Championship recognition

1884–1910 Champions were recognized by public acclamation. A champion in that era was a fighter who had a notable win over another fighter and kept winning afterward. Retirements or disputed results could lead to a championship being split among several men for periods of time.

1910–1961

Championship awarding organizations The International Boxing Union (IBU), formed in Paris in 1910. Changed name to European Boxing Union in 1946. It organised world title fights from 1913 to 1963 after which it was incorporated into the World Boxing Council (WBC). The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), formed in 1911 and then again in 1920 after it was originally disbanded in 1917. It organised world title bouts until the early 1970s when it became a member of World Boxing Council (WBC). The National Boxing Association (NBA) formed in the United States in 1921. The Ring magazine, which began awarding titles in 1922. Other bodies including the National Sporting Club in Great Britain and the California State Athletic Commission also awarded world titles. An Australian version of the world title which existed briefly between 1914 and 1916 gained considerable credibility because its holder, Les Darcy, was widely believed to be best boxer in the world in this division.

1961–present

Championship awarding organizations The World Boxing Association (WBA), founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA); it changed its name in 1961 and allowed membership from outside the United States. The World Boxing Council (WBC), founded in 1963. The International Boxing Federation (IBF), founded in 1983. The World Boxing Organization (WBO), founded in 1988.

List of champions Reign Began Reign Ended Champion Recognition1884-07-301891-01-14 Nonpareil DempseyWorld1891-01-141894-09-26 – Vacated Bob FitzsimmonsWorld1896-03-021897-12-17 – Vacated Kid McCoyWorld1897-12-201907-05-28 – Vacated Tommy RyanWorld1907-12-121908-09-07 Stanley KetchelWorld1908-09-071908-11-26 Billy PapkeWorld1908-11-261910-10-15 – Died Stanley KetchelWorld1913-03-51913-10-11 Frank KlausWorld1913-10-111914-04-07 George ChipWorld1914-04-071917-11-14 Al McCoyWorld1917-11-141920-05-06 Mike O'DowdWorld1920-05-061923-08-31 Johnny WilsonWorld1923-08-311926-02-26 Harry GrebWorld1926-02-261926-12-03 Tiger FlowersWorld1926-12-031929-10-29 – Vacated Mickey WalkerWorld1932-01-251932-06-11 Gorilla JonesNBA1932-06-111932-07-04 Marcel ThilNBA1933-01-131933-08-09 Ben JebyNYSAC1933-08-091933-10-30 Lou BrouillardNYSAC1933-10-301934-09-11 Vince DundeeWorld1934-09-111935-09-19 Teddy YaroszWorld1935-09-191936-07-11 Eddie Babe RiskoWorld1936-07-111938-07-26 Freddie SteeleWorld1938-07-261938-11-01 Al HostakNBA1938-11-011939-06-27 Solly KriegerNBA1938-11-181939-10-02 Fred ApostoliNYSAC1939-06-271940-07-19 Al HostakNBA1939-10-021940-05-23 Ceferino GarciaNYSAC1940-05-231941-05-09 Ken OverlinNYSAC1940-07-191947-07-16 Tony ZaleNBA1941-05-091941-10-31 Mark Allen Baker, "Between the Ropes at Madison Square Garden: The History of an Iconic Boxing Ring, 1925-2007", McFarland, 2019, pp.81 Billy SooseNYSAC1941-11-281947-07-16 Tony ZaleNYSAC1947-07-161948-06-10 Rocky Graziano NBA1948-06-101948-09-21 Tony ZaleNBA1948-09-211949-06-16 Marcel Cerdan NBA1949-06-161951-02-14 Jake LaMotta NBA1950-07-121951-02-14 Jake LaMotta NYSAC1951-02-141951-07-10 Sugar Ray RobinsonWorld1951-07-101951-09-12 Randy TurpinWorld1951-09-121952-04-16 – Vacated Sugar Ray RobinsonWorld1953-10-211955-12-09 Bobo OlsonWorld1955-12-091957-01-02 Sugar Ray RobinsonWorld1957-01-021957-05-01 