World Boxing Union

For the CW Plus television station, see WBU (The CW Plus). For the airport in Colorado, see Boulder Municipal Airport. For the university, see Wayland Baptist University.

The World Boxing Union (WBU) is a boxing sanctioning body. The original WBU was founded in January 1995 by IBF European representative Jon W Robinson. It sanctioned boxing with various promoters worldwide

The WBU had a "golden" period between 1996-2006 when its title contests were often shown live on satellite and terrestrial television. The WBU title during this time could be compared with the early days of the WBO.

Until recently it was fully recognised by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) as a legitimate sanctioning body. WBU titles were particularly well recognised in Europe and Africa. WBU titles have been held by the likes of Ricky Hatton, George Foreman, Thomas Hearns, Baby Jake Matlala, James Toney, Johnny Nelson, Micky Ward and Danny McDermott.

After the death of WBU founder and President Jon W Robinson in 2004, the organisation honoured outstanding contractual fights and sanctioned various contests. The sanctioning body has now been reestablished in the USA after several years of being dormant. On 30 January 2005 the WBU was welcomed back in its birthplace in a WBU International title fight in which George "HitHard" Hillyard captured the crown.

List of WBU heavyweight champions

Name Duration of reign Defenses Notes
United States George Foreman March 29, 1995 – 1997 2 Foreman was recognized as champion after he was stripped of the IBF title
South Africa Corrie Sanders November 15, 1997 – May 20, 2000 3 Defeated Ross Purity
United States Hasim Rahman May 20, 2000 – April 21, 2001 0 Relinquished the title in order to fight Lennox Lewis for the IBF, IBO and WBC titles
United Kingdom Johnny Nelson November 24, 2001 – December 4, 2001 0 Defeated Alexander Vasiliev. Relinquished the title in order to concentrate on defending his WBO Cruiserweight title
Georgia (country) Georgi Kandelaki December 21, 2002 – January 2004 0 Defeated Alexander Vasiliev. Kandelaki either relinquished or was stripped of the title
United Kingdom Matt Skelton February 25, 2005 – January 26, 2009 0 Skelton relinquished the title 0 United Kingdom Ricky Hatton March 26, 2001 – December 11, 2004

Other past WBU champions have include James Toney, Thomas Hearns, Micky Ward, Enzo Maccarinelli, Ricky Hatton, Angel Manfredy and George Scott.

References