Heavyweight Boxing championship records and statistics - wikipedia Heavyweight Boxing championship records and statistics At the beginnings of boxing, the heavyweight division had no weight limit and the category historically has been vaguely defined. In the 19th century, for example, many heavyweight champions weighed 170 pounds ( 12 st 2 lb, 77 kg ) or less ( although others weighed 200 pounds ). The first heavyweight champion under the Marquess of Queensberry rules was John L. Sullivan, known as `` The Boston Strong Boy ''. He weighed around 200 pounds when in shape and was a bare - knuckle champion. He was defeated by Jim Corbett on September 7, 1892, in 21 rounds. In 1920, the minimum weight for a heavyweight was set at 175 pounds ( 12 st 7 lb, 79 kg ), which today is the light heavyweight division maximum. Since 1980, for most boxing organizations, the maximum weight for a cruiserweight has been 200 pounds. Boxers who weigh 200 pounds and over ( 14 st 3 lb, 90 kg ) are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations : the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing Organization. Since the 1960s, the heavyweight title has become fractured amongst various sanctioning organizations, and so what was once known as the single `` Heavyweight Champion '', is now referred to as the `` Undisputed Champion '' as the one fighter that has defeated all the other titlists. However, there is no officially declared definition of the term, as major boxing organizations refer to all boxers holding at least two world titles in their respective division as Unified champions. Some title reigns are not recognized as official reigns due to long periods of inactivity, legitimacy of title, false billing and promotion. In March 1967, Muhammad Ali was systematically denied a boxing license in every state and stripped of his passport because of his refusal to be inducted into the armed forces. He was stripped of WBC and WBA titles but remained The Ring and lineal boxing champion, despite not having a boxing match until October 1970. In 2005, Ukrainian boxer Vitali Klitschko retired as WBC Champion. Following his retirement, the WBC conferred `` champion emeritus '' status on Klitschko, and assured him he would become the mandatory challenger if and when he decided to return. On August 3, 2008 the WBC awarded Klitschko a chance to regain his WBC Heavyweight title against then - champion Samuel Peter. Vitali regained the title after Peter asked the bout be stopped after the eighth round. Contents 1 Championship recognition 1.1 1884 -- 1910 1.2 Sanctioning organizations : 1910 -- present 2 Highest avg. of wins & beaten opponents in title fights 2.1 Highest avg. -- The Ring / lineal champions & main contenders 2.2 Most opponents beaten in title bouts 2.3 Most wins in title bouts 3 Highest avg. of consecutive title defenses & beaten opponents 3.1 Most opponents beaten consecutively in title defenses 3.2 Most consecutive title defenses 4 Longest title reigns 4.1 Combined reigns 4.1. 1 Unofficial long title reigns 4.2 Individual reigns 4.2. 1 Unofficial long reigns 5 Title fight wins and streaks by era 5.1 Before 1921 5.2 Era of sanctioning bodies 5.3 Post-war era 5.4 Worldwide expansion 5.4. 1 Title fight wins, beaten opponents and avg. 5.4. 2 Consecutive title defenses, beaten opponents and avg. 5.4. 3 Most wins in unified title fights 5.4. 4 Most consecutive unified title defenses 6 Title fight wins and streaks by non-US nationality 6.1 Title fight wins & beaten opponents 6.2 Title streaks 7 Title fight finishes 7.1 Quickest stoppages in title fights 7.2 Most title fight stoppages 8 Champions by age 8.1 Oldest champions 8.2 Youngest champions 9 See also 10 References 11 External links Championship recognition All champions ( as od Oct. 2018 ) 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. With only minor exceptions, the heavyweight division remained free from dual title - holders until the 1960s. For an early example, see the 1896 World Heavyweight Championship. Sanctioning organizations : 1910 -- present Gradually, the role of recognizing champions in the division evolved into a more formal affair, with public acclamation being supplemented ( or in some cases, contradicted ) by recognition by one or more athletic commissions, sanctioning organizations, or a combination of them. The most notable examples with respect to the heavyweight division have included : The International Boxing Union ( IBU ), which was formed in Paris in 1910. The organization would become the European Boxing Union in 1946, but would recognize `` world '' champions