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Heavyweight Championship History
Title Holder |
Tenure |
Status |
Defences |
Birthplace |
| Wladimir Klitschko | 2011- | IBF-WBO-WBA | 0 | Ukraine |
| David Haye | 2009-2011 | WBA | 2 | England |
| David Haye becomes the first British heavyweight champion since the retirement of Lennox Lewis in 2003. | ||||
| Ruslan Chagaev | 2009 | WBA | 0 | Uzbekistan |
| Wladimir Klitschko | 2008-2011 | IBF-WBO | 5 | Ukraine |
| Vitali Klitschko | 2008- | WBC | 7 | Russia |
| Vitali Klitschko retired in 2004 and was awarded Emeritus status by the WBC, upon his return Klitschko captured his old title. | ||||
| Nikolai Valuev | 2008-2009 | WBA | 1 | Russia |
| Samuel Peter | 2008 | WBC | 1 | Nigeria |
| Ruslan Chagaev | 2007-2008 | WBA | 1 | Uzbekistan |
| Sultan Ibragimov | 2007-2008 | WBO | 1 | Russia |
| Wladimir Klitschko | 2006-2008 | IBF | 4 | Ukraine |
| Oleg Maskaev | 2006-2008 | WBC | 1 | Russia |
| Shannon Briggs | 2006-2007 | WBO | 0 | USA |
| Sergi Lyakhovich | 2006 | WBO | 0 | Belarus |
| Nikolai Valuev | 2005-2007 | WBA | 3 | Russia |
| Hasim Rahman | 2005-2006 | WBC | 1 | USA |
| James Toney | 2005 | WBA | 0 | USA |
| John Ruiz | 2005 | WBA | 0 | Puerto Rico |
| Lamon Brewster | 2004-2006 | WBO | 3 | USA |
| John Ruiz | 2004-2005 | WBA | 2 | USA |
| Vitali Klitschko | 2004-2005 | WBC | 1 | Ukraine |
| Roy Jones Jnr | 2003 | WBA | 0 | USA |
| Roy Jones made history in becoming the first Heavyweight Champion who turned professional in the Junior Middleweight division. Jones was only the second man to have captured titles in the Middleweight and Heavyweight division, the first being Bob Fitzsimmons a centaury before Jones. | ||||
| Corrie Sanders | 2003 | WBO | 0 | South Africa |
| Chris Byrd | 2002-2006 | IBF | 4 | USA |
| Lennox Lewis | 2001-2004 | WBC | 2 | England |
| John Ruiz | 2001-2003 | WBA | 2 | Puerto Rico |
| Lennox Lewis | 2001-2002 | WBC-IBF | 2 | England |
| Hasim Rahman | 2001 | WBC-IBF | 0 | USA |
| Wladimir Klitschko | 2000-2003 | WBO | 5 | Ukraine |
| Chris Byrd | 2000 | WBO | 0 | USA |
| Lennox Lewis | 1999-2001 | WBC-IBF | 4 | England |
| Vitali Klitschko | 1999-2000 | WBO | 2 | Ukraine |
| Lennox Lewis | 1997-1999 | WBC | 4 | England |
| Herbie Hide | 1997-1999 | WBO | 2 | England |
| Evander Holyfield | 1997-1999 | IBF-WBA | 1 | USA |
| Michael Moorer | 1996-1997 | IBF | 2 | USA |
| Henry Akinwande | 1996-1997 | WBO | 2 | England |
| Akinwande relinquished title to Challenge Lewis for the WBC title. | ||||
| Evander Holyfield | 1996-1997 | WBA | 1 | USA |
| Mike Tyson | 1996 | WBC | 0 | USA |
| Tyson relinquished title for failing to defend against mandatory. | ||||
| Mike Tyson | 1996 | WBA | 0 | USA |
| Riddick Bowe | 1995-1996 | WBO | 1 | USA |
| Riddick Bowe vacated the title. | ||||
| Bruce Seldon | 1995-1996 | WBA | 1 | USA |
| Frank Bruno | 1995-1996 | WBC | 0 | England |
| Frans Botha | 1995-1996 | IBF | 0 | S.Africa |
