March 21, 2015

Featherweight (126 lb, 57.2 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Nicholas Walters
Super champion
 Jamaica
25–0–0–0 (21)
February 21, 2015		 Gary Russell, Jr.
 United States
26–1–0–0 (15)
March 28, 2015		 Evgeny Gradovich
 Russia
19–0–1–0 (9)
March 1, 2013		 Vasyl Lomachenko
 Ukraine
3–1–0–0 (1)
June 21, 2014		 vacant
Jesús Marcelo Andrés Cuellar
 Argentina
26–1–0–0 (20)
February 21, 2015
Carlos Zambrano
Interim champion
 Peru
25–0–0–0 (11)
March 28, 2015

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

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Guillermo Rigondeaux
Unified champion
 Cuba
15–0–0–0 (10)
April 13, 2013		 Leo Santa Cruz
 Mexico
29–0–1–0 (17)
August 24, 2013		 Carl Frampton
 United Kingdom
20–0–0–0 (14)
September 6, 2014		 Guillermo Rigondeaux
 Cuba
15–0–0–0 (10)
April 13, 2013		 Guillermo Rigondeaux
 Cuba
15–0–0–0 (10)
April 13, 2013
Scott Quigg
 United Kingdom
30–0–2–0 (22)
September 5, 2013
Moises Flores
Interim champion
 Mexico
23–0–0–1 (16)
April 18, 2015

Bantamweight (118 lb, 53.5 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Juan Carlos Payano
Undisputed champion
 Dominican Republic
16–0–0–0 (8)
September 26, 2014		 Shinsuke Yamanaka
 Japan
23–0–2–0 (17)
November 6, 2011		 Randy Caballero
 United States
22–0–0–0 (13)
October 25, 2014		 vacant vacant
Jamie McDonnell
 United Kingdom
25–2–1–0 (12)
May 31, 2014
Yonfrez Parejo
Interim champion
 Venezuela
16–1–1–0 (7)
August 30, 2014

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

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Kohei Kono
 Japan
30–8–1–0 (13)
March 26, 2014		 Carlos Cuadras
 Mexico
32–0–1–0 (25)
May 31, 2014		 Zolani Tete
 South Africa
20–3–0–0 (17)
July 18, 2014		 Naoya Inoue
 Japan
8–0–0–0 (7)
December 30, 2014		 vacant
David Sánchez
Interim champion
 Mexico
27–2–2–0 (21)
May 24, 2014

Flyweight (112 lb, 50.8 kg)

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Juan Francisco Estrada
Unified champion
 Mexico
32–2–0–0 (23)
April 6, 2013		 Román González
 Nicaragua
42–0–0–0 (36)
September 5, 2014		 Amnat Ruenroeng
 Thailand
15–0–0–0 (5)
January 22, 2014		 Juan Francisco Estrada
 Mexico
32–2–0–0 (23)
April 6, 2013		 Román González
 Nicaragua
42–0–0–0 (36)
September 5, 2014
Kazuto Ioka
 Japan
17–1–0–0 (10)
April 22, 2015

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

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Ryoichi Taguchi
 Japan
21–2–1–0 (8)
December 31, 2014		 Pedro Guevara
 Mexico
25–1–1–0 (17)
December 30, 2014		 Javier Mendoza
 Mexico
23–2–1–0 (19)
September 20, 2014		 Donnie Nietes
 Philippines
35–1–4–0 (21)
October 8, 2011		 Donnie Nietes
 Philippines
35–1–4–0 (21)
May 10, 2014
Randy Petalcorin
Interim champion
 Philippines
23–1–1–0 (18)
August 26, 2014

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

WBA WBC IBF WBO The Ring
Hekkie Budler
 South Africa
28–1–0–0 (9)
March 1, 2014		 Wanheng Menayothin
 Thailand
37–0–0–0 (12)
November 6, 2014		 Katsunari Takayama
 Japan
29–7–0–1 (11)
December 31, 2014		 vacant vacant
Knockout CP Freshmart
Interim champion
 Thailand
10–0–0–0 (5)
October 1, 2014

See also

References

Specific
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Rules of World Boxing Association" (PDF). World Boxing Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2009.
  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 September 27, 2013. 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 March 2, 2009.
  7. ↑ "World Boxing Association Super Belt winners". World Boxing Association. Retrieved March 2, 2009.
  8. ↑ "World Boxing Council". World Boxing Council. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Rules that have changed the History of Boxing". World Boxing Council. Archived from the original on September 25, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "History of the IBF". International Boxing Federation. December 4, 2000. Archived from the original on December 4, 2000. Retrieved June 6, 2006.
  11. ↑ "WBO logo". World Boxing Organization. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
  12. ↑ "WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests" (PDF). World Boxing Organization. Section 14.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "About The Ring". The Ring. February 14, 2009. Retrieved February 8, 2009.
  14. ↑ Kellerman, Max (January 22, 2004). "Gatti vs. the unknown". ESPN. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
  15. ↑ http://www.stiffjab.com/post/46981204175/espn-highlights-transnational-boxing-rankings-board
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