WBA

World Boxing Association

The first of four major professional boxing organizations - the World Boxing Association (WBA) was born in Rhode Island in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA), and the first boxing title fight recognized by the new Association was the Heavyweight bout between Jack DEMPSEY and Georges CARPENTIER on July 2, 1921.

Jack Dempsey, the first WBA Heavyweight champion

Jack Dempsey beat his rival by knockout in the 4th round and became the first WBA boxing champion. The NBA was founded to counter the influence of the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), established one year early. Both organizations crowned different boxing world champions in the same division, leading to a discussion about who was the true world champion.

Dr. Gilberto Mendoza, WBA President
In 1962 organization, with the growth of boxing's popularity worldwide, changed its name to the World Boxing Association. Dr. Gilberto Mendoza from Venezuela has been the President of the WBA since 1982. Now WBA Central office is in Panama.

Current WBA World Champions

Heavyweight
Bulgaria
regular
United Kingdom
interim
Cruiserweight
Light heavyweight
USA
regular
Gemany
interim
Super middleweight
Mexico
regular
Mexico
interim
Middleweight
USA
regular
United Kingdom
interim
Super welterweight
USA
regular
Cuba
interim
Welterweight
Super lightweight
USA
regular
Venezuela
interim
Lightweight
USA
regular
USA
interim
Super featherweight
USA
regular
Russia
interim
Featherweight
United Kingdom
Super bantamweight
Japan
regular
Uzbekistan
interim
Bantamweight
Japan
regular
USA
interim
Super flyweight
Argentina
regular
Costa-Rica
interim
Flyweight
Japan
Light flyweight
Dominican Republic
regular
Cuba
interim
Minimumweight

WBC

World Boxing Council

On February 14, 1963, at a meeting of representatives of 11 countries: USA, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, France, Great Britain, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Philippines, and Venezuela in Mexico City was created the first real international boxing organization - World Boxing Council (WBC). New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), a rival of the WBA in world boxing, supported the new organization and was adopted into WBC in 1970.

Sonny Liston, the first WBC Heavyweight champion
On July 1963, in Chicago, Sonny LISTON beat Floyd PATTERSON by knockout in the 1st round. It was the first sanctioned Heavyweight title fight for the new boxing organization. In 1983, for boxers' safety, WBC decided to reduce the distance of world championship fights from 15 rounds to 12, and other boxing organizations soon followed. Among the changes proposed by WBC also are the official weigh-in 24 hours before each bout and the introduction of new intermediate weight divisions.

Mauricio Sulaiman, WBC President
In 1975 Jose Sulaiman, a Mexican boxing official of Lebanese descent was elected President of the WBC. In 2014, after the death of Jose Sulaiman, his son Mauricio Sulaiman was elected President of the WBC.

Current WBC World Champions

Heavyweight
Ukraine
regular
Germany
interim
Cruiserweight
Sweden
Light heavyweight
Russia
regular
USA
interim
Super middleweight
Mexico
regular
USA
interim
Middleweight
USA
regular
Dominican Republic
interim
Super welterweight
USA
regular
USA
interim
Welterweight
Super lightweight
Dominican Republic
Lightweight
USA
regular
Mexico
interim
Super featherweight
Featherweight
Super bantamweight
Japan
regular
Japan
interim
Bantamweight
Super flyweight
USA
regular
Mexico
interim
Flyweight
Japan
regular
United Kingdom
interim
Light flyweight
Thailand
Strawweight
Philippines

IBF

International Boxing Federation

In April 1983, the members of the United States Boxing Association (USBA) decided the regional status of the organization extended to international. A new boxing organization got the name United States Boxing Association-International (USBA-I), and Robert W. Lee, Sr., president of the USBA, who lost in his bid to become WBA president against Gilberto Mendoza in 1982, led the USBA-I.

Larry Holmes, the first IBF Heavyweight champion
In 1984 USBA-I changed its name to the name it operates under, the International Boxing Federation (IBF). The first sanctioned title fight for the new IBF was a Cruiserweight bout between Marvin CAMEL and Roddy MACDONALD in December 1983, and Marvin Camel became the first IBF World Champion. In the same year, the IBF recognized heavyweight boxer Larry HOLMES as champion after he relinquished the WBC title.

Marian Muhammad, IBF President
From 2001 to 2010, the President of the IBF was American Marian Muhammad. She was voted out of office in May 2010 and was succeeded by Daryl Peoples. IBF's main offices are in New Jersey.

Current IBF World Champions

Heavyweight
United Kingdom
Cruiserweight
Australia
Light heavyweight
Russia
Super middleweight
Mexico
Middleweight
Junior middleweight
Welterweight
Junior welterweight
Lightweight
Ukraine
regular
USA
interim
Junior lightweight
Mexico
Featherweight
Junior featherweight
Japan
regular
Japan
interim
Bantamweight
Junior bantamweight
Flyweight
Junior flyweight
Mini flyweight
Philippines

WBO

World Boxing Organization

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is the last of four major professional boxing organizations that currently recognize professional boxing world champions. It was formed in 1988 after the scandal at the WBA annual meeting in Isla Margarita, Venezuela, when a group of Puerto Rican and Dominican businessmen complained about the existing WBA's questionable rules and ratings systems.