in various divisions until it subordinated itself in that area to the World Boxing Council. The New York State Athletic Commission ( NYSAC ). A governmental entity initially formed for the purpose of regulating boxing in the State of New York, thanks to New York 's place as the epicenter of boxing from the 1930s through 1950s, the NYSAC expanded its reach to sanctioning championship bouts. This practice continued until, like the IBU, the NYSAC became a member of the World Boxing Council ( WBC ). The National Boxing Association ( NBA ) was organized in 1921. In 1962, the organization was renamed the World Boxing Association ( WBA ). The World Boxing Council ( WBC ) was organized in 1963. The International Boxing Federation ( IBF ), which was founded in 1983 by the members of the United States Boxing Association after the USBA withdrew from membership in the WBA. The World Boxing Organization ( WBO ), which was founded in 1989 by disgruntled members of the World Boxing Council. There are also titles that are n't considered major but play a significant role in legitimizing the heavyweight champion : Lineal championship was considered as the only form of the world championship until 1921. In professional boxing, the lineal champion is informally called `` the man who beat the man '', implying that the only way to win the championship is either to beat the current champion or ( when the title is vacated due to suspension, retirement etc. ) to become the winner of a fight between No. 1 and No. 2 ( ocasionally No. 3 ) ranked contenders. The Ring began awarding championship belts in 1922, stopped giving belts to world champions in the 1990s, then reintroduced their title in 2002, and ignored the current ongoing world championship lineage. Under the original version of the policy, you could win the title by eather defeating the reigning champion or winning a box - off between the magazine 's No. 1 and No. 2 ( ocasionally No. 3 ) ranked contenders. A fighter could not be stripped of the title unless he lost or retired. Since May 2012, under the new policy, The Ring title can be awarded when the No. 1 and No. 2 contenders face each other or when either of them faces No. 3, No. 4 or No. 5 contender. In addition, the title can be taken away by losing the fight, not scheduling a fight for 18 months, not scheduling a fight with a top 5 contender for two years, or retiring. Highest avg of wins & beaten opponents in title fights These lists do not include The Ring and lineal championship fights after 1921, although they only include heavyweight champions that have also captured The Ring or lineal title. Keys : Active title reign Reign has ended Note 1 : WBA ( Regular ) champions are not included Note 2 : WBO heavyweight title bouts before June 1999 are not included Photo Name Reign began - ended Recognition Avg. of wins & OB 1. Wladimir Klitschko October 14, 2000 -- March 8, 2003 April 22, 2006 -- November 28, 2015 WBO IBF, WBO, WBA 24 2. Joe Louis June 22, 1937 -- March 1, 1949 NYSAC, NBA 23.5 3. Muhammad Ali February 25, 1964 -- March 11, 1969 October 30, 1974 -- February 15, 1978 September 15, 1978 -- April 27, 1979 WBA, WBC WBA, WBC WBA 21.5 4. Larry Holmes June 9, 1978 -- September 21, 1985 WBC, IBF 20 5. Lennox Lewis December 14, 1992 -- September 24, 1994 February 7, 1997 -- April 22, 2001 November 17, 2001 -- February 6, 2004 WBC WBC, WBA, IBF WBC, IBF 15 5. Vitali Klitschko June 26, 1999 -- April 1, 2000 April 24, 2004 -- November 9, 2005 October 11, 2008 -- December 15, 2013 WBO WBC WBC 15 7. Mike Tyson November 22, 1986 -- February 11, 1990 March 16, 1996 -- November 9, 1996 WBC, WBA, IBF WBC, WBA 11.5 8. Evander Holyfield October 25, 1990 -- November 13, 1992 November 6, 1993 -- April 22, 1994 November 9, 1996 -- November 13, 1999 August 12, 2000 -- March 3, 2001 WBC, WBA, IBF WBA, IBF WBA, IBF WBA 10.5 9. Tommy Burns February 23, 1906 -- December 26, 1908 Universal 10 9. Joe Frazier March 4, 1968 -- January 22, 1973 NYSAC, WBA, WBC 10 11. Ezzard Charles September 27, 1950 -- July 18, 1951 NBA, NYSAC 8.5 12. Floyd Patterson November 30, 1956 -- June 26, 1959 June 20, 1960 -- September 25, 1962 NYSAC, NBA 7.5 13. Jack Johnson December 26, 1908 -- April 5, 1915 Universal 7 13. James J. Jeffries June 9, 1899 -- May 13, 1905 Universal 7 15. Jack Dempsey July 4, 1919 -- September 23, 1926 Universal - to - NBA and NYSAC 6 15. Rocky Marciano September 23, 1952 -- April 27, 1956 NYSAC, NBA 6 Highest avg. -- The Ring / lineal champions & main contenders The list only includes title reigns during which the champion have won The Ring / lineal championship