| Botha was stripped of title for failing a drugs test after a bout. | ||||
| George Foreman | 1995 | IBF | 1 | USA |
| George Foreman vacated title. | ||||
| Herbie Hide | 1994-1995 | WBO | 0 | England |
| Oliver McCall | 1994-1995 | WBC | 1 | USA |
| George Foreman | 1994-1995 | WBA-IBF | 0 | USA |
| George Foreman regained the title he lost 20 years earlier and became the oldest heavyweight champion at the age of 45. WBA stripped Foreman for failing to defend against mandatory. |
||||
| Michael Moorer | 1994 | WBA-IBF | 0 | USA |
| Michael Bentt | 1993-1994 | WBO | 0 | USA |
| Evander Holyfield | 1993-1994 | WBA-IBF | 0 | USA |
| Tommy Morrison | 1993 | WBO | 0 | USA |
| Lennox Lewis | 1992-1994 | WBC | 3 | Engalnd |
| Michael Moorer | 1992-1993 | WBO | 0 | USA |
| Moorer relinquished title to challenge for WBA and IBF versions. | ||||
| Riddick Bowe | 1992-1993 | IBF-WBA | 2 | USA |
| Riddick Bowe | 1992 | IBF-WBA-WBC | 0 | USA |
| Bowe relinquished the WBC title. | ||||
| Ray Mercer | 1991-1992 | WBO | 1 | USA |
| Mercer was stripped of title for failing to defend against mandatory. | ||||
| Evander Holyfield | 1990-1992 | IBF-WBA-WBC | 3 | USA |
| James Douglas | 1990 | IBF-WBA-WBC | 0 | USA |
| Francesco Damiani | 1989-1991 | WBO | 1 | Italy |
| Mike Tyson | 1989-1990 | IBF-WBA-WBC | 1 | USA |
| Newly formed WBO failed to recognise Mike Tyson as champion splitting unity in the division | ||||
| Mike Tyson | 1987-1989 | Undisputed | 6 | USA |
| Mike Tyson unifies the heavyweight division for the first time since Joe Frazier 17 years earlier. | ||||
| Mike Tyson | 1987 | WBA-WBC | 2 | USA |
| Mike Tyson unifies the division and becomes undisputed champion. | ||||
| Tony Tucker | 1987 | IBF | 0 | USA |
| Mike Tyson | 1986-1987 | WBC | 1 | USA |
| In winning the title, Mike Tyson became the youngest World heavyweight champion in history at 20 years and 4 months, a record previously held by Floyd Patterson. |
||||
| James Smith | 1986-1987 | WBA | 0 | USA |
| Tim Witherspoon | 1986 | WBA | 1 | USA |
| Trevor Berbick | 1986 | WBC | 0 | Jamaica |
| Michael Spinks | 1985-1987 | IBF | 2 | USA |
| Spinks was stripped of title for failing to defend against mandatory. | ||||
| Tony Tubbs | 1985-1986 | WBA | 0 | USA |
| Pinklon Thomas | 1984-1986 | WBC | 1 | USA |
| Greg Page | 1984-1985 | WBA | 0 | USA |
| Tim Witherspoon | 1984 | WBC | 0 | USA |
| Larry Holmes | 1983-1985 | IBF | 2 | USA |
| Gerrie Coetzee | 1983-1984 | WBA | 0 | S.Africa |
| Michael Dokes | 1982-1983 | WBA | 1 | USA |
| Mike Weaver | 1980-1982 | WBA | 2 | USA |
| John Tate | 1979-1980 | WBA | 0 | USA |
| Larry Holmes | 1978-1983 | WBC | 16 | USA |
| Holmes relinquished title after being recognised by IBF as Champion. | ||||
| Muhammad Ali | 1978-1979 | WBA | 0 | USA |
| Muhammad Ali avenges his loss to Spinks seven months earlier and becomes the first heavyweight to regain the championship on three occasions. Ali announces retirement and the WBA title was declared vacant. |
