The unified history of the heavyweight title is a prestigious and continuous badge of honor, which shows that the master is usually number one in his division.
The World Boxing News presents the reign of each boxer from the highest level to accommodate more than one belt within sixty years from the very beginning of divided titles in 1963.
History begins in 1960, when other entities began waves in sport, securing the loyalty of commission, promoters and, ultimately fighters.
After detachment of WBA and WBC formation, a modern world order broke out, and the boxing was uncertain and unprecedented.
The eagerly awaited fight between the Sonny Poston and Floyd Patterson was revived by the age, which we all know-the many masters in one division. After Prakton easily defeated Patterson, the lethargic agreed to be the flagship of united titles. Unfortunately, for Listona, he gave the titles WBA and WBC to the heavyweight legend Muhammad Ali after their notable Feudie in 1964. Ali never accepted WBA.
Ali never wore double championships so that one ruler would consistently hold the lanes. And because WBA and WBC did not see their eyes, the weight class for the first time divided into a rematch.
Then Ernie Terrell defended the WBA belt after winning the free version against Eddie Macheen in 1965. Ironically, Ali was in the opposite corner, and the titles were re -united at Ali. This time the “largest” held WBA and ruled as the first dynamic champion of the United heavyweight until his notable refusal in 1967.
Jimmy Ellis took an empty WBA belt a year later, but only when Joe Frazier stood in the face of Ellis in 1970, there was one of the only heavyweight master again. When WBA and WBC maintained the championships as a whole for the impressive eight years, IBF passed in the early eighties.
Fans were worried that sport would have difficulty having one master until Mike Tyson united all lanes in 1987 to become the first unquestioned heavyweight champion.
James Buster Douglas shocked Tyson to enjoy eight months in a warm seat before Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe took the stick. Lennox Lewis then cleaned the weight class, including the IBO belt recognized at that time to become the first heavyweight ruler who maintained four titles at the same time.
The Klitschko brothers followed Lewis, but only Vladimir was always united. Vital enjoyed two spells as a WBC champion, but on both sides of an inverted pension.
Since then, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Andy Ruiz Jr. And the current king Oleksandr Usyk reported many versions at the same time.
Unified heavyweight masters – 1963–2023
Sonny Liston – 1963–1964
Poston defeated Floyd Patterson, then fell into the younger and fresher Muhammad Ali.
Muhammad Ali – [Three Times] 1964–1965/1967/74 until 1978
Ali held the lanes shortly after one victory – a rematch with Liston. He regained WBC and WBA lanes in 1967 for one defense before he regained in “Rumble in the Jungle” seven years later.
Four years of defense ended in Leon Spinks with a shocking world – because Ali was fourteen years earlier. Before Ali took revenge. SPINKS has already been deprived of the WBC version.
Joe Frazier – 1970
The phrase reigned briefly as WBA and WBC, until the non -stopping George Foreman.
George Foreman – 1973–1974 / 1994–1995
Foreman took both belts to his terrible line from Ali. “Substantial” George then divided the titles twenty years later in the second race before successful defense against Axel Schulz.
Mike Tyson – 1987–1990
Boxing fans waited another nine years before a juggernaut appeared to combine two of the three versions. However, it is hard to say a lot about Mike Tyson from the mid -90s due to the lack of real opposition, to his duels with Holyfield and Lewis.
Tyson from the 1980s is a much easier measure. But we didn’t see it when he got out of prison. Tyson also had mental fights. Self -esteem issues ultimately led to the second fall of Tyson and postponed Modern Yorker, killing all chances of increasing his heritage.
He briefly returned to his days of glory in 1996, but WBC won and WBA separately in two wins on Frank Bruno and Bruce Seldon.
James Buster Douglas – 1990
Douglas destroyed Tyson in one of the most controversial and unforgettable knockout in history. Eight months later it ended.
Evander Holyfield [Three Times] – 1990 to 1992/1993 to 1994/1997 to 1999
Two, the undisputed of all time, do not have many fighters on the planet that can be compared with Holyfield. By quickly accepting Douglas’s belts, Holyfield is probably the largest united champion in history.
Ironically, today’s champion could at least equalize the iconic achievements of Holyfield: Oleksandr Utyk. Comparison of a couple will only be a matter of time before a debate occurs.
Holyfield had a great chin, the will and heart of the master – apparently from birth. Undoubtedly, it is number one because of its weight and heavyweight weight.
Riddick Bowe – 1992–1993
Despite the impressive run in weighty weight, Bowe reigned only once as a united master. His victory over Holyfield in 1992 saw him at the top of sport. In subsequent revenge with Holyfield, Bowe lost two lanes until the rubber match was the title.
Michael Moorer – 1994
Moorer defeated Holyfield for IBF and WBA, then lost to George Foreman when a great man became the oldest heavyweight champion in history. Foreman never took the WBA belt to any of his future defense.
Lennox Lewis – 1999 to 2001/2001 to 2002
After Holyfield enjoyed his next rule, it was until the great Lennox Lewis. One thing is certain: when he hit the chin, his weaknesses do not approach his achievements. Lewis had a silent mental state, which he helped him during earnest challenges when the era Holyfield and Tyson ended himself.
Hasim Rahman – 2001
Rahman was an opportunist who could then take advantage of the night for the master. Lennox Lewis was a victim, but Rahman was not as bad as some of his losses suggest.
Lewis won titles with the victory of Wipeout.
Vladimir Klitschko 2008–2015
Klitschko was at the top for a decade until Tyson Fury called in 2015. His three-lane, 23-title defense probably puts him in the first place on the general list of United Masters, but Holyfield can challenge it.
Tyson Fury – 2015
Fury dethroned the king of his time in the victory of Best. However, the time of Fury at the top was shortened due to the mass of bureaucracy and the later three -year darkening of his career.
Anthony Joshua – 2016-2019 / 2019 until 2021
The British, also a two -time owner of titles, had more than one title on 2016–2021. Joshua achieved huge amounts in a numerical game. He recently broke the barriers between free and ordinary fans on home soil. In addition to losing the titles and Andy Ruiz Jr. During the debut of the United States, Usyk took the root of AJ and leaving it without a belt.
Andy Ruiz Jr – 2019
Andy Ruiz Jr. He defeated Joshua for the first time because of the eye of a tiger and complacency. After six months of holding the belts, Ruiz did not train enough in the rematch to give himself a chance. If both are in the right condition, it can be a trilogy that opens the door to the future shot into the world championship title.
Oleksandr Utyk – 2021 to show
Usyk, maintaining a pound title for the pound of King and the undisputed heavyweight master, can be the best dog.
Two dominant victories over Anthony Joshua will not talk about the whole story. However, his victories in May 2024 and December 21 on Tyson Fury were a mighty exclamation mark in his rule as the number of weighty weight of his generation.
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Read all articles and exclusive phyjaya interviews. Learn more about the authorAn experienced boxing writer and World Boxing News editor since 2010. Herring on Twitter @Philjnn.
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