Gene FullmerWorld1957-05-011957-09-23 Sugar Ray RobinsonWorld1957-09-231958-03-25 Carmen BasilioWorld1958-03-251960-01-22 Sugar Ray RobinsonThe Ring Magazine title1959-08-281962-10-23 Gene FullmerNBA1960-01-221961-07-11 Paul PenderThe Ring Magazine title1961-07-111962-04-07 Terry DownesThe Ring Magazine title1962-04-071962-04-07 – Vacated Paul PenderThe Ring Magazine title1962-10-23 1963-12-07 Dick TigerUniversal (WBA/WBC)1963-12-071965-10-21 Joey GiardelloUniversal (WBA/WBC)1965-10-211966-04-25 Dick TigerUniversal (WBA/WBC)1966-04-251967-04-17 Emile GriffithUniversal (WBA/WBC)1967-04-171967-09-29 Nino BenvenutiUniversal (WBA/WBC)1967-09-291968-03-04 Emile Griffith Universal (WBA/WBC)1968-03-041970-11-07 Nino BenvenutiUniversal (WBA/WBC)1970-11-071974-02-09 – Title split Carlos MonzónUniversal (WBA/WBC)1976-06-261977-08-29 – Retired Carlos Monzón Universal (WBA/WBC)1980-09-271987-04-06 – Title split Marvin HaglerUniversal (WBA/WBC/IBF)2004-09-182005-07-16 – Title lost Bernard HopkinsUniversal (WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO)2005-07-162005-10-11 – Title split Jermain TaylorUniversal (WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO) WBC Title inaugurated1963-08-101963-12-07 Dick TigerWBC1963-12-071965-10-21 Joey GiardelloWBC1965-10-211966-04-25 Dick TigerWBC1966-04-251967-04-17 Emile GriffithWBC1967-04-171967-09-29 Nino BenvenutiWBC1967-09-291968-03-04 Emile GriffithWBC1968-03-041970-11-07 Nino BenvenutiWBC1970-11-071974-02-09-Stripped Carlos MonzonWBC1974-05-251976-06-26 Rodrigo ValdezWBC1976-06-261977-08-29-Retired Carlos MonzónWBC1977-11-051978-04-22 Rodrigo ValdezWBC1978-04-221979-06-30 Hugo Pastor CorroWBC1979-06-301980-03-16 Vito AntuofermoWBC1980-03-161980-09-27 Alan MinterWBC1980-09-271987-04-06 Marvelous Marvin Hagler WBC1987-04-061987-05-27-Vacated Sugar Ray LeonardWBC1987-10-291988-06-06 Thomas Hearns WBC1988-06-061989-02-24 Iran Barkley WBC1989-02-241989-12-07-Vacated Roberto Durán WBC1990-11-241993-05-08 Julian JacksonWBC1993-05-081994-05-07-Vacated Gerald McClellanWBC1995-03-171995-08-19 Julian JacksonWBC1995-08-191996-03-16 Quincy Taylor WBC1996-03-161998-05-02 Keith Holmes WBC1998-05-021999-04-24 Hacine CherifiWBC1999-04-242001-04-14 Keith HolmesWBC2001-04-142005-07-16 Bernard HopkinsWBC2005-07-162007-09-29 Jermain Taylor WBC2007-09-292010-04-17 Kelly Pavlik WBC2010-04-172011-01-17-Stripped Sergio MartínezWBC2011-06-042012-09-15 Julio César Chávez Jr.WBC2012-09-152014-06-07 Sergio MartínezWBC2014-06-072015-11-17-Stripped Miguel CottoWBC2015-11-212016-05-18-Vacated Saul AlvarezWBC2016-05-182018-09-15 Gennady GolovkinWBC2018-09-152019-06-27-Elevated to 'Franchise' Champion Saul AlvarezWBC2019-06-272024-05-07 Jermall CharloWBC2024-05-07Present Carlos AdamesWBC WBA Title inaugurated1962-10-231963-12-07 Dick TigerWBA1963-12-071965-10-21 Joey GiardelloWBA1965-10-211966-04-25 Dick TigerWBA1966-04-251967-04-17 Emile GriffithWBA1967-04-171967-09-29 Nino BenvenutiWBA1967-04-171968-03-04 Emile GriffithWBA1968-03-041970-11-04 Nino BenvenutiWBA1970-11-071977-08-29-Retired Carlos MonzonWBA1977-11-051978-04-22 Rodrigo ValdezWBA1978-04-221979-06-30 Hugo Pastor CorroWBA1979-06-301980-03-16 Vito AntuofermoWBA1980-03-161980-09-27 Alan MinterWBA1980-09-271987-Stripped Marvin HaglerWBA1987-10-231989-Stripped Sumbu KalambayWBA 1989-05-101991-04-01-Vacated Mike McCallumWBA 1992-04-221993-10-01 Reggie Johnson WBA 1993-10-011994-08-Vacated John David JacksonWBA 1994-08-121995-12-19 Jorge Fernando CastroWBA 1995-12-191996-06-24 Shinji TakeharaWBA 1996-06-241997-08-23 William JoppyWBA 