Thread: Heavyweight Champ History

(EVERYONE THAT READS THIS SHOULD LEAVE A COOLCLICK)

February 7, 1882 September 7, 1892 John L. Sullivan Universal

Sullivan defeated Paddy Ryan in 1882 to earn initial championship recognition.

September 7, 1892 March 17, 1897 James J. Corbett Universal

March 17, 1897 June 9, 1899 Bob Fitzsimmons Universal

June 9, 1899 May 13, 19051 James J. Jeffries Universal

Jeffries was the first modern champion to relinquish the title, announcing his retirement and declaring that the winner of a match between Marvin Hart and Jack Root would be the next legitimate champion. Jeffries would return to the ring to face Jack Johnson.

July 3, 1905 February 23, 1906 Marvin Hart Universal

February 23, 1906 December 26, 1908 Tommy Burns Universal

December 26, 1908 April 5, 1915 Jack Johnson Universal

April 5, 1915 July 4, 1919 Jess Willard Universal

July 4, 1919 September 23, 1926 Jack Dempsey Universal

September 23, 1926 July 31, 19282 Gene Tunney Universal

Tunney announced his retirement from professional boxing on July 31, 1928, relinquishing the championship.

September 26, 1928 June 12, 1930 Jack Sharkey NBA
Sharkey defeated Tommy Loughran for the vacant NBA championship, but was not universally recognized as champion.

June 12, 1930 June 21, 1932 Max Schmeling Universal
Schmeling defeated NBA champion Jack Sharkey to earn universal recognition as champion.

June 21, 1932 June 29, 1933 Jack Sharkey Universal

June 29, 1933 June 14, 1934 Primo Carnera Universal

June 14, 1934 June 13, 1935 Max Baer Universal

June 13, 1935 June 22, 1937 James J. Braddock Universal

June 22, 1937 March 1, 19492 Joe Louis Universal

June 22, 1949 September 27, 1950 Ezzard Charles NBA

September 27, 1950 July 18, 1951 Ezzard Charles Universal
Charles won the vacant National Boxing Association championship, but was not universally recognized as champion until defeating Joe Louis, the former champion who had come out of retirement.

July 18, 1951 September 23, 1952 Jersey Joe Walcott Universal

September 23, 1952 April 27, 19562 Rocky Marciano Universal

Marciano announced his retirement from professional boxing, relinquishing the championship.

November 30, 1956 June 26, 1959 Floyd Patterson Universal

June 26, 1959 June 20, 1960 Ingemar Johansson Universal

June 20, 1960 September 25, 1962 Floyd Patterson Universal

September 25, 1962 February 25, 1964 Sonny Liston Universal

February 25, 1964 June 19, 1964 Cassius Clay Universal

The WBA withdrew its recognition of Clay (now known as Muhammad Ali) as champion for agreeing to an immediate rematch against Liston, a violation of the organization's rules at the time. The WBC and other organizations continued to recognize him. (See Ali versus Liston.)

June 19, 1964 February 6, 1967 Cassius Clay WBC

March 5, 1965 February 6, 1967 Ernie Terrell WBA

February 6, 1967 April 29, 1967 Muhammad Ali Universal

All sanctioning bodies withdrew recognition of Ali as champion for his refusal to be inducted into the United States Army subsequent to being drafted in early 1967.

March 4, 1968 February 16, 1970 Joe Frazier WBC

April 28, 1968 February 16, 1970 Jimmy Ellis WBA

February 16, 1970 January 22, 1973 Joe Frazier Universal
Initially recognized by the powerful New York state athletic commission and the fledgling World Boxing Council, Frazier was recognized by all sanctioning bodies as champion after defeating Ellis; but universal recognition came only upon defeating Muhammad Ali on March 8, 1971. (See Fight of the Century.)

January 22, 1973 October 30, 1974 George Foreman Universal

October 30, 1974 February 15, 1978 Muhammad Ali Universal

February 15, 1978 March 18, 19783 Leon Spinks Universal

March 18, 1978 September 15, 1978 Leon Spinks WBA

March 18, 1978 June 9, 1978 Ken Norton WBC

June 9, 1978 December 11, 19831 Larry Holmes WBC

Holmes relinquished his WBC title to assume the championship of the newly formed International Boxing Federation.

September 15, 1978 April 27, 19791 Muhammad Ali WBA

Believing his career over, Ali relinquished his WBA title in exchange for a payment from promoter Don King, who was trying to stage a bout between then-WBC champ Larry Holmes and John Tate for the undisputed title. The bout never materialized, and Ali would return to the ring in 1980.