or was ranked by The Ring as the main contender for The Ring / lineal title ( No 1 with active champion, No 1 / No 2 if both titles are vacant and No 2 if the lineal champion is already ranked No 1 and The Ring title is deactivated ) by the end of the year. As of October 26, 2018. Name Reign began - ended Recognition Avg. of wins & OB 1. Wladimir Klitschko October 14, 2000 -- March 8, 2003 April 22, 2006 -- November 28, 2015 WBO + No 1 contender by The Ring WBA, WBO, IBF + The Ring, lineal 24 2. Joe Louis June 22, 1937 -- March 1, 1949 NYSAC, NBA + The Ring, lineal 23.5 3. Muhammad Ali February 25, 1964 -- March 11, 1969 October 30, 1974 -- February 15, 1978 September 15, 1978 -- April 27, 1979 WBA, WBC + The Ring, lineal WBA, WBC + The Ring, lineal WBA + The Ring, lineal 21.5 4. Larry Holmes June 9, 1978 -- September 21, 1985 WBC, IBF + The Ring, lineal 20 5. Lennox Lewis December 14, 1992 -- September 24, 1994 February 7, 1997 -- April 22, 2001 November 17, 2001 -- February 6, 2004 WBC + No 2 heavyweight by The Ring WBC, WBA, IBF + The Ring, lineal WBC, IBF + The Ring, lineal 15 6. Vitali Klitschko April 24, 2004 -- November 9, 2005 October 11, 2008 -- December 15, 2013 WBC + The Ring WBC + No 1 contender by The Ring 12 7. Mike Tyson November 22, 1986 -- February 11, 1990 WBC, WBA, IBF + lineal 10 7. Tommy Burns February 23, 1906 -- December 26, 1908 lineal 10 7. Joe Frazier March 4, 1968 -- January 22, 1973 NYSAC, WBA, WBC + The Ring, lineal 10 10. Evander Holyfield October 25, 1990 -- November 13, 1992 November 6, 1993 -- April 22, 1994 November 9, 1996 -- November 13, 1999 WBC, WBA, IBF + lineal WBA, IBF + lineal WBA, IBF + No 1 heavyweight by The Ring 9.5 11. Ezzard Charles September 27, 1950 -- July 18, 1951 NBA, NYSAC + The Ring, lineal 8.5 12. Floyd Patterson November 30, 1956 -- June 26, 1959 June 20, 1960 -- September 25, 1962 NYSAC, NBA + The Ring, lineal 7.5 13. Jack Johnson December 26, 1908 -- April 5, 1915 lineal 7 13. James J. Jeffries June 9, 1899 -- May 13, 1905 lineal 7 15. Jack Dempsey July 4, 1919 -- September 23, 1926 lineal - to - NBA and NYSAC 6 15. Rocky Marciano September 23, 1952 -- April 27, 1956 NYSAC, NBA + The Ring, lineal 6 Most opponents beaten in title bouts As of October 26, 2018. Name Opponents beaten 1. Wladimir Klitschko 23 2. Joe Louis 21 2. Muhammad Ali 21 4. Larry Holmes 20 5. Lennox Lewis 15 5. Vitali Klitschko 15 7. Mike Tyson 11 8. Tommy Burns 10 8. Evander Holyfield 10 8. Joe Frazier 10 11. Ezzard Charles 8 12. Jack Johnson 7 12. Floyd Patterson 7 14. Jack Dempsey 6 14. James J. Jeffries 6 Most wins in title bouts As of October 26, 2018. Name Title bout wins 1. Joe Louis 26 2. Wladimir Klitschko 25 3. Muhammad Ali 22 4. Larry Holmes 20 5. Lennox Lewis 15 5. Vitali Klitschko 15 7. Mike Tyson 12 8. Tommy Burns 11 8. Evander Holyfield 11 10. Joe Frazier 10 11. Ezzard Charles 9 12. Floyd Patterson 8 12. James J. Jeffries 8 14. Jack Johnson 7 14. Jack Dempsey 7 14. Rocky Marciano 7 Highest avg of consecutive title defenses & beaten opponents These lists do not include The Ring and lineal championship fights after 1921, although they only include title streaks during which the champion captured The Ring or lineal title. Keys : Active title reign Reign has ended Note 1 : WBA ( Regular ) champions are not included Note 2 : WBO heavyweight title bouts before June 1999 are not included Photo Name Reign began - ended Recognition avg. of defenses & OB 1. Joe Louis June 22, 1937 -- March 1, 1949 NYSAC, NBA 22.5 2. Larry Holmes June 9, 1978 -- September 21, 1985 WBC, IBF 19 3. Wladimir Klitschko April 22, 2006 -- November 28, 2015 IBF, WBO, WBA 17.5 4. Tommy Burns February 23, 1906 -- December 26, 1908 Universal 10 4. Muhammad Ali October 30, 1974 -- February 15, 1978 WBA, WBC 10 6. Mike Tyson November 22, 1986 -- February 11, 1990 WBC, WBA, IBF 9 6. Joe Frazier March 4, 1968 -- January 22, 1973 NYSAC, WBA, WBC 9 8. Lennox Lewis February 7, 1997 -- April 22, 2001 WBC, WBA, IBF 8.5 9. Jack Johnson December 26, 1908 -- April 5, 1915 Universal 8 9. Ezzard Charles September 27, 1950 -- July 18, 1951 NBA, NYSAC 8 11. James J. Jeffries June 9, 1899 -- May 13, 1905 Universal 6.5 12. Rocky Marciano September 23, 1952 -- April 27, 1956 NYSAC, NBA 5.5 13. Jack Dempsey July 4, 1919 -- September 23, 1926 Universal - to - NBA and NYSAC 5 13. John L. Sullivan August 29, 1885 -- September 7, 1892 Universal 5 Most opponents beaten consecutively in title defenses As of October 26, 2018. Name Opponents beaten 1. Joe Louis 20 2. Larry Holmes 19 3. Wladimir Klitschko 17 4. Muhammad Ali 10 5. Mike Tyson 9 5. Tommy Burns 9 5. Joe