||||
| Leon Spinks | 1978 | Undisputed | 0 | USA |
| The WBC stripped Leon Spinks of the title for failing to defend against Ken Norton. | ||||
| Muhammad Ali | 1974-1978 | Undisputed | 10 | USA |
| George Foreman | 1973-1974 | Undisputed | 2 | USA |
| Joe Frazier | 1970-1973 | Undisputed | 4 | USA |
| Joe Frazier beats Ellis to unify the division. | ||||
| Joe Frazier | 1968-1970 | NY | 5 | USA |
| Jimmy Ellis | 1968-1970 | WBA | 1 | USA |
| Muhammad Ali | 1967 | Undisputed | 1 | USA |
| Ali was stripped of his titles and refused a licence to box for his refusal to enrol into the US army. Ali refused due to his religious beliefs and the organizations robbed the World of a true great while in his prime. |
||||
| Ernie Terrell | 1965-1967 | WBC | 8 | USA |
| Cassius Clay | 1964 | Undisputed | 0 | USA |
| Cassius Clay announced he would henceforth be known as Muhammad Ali. WBA stripped Clay who went on to be recognised as Muhammad Ali. | ||||
| Floyd Patterson | 1960-1962 | Undisputed | 2 | USA |
| Patterson becomes first to re-capture the heavyweight title. | ||||
| Ingemar Johansson | 1959-1960 | Undisputed | 0 | Sweden |
| Floyd Patterson | 1956-1959 | Undisputed | 4 | USA |
| Floyd Patterson beats Archie Moore for the vacent title. Patterson became the youngest World heavyweight champion in history at 21 years and 10 months. |
||||
| Rocky Marciano | 1952-1955 | Undisputed | 6 | USA |
| Marciano retired as undefeated Heavyweight Champion. | ||||
| Jersey Joe Walcot | 1951-1952 | Undisputed | 1 | USA |
| Ezzard Charles | 1950-1951 | Undisputed | 4 | USA |
| Charles unifies the titles. | ||||
| Ezzard Charles | 1949-1950 | World | 4 | USA |
| Ezzard Charles beat Jersey Joe Walcott for the vacent title. | ||||
| Joe Louis | 1937-1949 | World | 25 | USA |
| Joe Louis announced retirement after 25 successful defences. | ||||
| James J. Braddock | 1935-1937 | World | 0 | USA |
| Max Baer | 1934-1935 | World | 0 | USA |
| Primo Carnera | 1933-1934 | World | 2 | Italy |
| Jack Sharkey | 1932-1933 | World | 0 | USA |
| Max Schmeling | 1930-1932 | World | 1 | Germany |
| Gene Tunney | 1926-1928 | World | 2 | USA |
| Tunney announced retirement. | ||||
| Jack Dempsey | 1919-1926 | World | 5 | USA |
| Jess Willard | 1915-1919 | World | 1 | USA |
| Willard also beat Sailor Burke in a non-title fight. | ||||
| Jack Johnson | 1908-1915 | World | 5 | USA |
| Johnson also fought Kaufmann and Ross in non-title bouts. | ||||
| Tommy Burns | 1906-1908 | World | 11 | Canada |
| Marvin Hart | 1905-1906 | World | 0 | USA |
| James J. Jeffries | 1899-1904 | 7 | USA | |
| Jeffries announced retirement. | ||||
| Bob Fitzsimmons | 1897-1899 | 0 | England | |
| James J. Corbett | 1892-1897 | 1 | USA | |
| John L. Sullivan | 1889-1892 | 0 | USA | |
| Bold ( Indicates Current Holder) - Bold (Indicates Undisputed) | ||||
Last Updated on Thursday, 21 July 2011 17:55