October 20, 1979 March 31, 1980 John Tate WBA

March 31, 1980 December 10, 1982 Mike Weaver WBA

December 10, 1982 September 23, 1983 Michael Dokes WBA

September 23, 1983 December 1, 1984 Gerrie Coetzee WBA

December 11, 1983 September 21, 1985 Larry Holmes IBF

March 9, 1984 August 31, 1984 Tim Witherspoon WBC

August 31, 1984 March 22, 1986 Pinklon Thomas WBC

December 1, 1984 April 29, 1985 Greg Page WBA

April 29, 1985 January 17, 1986 Tony Tubbs WBA

September 21, 1985 February 19, 19873 Michael Spinks IBF

January 17, 1986 December 12, 1986 Tim Witherspoon WBA

March 22, 1986 November 22, 1986 Trevor Berbick WBC

November 22, 1986 March 7, 1987 Mike Tyson WBC

December 12, 1986 March 7, 1987 James 'Bonecrusher' Smith WBA

March 7, 1987 August 1, 1987 Mike Tyson WBA, WBC

May 30, 1987 August 1, 1987 Tony Tucker IBF

August 1, 1987 February 10, 1990 Mike Tyson IBF, WBA & WBC

May 6, 1989 January 11, 1991 Francesco Damiani WBO

Though Damiani defeated Johnny DuPlooy to become the WBO's first Heavyweight champion, Tyson's reign in the division during this period is virtually undisputed.

February 10, 1990 October 25, 1990 James "Buster" Douglas IBF, WBA & WBC

October 25, 1990 November 13, 1992 Evander Holyfield IBF, WBA & WBC

January 11, 1991 December 24, 19913 Ray Mercer WBO

May 15, 1992 February 3, 19933 Michael Moorer WBO

November 13, 1992 December 14, 1992 Riddick Bowe IBF, WBA & WBC

Bowe was stripped of his WBC championship for refusing to fight Lennox Lewis.

December 14, 1992 November 6, 1993 Riddick Bowe IBF & WBA

December 14, 1992 September 24, 1994 Lennox Lewis WBC

Lewis defeated Razor Ruddock on October 31, 1992 in a WBC 'eliminator' fight. When Riddick Bowe's championship recognition was withdrawn by the organization, the WBC immediately awarded Lewis the title.

June 7, 1993 October 29, 1993 Tommy Morrison WBO

October 29, 1993 March 19, 1994 Michael Bentt WBO

November 6, 1993 April 22, 1994 Evander Holyfield IBF & WBA

March 19, 1994 March 11, 1995 Herbie Hide WBO

April 22, 1994 November 5, 1994 Michael Moorer IBF & WBA

September 24, 1994 September 2, 1995 Oliver McCall WBC

November 5, 1994 March 4, 19953 George Foreman IBF & WBA

The World Boxing Association withdrew its recognition of Foreman, but Foreman retained IBF championship recognition until it too was withdrawn.

March 4, 1995 June 28, 19953 George Foreman IBF

March 11, 1995 May 1, 19961 Riddick Bowe WBO

April 8, 1995 September 7, 1996 Bruce Seldon WBA

September 2, 1995 March 16, 1996 Frank Bruno WBC

December 9, 1995 September 7, 19963 Francois Botha IBF

A drug test following Botha's victory over Axel Schulz for the IBF title vacated by George Foreman revealed that he had used illegal anabolic steroids. Upon the discovery the IBF "vacated" its championship. The organization has subsequently erased the episode from its own written history, not listing Botha among its recognized champions.

March 16, 1996 September 7, 1996 Mike Tyson WBC

June 22, 1996 November 8, 1997 Michael Moorer IBF

June 29, 1996 February 17, 19971 Henry Akinwande WBO

Akinwande had been ranked the WBC's #2 contender when he won the WBO title. The WBC, which has feuded with the WBO since the latter's founding in 1988, dropped Akinwande from its rankings altogether. Akinwande subsequently relinquished his WBO title in exchange for the opportunity to meet Lennox Lewis in a bout for the WBC championship.

September 7, 1996 September 24, 19961 Mike Tyson WBA & WBC

September 24, 1996 November 9, 1996 Mike Tyson WBA

November 9, 1996 November 8, 1997 Evander Holyfield WBA

February 7, 1997 November 13, 1999 Lennox Lewis WBC

June 28, 1997 June 26, 1999 Herbie Hide WBO

November 8, 1997 November 13, 1999 Evander Holyfield IBF & WBA

June 26, 1999 April 1, 2000 Vitali Klitschko WBO

November 13, 1999 April 29, 20003 Lennox Lewis IBF, WBA & WBC
In early 2000 the World Boxing Association and Lewis were sued by representatives of John Ruiz claiming that they had reneged on an agreement by which Ruiz would have fought Lewis for the WBA title. A New Jersey court ruled in favor of Ruiz, and ordered Lewis to either have his next bout against Ruiz or relinquish the title. Lewis elected instead to fight contender Michael Grant, relinquishing his WBA title on the day of the match.