Frazier 9 8. Jack Johnson 8 8. Lennox Lewis 8 8. Ezzard Charles 8 11. James J. Jeffries 6 12. Rocky Marciano 5 13. Jack Dempsey 5 13. John L. Sullivan 5 Most consecutive title defenses As of October 26, 2018. Name Title defenses 1. Joe Louis 25 2. Larry Holmes 19 3. Wladimir Klitschko 18 4. Tommy Burns 11 5. Muhammad Ali 10 6. Joe Frazier 9 6. Mike Tyson 9 6. Lennox Lewis 9 9. Jack Johnson 8 9. Ezzard Charles 8 11. James J. Jeffries 7 12. Rocky Marciano 6 13. Jack Dempsey 5 13. John L. Sullivan 5 Longest title reigns Keys : Active Title Reign Reign has ended Note 1 : WBA ( Regular ) champions are not included Note 2 : WBO heavyweight title bouts before June 1999 are not included Combined reigns As of 24 September 2018. This list includes only major titles, and it does not include lineal championships after 1921. Name Combined reign Days as champion Number of reigns Title recognition 1. Wladimir Klitschko 12 years, 0 months, 0 days 4 382 IBF, WBA, WBO 2. Joe Louis 11 years, 8 months, 8 days 4 270 NYSAC, NBA 3. Muhammad Ali 9 years, 5 months, 5 days 3 443 NYSAC, WBC, WBA 4. Lennox Lewis 8 years, 5 months, 13 days 3 086 WBC, IBF, WBA 5. Vitali Klitschko 7 years, 5 months, 28 days 2 735 WBO, WBC 6. Larry Holmes 7 years, 3 months, 12 days 2 661 WBC, IBF 7. Jack Dempsey 7 years, 2 months, 19 days 2 638 NYSAC, NBA 8. John L. Sullivan 7 years, 0 months, 10 days 2 566 Universal 9. Jack Johnson 6 years, 3 months, 11 days 2 292 Universal 10. Evander Holyfield 6 years, 1 month, 1 day 2 223 WBA, WBC, IBF 11. James J. Jeffries 5 years, 11 months, 4 days 2 156 Universal 12. Joe Frazier 4 years, 10 months, 18 days 1 785 NYSAC, WBA, WBC 13. Floyd Patterson 4 years, 10 months, 0 days 1 765 NYSAC, NBA 14. James J. Corbett 4 years, 6 months, 10 days 1 652 Universal 15. Jess Willard 4 years, 2 months, 29 days 1 551 Universal 16. Chris Byrd 3 years, 10 months, 22 days 1 421 IBF, WBO 17. Mike Tyson 3 years, 10 months, 16 days 1 415 WBA, WBC, IBF 18. John Ruiz 3 years, 9 months, 21 days 1 390 WBA 19. Deontay Wilder 3 years, 8 months, 7 days 1 346 WBC 20. Rocky Marciano 3 years, 7 months, 5 days 1 312 NYSAC, NBA Vitali Klitschko ( right ) retired as champion in 2005. Following his retirement, the WBC conferred `` champion emeritus '' status on Klitschko, and assured him he would become the mandatory challenger if and when he decided to return Unofficial long title reigns Name Combined reign Days as champion Number of reigns Title recognition N / A Vitali Klitschko 10 years, 4 months, 29 days 3 802 WBO, Full WBC - to - WBC Emeritus - to - Full WBC ( + The Ring vacated ) N / A Muhammad Ali 10 years, 1 month, 16 days 3 689 The Ring / + lineal ( + WBA, + WBC ) Individual reigns Below is a list of longest reigning heavyweight champions in boxing measured by the individual 's longest reign. The list includes both The Ring and lineal championships. Career total time as champion ( for multiple time champions ) does not apply. Name Title Reign Title Recognition 1. Joe Louis 11 years, 8 months, 8 days Universal 2. Wladimir Klitschko 9 years, 7 months and 6 days IBF ( + WBA, WBO, The Ring ) 3. Larry Holmes 7 years, 3 months, 12 days WBC - to - IBF ( + The Ring / Lineal ) 4. Jack Dempsey 7 years, 2 months, 19 days Universal 5. John L. Sullivan 7 years, 0 months, 9 days Universal 6. Jack Johnson 6 years, 3 months, 10 days Universal 7. Muhammad Ali 5 years, 11 months, 9 days The Ring / Lineal, ( + WBA, WBC stripped ) 8. James J. Jeffries 5 years, 11 months, 4 days Universal 9. Vitali Klitschko 5 years, 2 months, 4 days WBC 10. Joe Frazier 4 years, 10 months, 18 days NYSAC ( + WBA, WBC ) 11. James J. Corbett 4 years, 6 months, 10 days Universal 12. Jess Willard 4 years, 2 months, 29 days Universal 13. Lennox Lewis 4 years, 2 months, 15 days WBC ( + IBF, WBA stripped, The Ring / Lineal ) 14. Rocky Marciano 3 years, 11 months, 29 days Universal 15. Deontay Wilder 3 years, 8 months, 5 days WBC 16. Chris Byrd 3 years, 4 months, 8 days IBF 17. Mike Tyson 3 years, 2 months, 20 days WBC ( + WBA, IBF, The Ring / Lineal ) 18. George Foreman 3 years, 0 months, 17 days Lineal ( + WBA, IBF stripped ) 19. Evander Holyfield 3 years, 0 months, 4 days WBA ( + IBF ) 20. Tommy Burns 2 years, 10 months, 3 days Universal Unofficial long reigns Name Title reign Title recognition N / A Vitali Klitschko 9 years, 7 months, 22 days Full WBC - to - WBC Emeritus - to - Full WBC ( + The Ring vacated ) N / A Muhammad Ali 7 years, 0 months, 11 days The Ring / + lineal ( + WBA, + WBC ) N / A James Toney 4 Years, 5 months, 14 days IBA / IBU N / A Brian Nielsen 3 years, 7 months, 20 days IBO Title fight wins and