A person who simultaneously holds world titles from all four major sanctioning bodies is known as an undisputed champion, regardless of which organization’s belt they are wearing on fight night.
At any time throughout a boxer’s career, they can achieve this designation by holding titles from two of the three major associations—WBA, WBC, and IBF. Any boxer who is defeated in a championship match, regardless of the cause, risks having their title stripped and being moved up a weight class.
Any boxer who is defeated in a championship match, regardless of the cause, risks having their title stripped and being moved up a weight class.
What Is The Difference Between Undisputed and Unified Boxing Champions?
The undisputed boxing champion is an individual who has won the world championship in an organization that is sanctioned by the governing body of the sport, for example, the World Boxing Association.
Unified boxing champions are a designation given to boxers who have won multiple world championships in different organizations that are recognized by the governing body of the sport, for example, the World Boxing Association and the International Boxing Federation. This title is awarded to boxers who have won the same weight class in two or more world-class boxing organizations.
Who Are The Undisputed Boxing Champions Of The World?
Staying in one weight class and completely dominating the competition is equally as impressive as moving up and down the weight classes and winning world titles in several categories.
What these fighters have accomplished requires a tremendous amount of effort, but many of them have made it seem simple. That alone is evidence of their extraordinary abilities.
Let’s take a look at these special fighters.
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, a Mexican boxing legend, is one of the best boxers of his generation. Despite being a multiple-time world champion, his best performances may have come in the super middleweight division, where he currently holds the uncontested throne.
‘Canelo’ defeated Callum Smith by a decision in 2020 to win the WBA and WBC super middleweight crowns. In 2021, he added the WBO super middleweight belt after defeating Billy Joe Saunders by way of a knockout. Later that year, after defeating Caleb Plant through a technical knockout in the 11th round to add the IBF world title to his collection, he became the undisputed super middleweight champion.
Jermell Charlo
One-half of the legendary Charlo twins in boxing, Jermell Charlo is an American fighting wonder and the undisputed super welterweight world champion.
Before facing Tony Harrison in 2018, Charlo held the WBC super welterweight title for a considerable amount of time. Charlo, though, embarked on a belt-collecting binge once he won the title back in a rematch a year later. The WBA and IBF super welterweight world titles were his to win in 2020 after he defeated Jeison Rosario.
His initial attempt to achieve undisputed status was thwarted by a draw with Brian Carlos Castano in 2021, but a rematch the following year eventually sealed it as he added the WBO title to his collection of medals.
Terence “Bud” Crawford
Given his body of work, pound-for-pound great Terence “Bud” Crawford doesn’t come close to receiving the accolades he merits. But there is no doubt that he is one of the most skilled fighters alive right now.
The unbeaten American first won the vacant WBO super lightweight title in 2015 after defeating Thomas Dulorme through a technical knockout. The next year, he defeated Viktor Postol by unanimous decision to add the WBC title to his collection. Then, in 2017, Crawford unified the world championships by acquiring Julius Indongo’s super lightweight belts from the IBF and WBA to establish himself as the undisputed king of 140-pounders.
The WBO welterweight world title is currently held by Crawford, who just upped his weight and is aiming to unify in his next division.
Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins
One of the all-time great boxers is American boxing superstar Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins, also referred to as “The Alien.” In the four-belt era of boxing, he became the first-ever undisputed world champion in 2004, and his body of achievement undoubtedly precedes him.
In 1995, Hopkins defeated Segundo Mercado via TKO to claim the IBF middleweight world championship for the first time. He successfully defended that belt for several years. After defeating Keith Holmes in 2001, “The Executioner” was able to add the WBC middleweight world title to his resume. In his subsequent bout, Hopkins defeated Felix Trinidad once more to win the WBA title.
Devin “The Dream” Haney
Devin “The Dream” Haney, a 23-year-old undefeated fighter, is the newest name to be added to the list of indisputable world champions in boxing’s four-belt era.
In 2019, the young American defeated Alfredo Santiago by unanimous decision to win the WBC lightweight world title. Haney repeatedly successfully defended the title, but overall he was a fighter who many would-be rivals shied away from, partly because of his mysterious fighting manner. That is, of course, up until George Kambosos Jr. of Australia had the guts to accept the challenge.
In 2021, Kambosos defeated Teofimo Lopez to win lightweight titles from the WBA, IBF, and WBO. He then set out to become the undisputed world champion. However, Haney ruined that celebration in June 2022 by winning the title for himself after defeating Kambosos in Melbourne by a unanimous vote.
Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor
After Bernard Hopkins ruled the middleweight class, Jermain Taylor emerged, and “Bad Intentions” was regularly knocking opponents out prior to his battle with “The Executioner.” This raised the stakes for Taylor’s bout with Hopkins, and Taylor did not disappoint.
In reality, just one year after “The Executioner” established himself as the undisputed champion, Taylor seized all four middleweight titles from Hopkins. In a close contest, Taylor won the WBA, WBO, WBC, and IBF middleweight world belts with a razor-thin split decision victory.
Months later, in their rematch, he defeated Hopkins by unanimous decision to extend his tenure as the division’s champion.
Josh “The Tartan Tornado” Taylor
Unbeaten 31-year-old Englishman Josh Taylor is the second Scotsman in history to become an undisputed boxing world champion and the first from the United Kingdom to accomplish the feat in the four-belt period.
In 2019, Taylor defeated Ivan Baranchyk for the IBF super lightweight world title, winning by unanimous decision in the 12th round. In his subsequent match, Taylor defeated Regis Prograis by a narrow majority decision to add the WBA super lightweight title to his collection. To prove his superiority in the division, “The Tartan Tornado” knocked Jose Carlos Ramirez twice to the canvas in 2021 while winning the WBO and WBC crowns.
Oleksandr Usyk
The undefeated heavyweight sensation Oleksandr Usyk is last but certainly not least.
In 2021, the ferocious Ukrainian southpaw defeated renowned Englishman Anthony Joshua by a majority decision, shocking the world and winning all four heavyweight championships in the process. Usyk received the WBA, WBO, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles.
Are There Woman Undisputed Boxing Champions?
There are 17 weight divisions in women’s boxing, ranging from heavyweight to atomweight. For the convenience of boxing fans, a chart listing the holders of each of the championships and minor belts is provided below. The four major sanctioning bodies—WBO, IBF, WBA, and WBC—have champions in the majority of the divisions.
- Claressa Shields (middleweight)
- Claressa Shields (light-middleweight)
- Cecilia Braekhus (welterweight)
- Jessica McCaskill (welterweight)
- Katie Taylor (lightweight)
Recap
There are currently 4 significant bodies that sanction boxing. The IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO are these. For each weight category, each determines its own world champion. A boxer who simultaneously holds at least two of the weight class titles is known as a unified champion. The uncontested title, which can only be won by holding all four major belts in the division, is the most coveted and elusive honor.
