List of world middleweight boxing champions

Championship recognition

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1884–1910

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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.

1910–1961

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Championship awarding organizations

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An Australian version of the world title which existed briefly between 1914 and 1916 gained considerable credibility because its holder, Les Darcy, was widely believed to be best boxer in the world in this division.

1961–present

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Championship awarding organizations

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List of champions

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Reign Begun Reign Ended Champion Recognition
1884-07-30 1891-01-14 United States Nonpareil Dempsey World
1891-01-14 1894-09-26 – vacated United Kingdom Bob Fitzsimmons World
1896-03-02 1897-12-17 – vacated United States Kid McCoy World
1897-12-20 1907-05-28 – vacated United States Tommy Ryan World
1907-12-12 1908-09-07 United States Stanley Ketchel World
1908-09-07 1908-11-26 United States Billy Papke World
1908-11-26 1910-10-15 – died United States Stanley Ketchel World
1913-03-5 1913-10-11 United States Frank Klaus World
1913-10-11 1914-04-07 United States George Chip World
1914-04-07 1917-11-14 United States Al McCoy World
1917-11-14 1920-05-06 United States Mike O'Dowd World
1920-05-06 1923-08-31 United States Johnny Wilson World
1923-08-31 1926-02-26 United States Harry Greb World
1926-02-26 1926-12-03 United States Tiger Flowers World
1926-12-03 1929-10-29 – vacated United States Mickey Walker World
1932-01-25 1932-06-11 United States Gorilla Jones NBA
1932-06-11 1932-07-04 France Marcel Thil NBA
1933-01-13 1933-08-09 United States Ben Jeby NYSAC
1933-08-09 1933-10-30 Canada Lou Brouillard NYSAC
1933-10-30 1934-09-11 United States Vince Dundee World
1934-09-11 1935-09-19 United States Teddy Yarosz World
1935-09-19 1936-07-11 United States Eddie Babe Risko World
1936-07-11 1938-07-26 United States Freddie Steele World
1938-07-26 1938-11-01 United States Al Hostak NBA
1938-11-01 1939-06-27 United States Solly Krieger NBA
1938-11-18 1939-10-02 United States Fred Apostoli NYSAC
1939-06-27 1940-07-19 United States Al Hostak NBA
1939-10-02 1940-05-23 Philippines Ceferino Garcia NYSAC
1940-05-23 1941-05-09 United States Ken Overlin NYSAC
1940-07-19 1947-07-16 United States Tony Zale NBA
1941-05-09 1941-10-31[1] United States Billy Soose NYSAC
1941-11-28 1947-07-16 United States Tony Zale NYSAC
1947-07-16 1948-06-10 United States Rocky Graziano NBA
1948-06-10 1948-09-21 United States Tony Zale NBA
1948-09-21 1949-06-16 France Marcel Cerdan NBA
1949-06-16 1951-02-14 United States Jake LaMotta NBA
1950-07-12 1951-02-14 United States Jake LaMotta NYSAC
1951-02-14 1951-07-10 United States Sugar Ray Robinson World
1951-07-10 1951-09-12 United Kingdom Randy Turpin World
1951-09-12 1952-04-16 – vacated United States Sugar Ray Robinson World
1953-10-21 1955-12-09 Hawaii Bobo Olson World
1955-12-09 1957-01-02 United States Sugar Ray Robinson World
1957-01-02 1957-05-01 United States Gene Fullmer World
1957-05-01 1957-09-23 United States Sugar Ray Robinson World
1957-09-23 1958-03-25 United States Carmen Basilio World
1958-03-25 1960-01-22 United States Sugar Ray Robinson The Ring Magazine title
1959-08-28 1962-10-23 United States Gene Fullmer NBA
1960-01-22 1961-07-11 United States Paul Pender The Ring Magazine title
1961-07-11 1962-04-07 United Kingdom Terry Downes The Ring Magazine title
1962-04-07 1962-04-07 – vacated United States Paul Pender The Ring Magazine title
1962-10-23 1963-12-07 Nigeria Dick Tiger Universal (WBA/WBC)
1963-12-07 1965-10-21 United States Joey Giardello Universal (WBA/WBC)
1965-10-21 1966-04-25 Nigeria Dick Tiger Universal (WBA/WBC)
1966-04-25 1967-04-17 United States Virgin Islands Emile Griffith Universal (WBA/WBC)
1967-04-17 1967-09-29 Italy Nino Benvenuti Universal (WBA/WBC)
1967-09-29 1968-03-04 United States Virgin Islands Emile Griffith Universal (WBA/WBC)
1968-03-04 1970-11-07 Italy Nino Benvenuti Universal (WBA/WBC)
1970-11-07 1974-02-09 – title split Argentina Carlos Monzón Universal (WBA/WBC)
1976-06-26 1977-08-29 – retired Argentina Carlos Monzón Universal (WBA/WBC)
1980-09-27 1987-04-06 – title split United States Marvin Hagler Universal (WBA/WBC/IBF)
2004-09-18 2005-07-16 – title lost United States Bernard Hopkins Universal (WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO)
2005-03-19 Until Today – title lost United States Rodrigo Martins Universal (WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO)