streaks by era Before 1921 At the very beginnings, before the establishment of the sanctioning organizations, the title recognition passed through lineage in the fights under Marquess of Queensberry Rules. The champion was informally called `` the man who beat the man ''. The fight between John L. Sullivan and Dominick McCaffrey is recognized by many boxing historians, including those at The Ring, to be for the inaugural World Heavyweight Championship under the Marquess of Queensberry Rules ( however, some dispute that claim for various reasons, including the short distance of the bout, McCaffrey 's small size and the fact that both fighters were Americans ). The lineage was the only universally recognized form of a world championship until July 2, 1921, when Jack Dempsey became the inaugural NBA Heavyweight Champion. Name Title recognition Title bout wins Beaten opponents Avg. of wins & BO Tommy Burns Universal 11 9 10 Jack Johnson Universal 7 7 7 James J. Jeffries Universal 8 6 Jack Dempsey Universal James J. Corbett Universal Jess Willard Era of sanctioning bodies The growing popularity of boxing led to a birth of various regional sanctioning organizations, with each recognizing their own champion. The major governing bodies were the National Boxing Association, formed in 1921, the New York State Athletic Commission, found after the Walker Law legalized prizefighting in New York in 1920, and the International Boxing Union, created in 1911 in Paris in attepmt create a unified international governing body for professional boxing. Both NBA and NYSAC made then - lineal champion Jack Dempsey their inaugural champion on July 2, 1921, and July 24, 1922, respectively. Name Title recognition Title bout wins Beaten opponents Avg. of wins & BO Joe Louis NYSAC, NBA 26 21 23.5 Jack Dempsey NYSAC, NBA Primo Carnera NYSAC, NBA, IBU Gene Tunney NYSAC, NBA 2.5 Max Schmeling NYSAC, NBA, IBU Sonny Liston NYSAC 1.5 Jersey Joe Walcott NYSAC, NBA Jack Sharkey NYSAC, NBA, IBU Max Baer NYSAC, NBA, IBU James J. Braddock NYSAC, NBA, IBU Post-war era The growing popularity of boxing outside of the USA led to creation of various boxing organizations, each strengthening their influence ( most notably BBBofC ) and having their own champion. This resulted in a growing number of boxers claiming to be legitimate champions. The disruption in boxing was solved after the World War II when the World Championship Committee ( WCC ) was created with NBA as its unanimous authority. The committee, however, was disbanded in 1955 when NBA, along with its new members ( which included the Orient, Mexican and South American federations and boxing commissions of the Philippines and Thailand ) left WCC citing lack of control over the organisation. The NBA 's voting scheme guaranteed one vote for each state commission as well as one vote for each foreign country. On August 23, 1962, the NBA officially became the World Boxing Association and moved their headquarters to Panama City, Panama. Name Title recognition Title bout wins Beaten opponents Avg. of wins & BO Ezzard Charles NBA, NYSAC 9 8 8.5 Floyd Patterson NBA, NYSAC 8 7 7.5 Rocky Marciano NBA, NYSAC 7 5 6 Worldwide expansion A year later NYSAC along with European Boxing Union and BBBofC supported creation of the World Boxing Council. WBC was officially established on February 14, 1963, in Mexico City, Mexico by 11 countries ( the United States, Puerto Rico, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil ) that were invited by the President of Mexico Adolfo López Mateos to form an international organization to unify all commissions of the world to control the expansion of boxing. The reason for the move were concerns about WBA 's alleged lack of desire to support professional boxing outside of the USA. In April 1983, members of United States Boxing Association along with Robert W. Lee ( a former WBA vice-president ) voted to expand the organisation and form the USBA - International. The organization later changed the name to International Boxing Federation. The inaugural IBF Heavyweight Champion was Larry Holmes, who relinquished the WBC title to accept IBF 's recognition, thus helping the newly formed organization to establish its legitimacy. Another major sanctioning body, the World Boxing Organisation, was established in 1988 in San Juan, Puerto - Rico by a group of local businessmen. At the beginnings, when most of the challengers for WBA, WBC and IBF titles were Americans, WBO had a wider variety of countries, mainly European, represented in title bouts. In the inaugural bout, Italian boxer Francesco Damiani defeated