1997-08-231998-01-31 Julio César GreenWBA 1998-01-312001-05-12 William Joppy WBA 2001-05-122001-09-29 Félix Trinidad WBA 2001-09-292005-07-16 Bernard HopkinsWBA Super Champion 2001-11-172003-12-13-Lost to Super Champion William JoppyWBA Regular Champion2004-05-012006-03-11 Maselino MasoeWBA Regular Champion2005-07-162006-12-14-Stripped Jermain TaylorWBA Super Champion 2006-03-112006-07-15 Felix SturmWBA Regular Champion2006-07-152007-04-28 Javier CastillejoWBA Regular Champion2007-04-282012-09-01 Felix SturmWBA Super Champion2010-10-142014-07-26 Gennady GolovkinWBA Regular Champion/WBA2012-09-012012-11-02-Stripped Daniel GealeWBA Super Champion2014-07-262018-09-15 Gennady GolovkinWBA Super Champion2014-08-092017-03-18-Lost to Super Champion Daniel JacobsWBA Regular Champion2017-05-202017-10-22 Hassan N'Dam N'JikamWBA Regular Champion2017-10-222018-10-20 Ryota MurataWBA Regular Champion2018-10-202019-07-12 Rob BrantWBA Regular Champion2019-07-122021-01-01-Elevated to Super Champion Ryota MurataWBA Regular Champion2018-09-152021-01-01-Vacated Saul AlvarezWBA Super Champion2021-01-052022-04-09 Ryota MurataWBA Super Champion2021-05-012023-03-09 Erislandy LaraWBA Regular Champion2022-04-092023-03-09 Gennady GolovkinWBA Super Champion2023-03-09Present Erislandy LaraWBA IBF Title inaugurated1983-05-271987-04-06-Stripped Marvin HaglerIBF1987-10-101988-07-28 Frank TateIBF1988-07-281991-05-10 Michael NunnIBF1991-05-101993-02-13-Vacated James ToneyIBF1993-05-221994-11-18-Vacated Roy Jones Jr.IBF1995-04-292005-07-16 Bernard HopkinsIBF2005-07-162005-10-11-Vacated Jermain TaylorIBF2005-12-102009-07-12-Vacated Arthur AbrahamIBF2009-09-192011-05-07 Sebastian SylvesterIBF2011-05-072013-08-17 Daniel GealeIBF2013-08-172013-12-07 Darren BarkerIBF2013-12-072014-05-31 Felix SturmIBF2014-05-312014-10-08 Sam SolimanIBF2014-10-082015-02-06-Stripped Jermain TaylorIBF2015-06-202015-10-17 David LemieuxIBF2015-10-172018-06-01-Stripped Gennady GolovkinIBF2018-10-272019-05-04 Daniel JacobsIBF2019-05-042019-08-01-Stripped Saul AlvarezIBF2019-10-052023-02-06-Vacated Gennady GolovkinIBF2023-07-012023-10-14 Vincenzo GualtieriIBF2023-10-142026-03-10-Stripped Janibek AlimkhanulyIBF WBO Title inaugurated1989-04-181990-04-29 Doug DeWittWBO1990-04-291990-11-18 Nigel BennWBO1990-11-181991-06-22-Vacated Chris EubankWBO1991-11-201992-Vacated Gerald McClellanWBO1993-05-191994-05-11 Chris PyattWBO1994-05-111995-03-Vacated Steve CollinsWBO1995-05-191997-06-28-Vacated Lonnie BradleyWBO1997-12-131998-05-12-Vacated Otis GrantWBO1999-01-301999-11-Stripped Bert SchenkWBO1999-111999-11-27 Jason Matthews WBO1999-11-272002-04-06 Armand KrajncWBO2002-04-062003-Retired Harry Simon WBO2003-05-102003-09-13 Hector Javier VelazcoWBO2003-09-132004-06-05 Felix Sturm WBO2004-06-052004-09-18 Oscar De La HoyaWBO2004-09-182005-07-16 Bernard HopkinsWBO2005-07-162007-09-29 Jermain TaylorWBO2007-09-292010-04-17 Kelly PavlikWBO2010-04-172010-06-01-Stripped Sergio MartínezWBO2010-07-312012-08-25-Stripped Dmitry PirogWBO2012-08-252012-10-20 Hassan N'Dam N'JikamWBO2012-10-202014-09-04-Vacated Peter QuillinWBO2014-12-132015-12-19 Andy LeeWBO2015-12-192018-10-11 Billy Joe SaundersWBO2018-10-202022-08-30-Vacated Demetrius AndradeWBO2022-08-302026-07-20-Vacated Janibek AlimkhanulyWBO2026-07-20Present Denzel BentleyWBO

See also List of Australian middleweight boxing champions List of British middleweight boxing champions List of British world boxing champions List of New Zealand middleweight boxing champions World Negro Middleweight Championship World Colored Middleweight Championship

References