Francesco Damiani, the first WBO Heavyweight champion
The first championship bout was for the vacant super middleweight title between Thomas HEARNS and James KINCHEN. Hearns won and became the first WBO world champion. The first holder of the WBO heavyweight title became Francesco DAMIANI, although WBA, WBC, and IBF recognized Mike TYSON as the heavyweight champion at the time.

Francisco Valcarcel, WBO President
In 1996 the new WBO President became Puerto Rican lawyer Francisco Valcarcel that soon signed deals with the WBA and IBF to hold unification fights between WBO and other boxing organizations. Due to a long personal feud between Francisco Valcarcel and WBC President Jose Sulaiman, the WBC was the last organization that wrote the unification bouts convention. The Central office of the WBO is located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Current WBO World Champions

Heavyweight
Ukraine
regular
New Zealand
interim
Cruiserweight
Light heavyweight
Russia
regular
United Kingdom
interim
Super middleweight
Mexico
regular
United Kingdom
interim
Middleweight
Junior middleweight
USA
regular
USA
interim
Welterweight
Junior welterweight
Lightweight
Junior lightweight
Featherweight
Mexico
regular
United Kingdom
interim
Junior featherweight
Japan
Bantamweight
Junior bantamweight
South Africa
Flyweight
Junior flyweight
Puerto Rico
Mini flyweight

LATEST TITLE FIGHTS

2025-06-08 Junto Nakatani vs. Ryosuke Nishida

Junto Nakatani became a unified bantamweight champion (WBC and IBF), stopping Ryosuke Nishida after six rounds of action. Nakatani basically slugged away at the tough Nishida until Nishida’s left eye was completely swollen shut.

2025-06-08 Jai Opetaia vs. Claudio Squeo

Jai Opetaia retained his IBF and The Ring world cruiserweight titles by smashing Italian Claudio Squeo inside five rounds on the Gold Coast, Australia.

2025-06-07 Fabio Wardley vs. Justis Huni

British heavyweight Fabio Wardley delivered a stunning, one-punch 10th-round knockout to stop Justis Huni in the fight for the interim WBA heavyweight title in Ipswich, United Kingdom.

2025-05-31 Armando Resendiz vs. Caleb Plant

Armando Reséndiz pulled off a massive upset on Saturday night, defeating former world champion Caleb Plant by split decision to capture the interim WBA super middleweight title at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, USA.

2025-05-28 Yoshiki Takei vs. Yuttapong Tongdee

Yoshiki Takei successfully defended his WBO bantamweight title with a destructive 1st-round TKO of Yuttapong Tongdee in Yokohama, Japan.

2025-05-28 Eduardo Nunez vs. Masanori Rikiishi

Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez picked up the vacant IBF junior lightweight title with a dominant 12-round points win over Masanori Rikiishi at the BUNTAI in Yokohama, Japan.

2025-05-24 Angelo Leo vs. Tomoki Kameda

Angelo Leo made a successful defense of his IBF featherweight title, going on the road to Japan and defeating Tomoki Kameda by majority decision.

2025-05-24 Pedro Taduran vs. Ginjiro Shigeoka

Pedro “Kid Heneral” Taduran reasserted his dominance over rival Ginjiro Shigeoka in a grueling rematch to retain his IBF world minimumweight title in Osaka, Japan.

2025-05-23 Willibaldo Garcia vs. Rene Calixto Bibiano

Willibaldo Garcia claimed a split decision win for the vacant IBF junior bantamweight title in an entertaining rematch against Rene Calixto Bibiano in Zacatecas, Mexico.

BOXING HEADLINES

British teen Maca ready for 'massive' MSG debut, 2025 June 13
British junior featherweight Adam Maca will make his professional debut against Rafael Castillo at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
Boxing schedule, 2025 June 13
Want to know what fights are on the horizon? Check out the boxing schedule for 2025.
Boxing divisional rankings: Nakatani, Opetaia win by KO, top their divisions, 2025 June 13
Junto Nakatani and Jai Opetaia won again, while Abdullah mason got closer to the top 10 at lightweight. Here are the latest ESPN divisional rankings.
Itauma, Whyte to headline August card in Riyadh, 2025 June 13
British heavyweights Moses Itauma and Dillian Whyte will fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Aug. 16, it has been confirmed.
Threats, $50k bets set chaotic Kambosos scene, 2025 June 13
George Kambosos Jnr has been warned he "won't make it out of this city" in a chaotic prelude to his New York world title shot.
Noakes, Mason ordered for lightweight title bout, 2025 June 12
The WBO has ordered negotiations to begin for Sam Noakes and Abdullah Mason to meet for the lightweight title after it was stripped from Keyshawn Davis.
Pacquiao enters boxing HOF as he resumes career, 2025 June 12
Manny Pacquiao was the headline name in the International Boxing Hall of Fame's class of 2025, which was enshrined on Sunday.
Boxing real or not: Paul over Chavez? Teo vs. Haney? Pacquiao champ again?, 2025 June 12
Andreas Hale and Nick Parkinson discuss these topics and look at Vasiliy Lomachenko's career, and George Kambosos' return.
Hearn: '26 'probably' Anthony Joshua's last year, 2025 June 11
Promoter Eddie Hearn has said 2026 will "probably" be the last year of Anthony Joshua's boxing career.
Canelo-Crawford lands on Netflix; venue still TBD, 2025 June 11
Boxing's proposed megafight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford will be streamed on Netflix on Sept. 13 in Las Vegas, but a venue for the fight has yet to be announced.