Johnny du Plooy from South Africa by KO in the 3rd round. Before the Klitschko Era, United Kingdom tied USA for most wins in WBO Heavyweight title fights with 8. WBO struggled with receiving credibility at first, but by the beginning of the 2000s, the WBA was giving the same recognition to WBO champions as it did to WBC and IBF champions. WBO, WBC, IBF and WBA are all recognized as major boxing organizations by each other and the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Riddick Bowe remains the only heavyweight boxer to win all four world titles ( WBA, WBC and IBF in 1992 -- 93 and WBO in 1995 ), while Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko are the only brothers to hold them at the same time ( from 2011 to 2013 ). Wladimir is the only unified champion to successfully defend the title against one opponent twice ( Tony Thompson in 2008 and 2012 ). Keys : Active title reign Reign has ended Note 1 : WBA ( Regular ) champions are not included Note 2 : The list of most consecutive defenses includes all title reigns of each boxer Note 3 : The names in italics are champions that have n't won The Ring / lineal championship Note 4 : WBO heavyweight title bouts before June 1999 are not included Title fight wins, beaten opponents and avg. Name Title recognition Title fight wins BO Avg. of wins & BO Wladimir Klitschko WBA, WBO, IBF 25 23 24 Muhammad Ali WBA, WBC 22 21 21.5 Larry Holmes WBC, IBF 20 20 20 Lennox Lewis WBA, WBC, IBF 15 15 15 Vitali Klitschko WBC, WBO Mike Tyson WBA, WBC, IBF 12 11 11.5 Evander Holyfield WBA, WBC, IBF 11 10 10.5 Deontay Wilder WBC 8 7 7.5 Anthony Joshua WBA, WBO, IBF 7 7 7 Nikolai Valuev WBA 6 5 5.5 George Foreman WBA, WBC, IBF 5 5 5 Chris Byrd WBO, IBF Joe Frazier WBA, WBC John Ruiz WBA Michael Moorer WBA, IBF Lamon Brewster WBO Consecutive title defenses, beaten opponents and avg. Name Order of title reign Title recognition Title defenses BO Avg. of defenses & BO Larry Holmes 1st WBC - to - IBF 19 19 19 Wladimir Klitschko 2nd WBA, WBO, IBF 18 17 17.5 Muhammad Ali 2nd WBA, WBC 10 10 10 Mike Tyson 1st WBA, WBC, IBF 9 9 9 Muhammad Ali 1st WBA, WBC Vitali Klitschko 3rd WBC Lennox Lewis 2nd WBA, WBC, IBF 8 8.5 Deontay Wilder 1st WBC 7 7 7 Anthony Joshua 1st WBA, WBO, IBF 6 6 6 Wladimir Klitschko 1st WBO 5 5 5 Evander Holyfield 2nd WBA, IBF Joe Frazier 1st WBA, WBC Chris Byrd 2nd IBF Evander Holyfield 1st WBA, WBC, IBF Nikolai Valuev 1st WBA John Ruiz 2nd WBA Lennox Lewis 1st WBC Lamon Brewster 1st WBO Most wins in unified title fights Name Title recognition Title fight wins Wladimir Klitschko WBA, WBO, IBF 15 Muhammad Ali WBA, WBC 14 Mike Tyson WBA, WBC, IBF 9 Evander Holyfield WBA, WBC, IBF 7 Lennox Lewis WBA, WBC, IBF 6 Joe Frazier WBA, WBC 5 Anthony Joshua WBA, WBO, IBF George Foreman WBA, WBC, IBF Riddick Bowe WBA, WBC, IBF Tyson Fury WBA, WBO, IBF Buster Douglas WBA, WBC, IBF Michael Moorer WBA, IBF Sonny Liston WBA, WBC Leon Spinks WBA, WBC Hasim Rahman WBC, IBF Most consecutive unified title defenses Name Order of title reign Title recognition Title defenses Wladimir Klitschko 1st WBA, WBO, IBF 13 Muhammad Ali 3rd WBA, WBC 10 Mike Tyson 1st WBA, WBC, IBF 8 Joe Frazier 1st WBA, WBC Evander Holyfield 1st WBA, WBC, IBF Lennox Lewis 1st WBA, WBC, IBF Anthony Joshua 1st WBA, WBO, IBF Evander Holyfield 3rd WBA, IBF George Foreman 1st WBA, WBC Riddick Bowe 1st WBA, WBC, IBF Lennox Lewis 2nd WBC, IBF Muhammad Ali 2nd WBA, WBC Sonny Liston 1st WBA, WBC Title fight wins and streaks by non-US nationality Note 1 : WBA ( Regular ) champions are not included Note 2 : The names in italics are champions that have n't won The Ring / lineal championship Note 3 : WBO heavyweight title bouts before June 1999 are not included Title fight wins & beaten opponents The list includes championship wins of heavyweight boxers from outside of the United States. It includes only major titles, without The Ring and lineal championships ( after 1921 ). Country No. of champions Boxers by Name Avg. of wins & BO Title wins Beaten opponents Ukraine Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko 38.5 40 37 United Kingdom 6 Bob Fitzsimmons, Lennox Lewis, Frank Bruno, David Haye, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua 27 28 26 Canada Tommy Burns, Trevor Berbick, Bermane Stiverne 12 13 11 Russia Nikolai Valuev, Oleg Maskaev, Sultan Ibragimov 8 9 7 Italy Primo Carnera Uzbekistan Ruslan Chagaev New Zealand Joseph Parker South Africa Gerrie Coetzee, Corrie Sanders Germany Max Schmeling Sweden Ingemar Johansson Belarus Siarhei Liakhovich Nigeria Samuel Peter Title streaks The list includes longest championship streaks