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

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
United Kingdom
interim
Cruiserweight
Light heavyweight
Canada
regular
USA
interim
Super middleweight
Mexico
regular
USA
interim
Middleweight
USA
regular
Dominican Republic
interim
Super welterweight
USA
regular
USA
interim
Welterweight
Super lightweight
USA
regular
Dominican Republic
interim
Lightweight
USA
regular
Mexico
interim
Super featherweight
Featherweight
Mexico
regular
USA
interim
Super bantamweight
Japan
regular
Japan
interim
Bantamweight
Super flyweight
USA
regular
Mexico
interim
Flyweight
Japan
regular
Puerto Rico
interim
Light flyweight
Japan
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
Super middleweight
Middleweight
Junior middleweight
Welterweight
Junior welterweight
Australia
Lightweight
Junior lightweight
Ireland
Featherweight
Junior featherweight
Japan
regular
Japan
interim
Bantamweight
Junior bantamweight
Argentina
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
Canada
regular
United Kingdom
interim
Super middleweight
Mexico
regular
United Kingdom
interim
Middleweight
Junior middleweight
USA
regular
USA
interim
Welterweight
USA
regular
USA
interim
Junior welterweight
Lightweight
Ukraine
Junior lightweight
Mexico
regular
Mexico
interim
Featherweight
Mexico
regular
United Kingdom
interim
Junior featherweight
Japan
Bantamweight
Junior bantamweight
South Africa
Flyweight
Junior flyweight
Mini flyweight

LATEST TITLE FIGHTS

2024-11-16 William Zepeda vs. Tevin Farmer

Lightweight William Zepeda overcame a surprise fourth-round knockdown to defeat Tevin Farmer by a 10-round split decision to win the WBC interim lightweight title at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

2024-11-16 Oscar Collazo vs. Thammanoon Niyomtrong

Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo made history by defeating Thailand’s Thammanoon Niyomtrong to become the unified mini flyweight champion in a thrilling, tactical battle in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Collazo, who held the WBO title, added Niyomtrong’s super WBA belt to his collection with a TKO victory.

2024-11-16 Gilberto Ramirez vs. Chris Billam-Smith

Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez cruised to a comfortable, unanimous decision over Chris Billam-Smith to become unified world cruiserweight champion. Former world super middleweight champion Ramirez had boxed only twice before at 200 pounds, but he was technically too good for Billam-Smith at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Mexican southpaw won in a first defense of his WBA title while also capturing Billam-Smith's WBO belt in a Riyadh Season "Latino Night" card.

2024-11-15 Mario Barrios vs. Abel Ramos

Mario Barrios and Abel Ramos each scored a knockdown in a tough, grueling fight at AT&T Stadium that ended in a split draw and with Barrios keeping his WBC welterweight strap.

2024-11-09 Jesse Rodriguez vs. Pedro Guevara

It didn’t take long for Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez to destroy Pedro Guevara and to defend his WBC super flyweight title on Saturday night in Philadelphia. Bam left no doubt about how dominant he is at 115 pounds.

2024-11-09 Jaron Ennis vs. Karen Chukhadzhian

Unbeaten star Jaron "Boots" Ennis scored a 12-round unanimous decision over Karen Chukhadzhian and retained his IBF welterweight title at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, USA on Saturday.

BOXING HEADLINES

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Want to know what fights are on the horizon? Check out the boxing schedule for 2024.
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Israel Vazquez, Mexico's three-time junior featherweight world champion, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 46.
Dmitry Bivol: Biography, record, fights and more, 2024 December 3
Dmitry Bivol is a light heavyweight fighter with a record of 23 victories and one loss.
Artur Beterbiev: Biography, record, fights and more, 2024 December 3
Artur Beterbiev is the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO light heavyweight champion with a record of 21 victories and no losses.
Boxing divisional rankings: New No. 1 at flyweight, 2024 December 3
Sunny Edwards is out of the flyweight rankings following another tough loss, and his retirement announcement. Here are the latest ESPN divisional rankings.
Beterbiev, Bivol set for Feb. rematch in Riyadh, 2024 December 3
Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol will meet in a Feb. 22 rematch for the undisputed light heavyweight championship, Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, announced Monday.
Boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Beterbiev moves up and another champ enters the top 10, 2024 December 3
Artur Beterbiev outpointed Dmitry Bivol with a razor-thin decision. Here are the latest ESPN P4P rankings.
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"Tank" is a former three-division world champion with a record of 29 victories and no losses.
Sunny Edwards: Biography, record, fights and more, 2024 December 2
Sunny Edwards is the former IBF men's flyweight champion with a record of 21 victories and two losses.
Edwards retires after Yafai earns dominant win, 2024 November 30
Galal Yafai stormed to a sensational sixth-round stoppage win over Sunny Edwards, who afterwards announced his retirement.