April 1, 2000 October 14, 2000 Chris Byrd WBO

April 29, 2000 April 22, 2001 Lennox Lewis IBF & WBC

August 12, 2000 March 3, 2001 Evander Holyfield WBA

October 14, 2000 March 8, 2003 Wladimir Klitschko WBO

March 3, 2001 March 1, 2003 John Ruiz WBA

April 22, 2001 November 17, 2001 Hasim Rahman IBF & WBC

November 17, 2001 September 5, 20021 Lennox Lewis IBF & WBC

Lewis relinquished the IBF title upon receiving payment of $1 million (US) by promoter Don King, who wished to stage a bout between Chris Byrd and Evander Holyfield for the vacant title.

September 5, 2002 February 6, 20042 Lennox Lewis WBC

December 14, 2002 April 22, 2006 Chris Byrd IBF

March 1, 2003 February 20, 20041 Roy Jones Jr. WBA

March 8, 2003 October 9, 20031 Corrie Sanders WBO

February 20, 2004 April 30, 2005 John Ruiz WBA

Ruiz beat Hasim Rahman on December 13, 2003 to become the WBA's "interim" champion. He was awarded the championship following Roy Jones, Jr.'s announcement that he was relinquishing it to concentrate on lower weight divisions.

April 10, 2004 April 1, 2006 Lamon Brewster WBO

April 24, 2004 November 9, 20052 Vitali Klitschko WBC

April 30, 2005 May 17, 2005 James Toney WBA

On May 10, 2005, a drug test following Toney's victory over John Ruiz for the WBA title revealed that he had used products containing nandrolone, an anabolic steroid. Toney's victory was changed to a 'no contest' by New York state athletic commission. On May 17, 2005, the WBA advised Toney that it was "vacating (his) title", whereupon it was restored to John Ruiz.

May 17, 2005 December 17, 2005 John Ruiz WBA

November 9, 2005 present Hasim Rahman WBC

Rahman defeated Monte Barrett on August 13, 2005 to become the WBC's "interim" champion. He was awarded the championship following Vitali Klitschko's announcement that he was retiring due to injury.

December 17, 2005 present Nikolay Valuev WBA

April 1, 2006 present Sergei Liakhovich WBO

April 22, 2006 present Wladimir Klitschko IBF

Impressive, but in my mind, nothing matters except lineal (including guys like Marciano, Holmes, etc. who clearly picked up where the previous champ left off) and starting with Lennox Lewis, Ring Magazine championships. The alphabet soup groups are so corrupt and their strippings of titles so despicable that their trinkets should not be given credence.

This is a trip, my grandpa was JUST asking me today at lunch if I could send him a title history. Click.

Hey, guys. I don't see my coolclicks.

Originally Posted by TheDukeof74

Thanks, Dukey.

lol Lyles hat icon


anyway cc it looks pretty official the way its put together

.....you ain't gettin a cool click from me!

(nice post though)

My favorite champ on that list was Michael Benntt

Have a cool click and Lyle is just pissed he didnt post this info 1st LOL!!!!

nice work, drgoodlooking

I think we are gonna be waiting a little longer for a unified champ...might not happen in my lifetime, but im still hoping!

Originally Posted by drgoodlooking

February 7, 1882 September 7, 1892 John L. Sullivan Universal

Sullivan defeated Paddy Ryan in 1882 to earn initial championship recognition.

Intresting piece [click]

But I and many boxing historians would disagree with the start.

Most work on the theory Corbett/Sullivan was the first fight for The Queensberry Rules Heavyweight Championship, thus Corbett was the first champ; Sullivan being London Prize Rules World Heavyweight Champion, and until fighting Corbett, having never had A Queensberry Rules fight before (Although he did have a number of London Prize Rule fights with gloves.).

But personally I believe Peter Jackson was the first Queensberry Rules Heavyweight Champion. He claimed the title with a 19 round victory over George Godfrey in 1888. A claim that predates Corbett's by four years, and he had a 61 round draw with Gentleman Jim in 1891 to strengthen his claim.

Lineage wise, Jackson would lose his belt to James J Jeffries in 1898. Jeffries beat Bob Fitzsimmons in 1899, Fitzsimmons having beaten Corbett in 1897. And Jeffries would beat Corbett in 1900 and 1903.