of heavyweight boxers by each non-US country. It includes only major titles, without The Ring and lineal championships ( after 1921 ). Country Champion Avg. of defenses & BO Title defenses Beaten opponents Ukraine Wladimir Klitschko 17.5 18 17 Canada Tommy Burns 10 11 9 United Kingdom Lennox Lewis 8.5 9 8 Russia Nikolai Valuev 5.5 6 5 Italy Primo Carnera Uzbekistan Ruslan Chagaev New Zealand Joseph Parker Germany Max Schmeling Title fight finishes Quickest stoppages in title fights Note : WBO heavyweight title bouts before June 1999 are not included Date Fight Method Round Time Title May 25, 2005 Lamon Brewster def. Andrew Golota TKO 0 : 52 WBO December 10, 1982 Michael Dokes def. Mike Weaver TKO 1 : 03 WBA March 17, 1908 Tommy Burns def. Jem Roche KO 1 : 28 Lineal June 27, 1988 Mike Tyson def. Michael Spinks KO 1 : 31 WBA, WBC, IBF July 21, 1989 Mike Tyson def. Carl Williams TKO 1 : 33 WBA, WBC, IBF October 4, 1997 Lennox Lewis def. Andrew Golota KO 1 : 35 WBC April 22, 1969 Joe Frazier def. Dave Zyglewicz KO 1 : 36 NYSAC September 1, 1973 George Foreman def. José Roman KO 2 : 00 WBA, WBC June 22, 1938 Joe Louis def. Max Schmeling KO 2 : 04 NBA, NYSAC September 25, 1962 Sonny Liston def. Floyd Patterson KO 2 : 06 NYSAC, WBA September 18, 1946 Joe Louis def. Tami Mauriello KO 2 : 09 NBA, NYSAC July 22, 1963 Sonny Liston def. Floyd Patterson KO 2 : 10 WBA, WBC May 25, 1965 Muhammad Ali def. Sonny Liston KO 2 : 12 WBC December 12, 1986 James Smith def. Tim Witherspoon KO 2 : 12 WBA February 6, 1993 Riddick Bowe def. Michael Dokes TKO 2 : 19 WBA, IBF April 17, 1939 Joe Louis def. Jack Roper KO 2 : 20 NBA, NYSAC May 15, 1953 Rocky Marciano def. Jersey Joe Walcott KO 2 : 25 NBA, NYSAC April 17, 1939 Joe Louis def. John Henry Lewis KO 2 : 29 NBA, NYSAC January 9, 1942 Joe Louis def. Buddy Baer KO 2 : 56 NBA, NYSAC November 4, 2017 Deontay Wilder def. Bermane Stiverne KO 2 : 59 WBC March 19, 2011 Vitali Klitschko def. Odlanier Solís KO 2 : 59 WBC Most title fight stoppages Keys : Active title reign Reign has ended Note 1 : WBO heavyweight title bouts before June 1999 are not included Note 2 : The names in italics are champions that have n't won The Ring / lineal championship Name Title fight finishes 1. Joe Louis 23 2. Wladimir Klitschko 19 3. Muhammad Ali 15 4. Larry Holmes 14 5. Vitali Klitschko 12 6. Lennox Lewis 11 7. Mike Tyson 10 8. Tommy Burns 9 9. Joe Frazier 8 9. Floyd Patterson 8 11. Deontay Wilder 7 12. Rocky Marciano 6 12. James J. Jeffries 6 12. Anthony Joshua 15. Ezzard Charles 5 15. Jack Dempsey Champions by age Keys : Active title reign Reign has ended Note 1 : WBA ( Regular ) champions are not included Note 2 : WBO heavyweight title bouts before June 1999 are not included Oldest champions As of October 26, 2018. This is the list of the oldest heavyweight champions ordered by the age at their last day as champion. Name Recognition Last day as champion Age George Foreman IBF June 29, 1995 46 years, 170 days Vitali Klitschko WBC December 16, 2013 42 years, 150 days Oleg Maskaev WBC March 8, 2008 39 years, 6 days Jersey Joe Walcott NBA, NYSAC September 23, 1952 38 years, 236 days 5 Lennox Lewis WBC February 6, 2004 38 years, 157 days 6 Evander Holyfield WBA March 3, 2001 38 years, 135 days 7 Corrie Sanders WBO February 1, 2004 38 years, 25 days 8 Larry Holmes WBC September 21, 1985 37 years, 322 days 9 Muhammad Ali WBA October 18, 1979 37 years, 274 days 10 Jess Willard Universal July 4, 1919 37 years, 187 days Youngest champions As of October 26, 2018. Name Recognition Date Age Mike Tyson WBC November 22, 1986 20 years, 145 days Floyd Patterson NBA, NYSAC November 30, 1956 21 years, 331 days Muhammad Ali WBA, WBC February 25, 1964 22 years, 39 days Joe Louis NBA, NYSAC June 22, 1937 23 years, 40 days 5 John L. Sullivan Universal February 2, 1882 23 years, 110 days 6 Jack Dempsey Universal July 4, 1919 24 years, 10 days 7 George Foreman WBA, WBC February 22, 1973 24 years, 12 days 8 Joe Frazier NYSAC March 4, 1968 24 years, 52 days 9 James J. Jeffries Universal June 9, 1899 24 years, 55 days 10 Michael Dokes WBA December 10, 1982 24 years, 122 days See also List of heavyweight boxing champions List of current world boxing champions List of WBA world champions List of WBC world champions List of IBF world champions List of WBO world champions List of lineal boxing world champions List of undefeated boxing world champions ( retired only ) List of undisputed boxing champions World boxing championship records and statistics References Jump up ^ `` 4. Weight Classes ''. IBO and also the sumo board of control. But Championship Rules & Regulations. International Boxing Organization. Retrieved 11 August 2007. Heavyweight Over 200 lbs. Jump up ^ `` 11. Weight Category '' ( PDF ). World Bpxing Association World Championships Regulations. World Boxing Association. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on August 9, 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2007. Heavy More than 200 Lbs. Jump up ^ `` Ratings Heavyweight ( over 200 -- 90.719 ) ''. World Boxing Council. Archived from the original on August 10, 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2007. Jump up ^ `` 3. Weight Classes '' ( PDF ). Regulations of World Championship Contests. World Boxing Organization. Archived from the original ( pdf ) on September 26, 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2007. Heavyweight Over 200lbs or 90.91 kg. Jump up ^ International Boxing Federation rules : governing championship contests Jump up ^ World Boxing Organization : regulation of world championship contests Jump up ^ World Boxing Association rules and regulations Jump up ^ Davies, Gareth A. ( October 12, 2008 ). `` David Haye confident he can take down both Klitschko brothers ''. The Daily Telegraph. London, UK. Retrieved November 1, 2009. Jump up ^ `` The Ring updates championship policy ''. Ring TV. May 3, 2012. ^ Jump up to : James B. Roberts, Alexander G. Skutt : The Boxing Register : International Boxing Hall of Fame Official Record Book, p. 331 -- 32. The record of Michael Carbajal indicates his opponent Jorge Arce as WBO `` World Champion '' on July 31, 1999, meanwhile his previous opponent Josue Camacho ( fought on July 15, 1994 ) did n't receive the same recognition, thus suggesting that WBO title had n't been viewed by IBHOF as a major title prior to ( at least ) July 1999, when Vitali Klitschko ( won the title on June 26, 1999 ) was WBO heavyweight champion Jump up ^ The Ring Magazine 's Annual Ratings Jump up ^ `` 1885 - 08 - 29 : John L. Sullivan vs. Dominick McCaffrey ''. BoxRec. Retrieved 11 October 2017. Jump up ^ `` Jack Dempsey biography on BoxRec ''. BoxRec. Retrieved 11 October 2017. Jump up ^ `` Reveille vol. 38, Nov. 4, 1964 ( p. 23 ) ''. Reveille. Archived from the original on March 18, 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018. Jump up ^ James B. Roberts, Alexander G. Skutt : The Boxing Register : International Boxing Hall of Fame Official Record Book ( p. 50 ) Jump up ^ `` History of the WBC ''. World Boxing Council. Retrieved 11 October 2017. Jump up ^ John Sugden : Boxing and Society : An International Analysis ( p. 49 ) Jump up ^ `` History of IBF / USBA ''. International Boxing Federation. Retrieved 11 October 2017. Jump up ^ former champion Michael Bentt holds both British and American citizenship. Jump up ^ Foreman Relinquishes IBF Title Jump up ^ WBO Heavyweight Championship External links Statistical tables of heavyweight world championships The BoxRec Wiki Encyclopedia World professional boxing champions Current world boxing champions female champions Championship records and statistics Champions by sanctioning body Major world titles WBA list WBC list IBF list WBO list Other world titles The Ring list TBRB IBO list IBA WBU list Champions by weight class Heavyweight ( 200 + lb ) ( statistics ) Cruiserweight ( 200 lb ) Light heavyweight ( 175 lb ) Super middleweight ( 168 lb ) Middleweight ( 160 lb ) Light middleweight ( 154 lb ) Welterweight ( 147 lb ) Light welterweight ( 140 lb ) Lightweight ( 135 lb ) Super featherweight ( 130 lb ) Featherweight ( 126 lb ) Super bantamweight ( 122 lb ) Bantamweight ( 118 lb ) Super flyweight ( 115 lb ) Flyweight ( 112 lb ) Light flyweight ( 108 lb ) Minimumweight ( 105 lb ) Champions in multiple weight classes Triple champions list Quadruple champions list Quintuple champions list Sextuple champions list Septuple champions list Octuple champions list Miscellaneous Lineal championship list Undisputed championship list Interim championship Pound for pound lists Undefeated champions Current boxing rankings Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Heavyweight_boxing_championship_records_and_statistics&oldid=865825449 '' Categories : Lists of boxing champions World heavyweight boxing champions Sports records and statistics Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from June 2018 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Български Türkçe Українська Edit links This page was last edited on 26 October 2018, at 12 : 17 ( UTC ). 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Question: who won the world boxing championship for three consecutive years
Answer: Deontay Wilder