WBC

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Title inaugurated
1963-08-10 1963-12-07 Nigeria Dick Tiger WBC
1963-12-07 1965-10-21 United States Joey Giardello WBC
1965-10-21 1966-04-25 Nigeria Dick Tiger WBC
1966-04-25 1967-04-17 United States Virgin Islands Emile Griffith WBC
1967-04-17 1967-09-29 Italy Nino Benvenuti WBC
1967-09-29 1968-03-04 United States Virgin Islands Emile Griffith WBC
1968-03-04 1970-11-07 Italy Nino Benvenuti WBC
1970-11-07 1974-02-09-Stripped Argentina Carlos Monzon WBC
1974-05-25 1976-06-26 Colombia Rodrigo Valdez WBC
1976-06-26 1977-08-29-Retired Argentina Carlos Monzón WBC
1977-11-05 1978-04-22 Colombia Rodrigo Valdez WBC
1978-04-22 1979-06-30 Argentina Hugo Pastor Corro WBC
1979-06-30 1980-03-16 Italy Vito Antuofermo WBC
1980-03-16 1980-09-27 United Kingdom Alan Minter WBC
1980-09-27 1987-04-06 United States Marvelous Marvin Hagler WBC
1987-04-06 1987-05-27-Vacated United States Sugar Ray Leonard WBC
1987-10-29 1988-06-06 United States Thomas Hearns WBC
1988-06-06 1989-02-24 United States Iran Barkley WBC
1989-02-24 1989-12-07-Vacated Panama Roberto Durán WBC
1990-11-24 1993-05-08 United States Virgin Islands Julian Jackson WBC
1993-05-08 1994-05-07-Vacated United States Gerald McClellan WBC
1995-03-17 1995-08-19 United States Virgin Islands Julian Jackson WBC
1995-08-19 1996-03-16 United States Quincy Taylor WBC
1996-03-16 1998-05-02 United States Keith Holmes WBC
1998-05-02 1999-04-24 France Hacine Cherifi WBC
1999-04-24 2001-04-14 United States Keith Holmes WBC
2001-04-14 2005-07-16 United States Bernard Hopkins WBC
2005-07-16 2007-09-29 United States Jermain Taylor WBC
2007-09-29 2010-04-17 United States Kelly Pavlik WBC
2010-04-17 2011-01-17-Stripped Argentina Sergio Martínez WBC
2011-01-17 2011-06-04 Germany Sebastian Zbik WBC interim
2011-06-04 2012-09-15 Mexico Julio César Chávez Jr. WBC
2012-09-15 2014-06-07 Argentina Sergio Martínez WBC
2014-04-05 2014-10-18 Mexico Marco Antonio Rubio WBC Interim
2014-10-18 2016-05-18 Kazakhstan Gennady Golovkin WBC Interim
2014-06-07 2015-11-17-Stripped Puerto Rico Miguel Cotto WBC
2015-11-21 2016-05-18-Vacated Mexico Saul Alvarez WBC
2016-05-18 2018-09-15 Kazakhstan Gennady Golovkin WBC
2018-04-21 2019-06-27 United States Jermall Charlo WBC Interim
2018-09-15 2019-06-27-Elevated to 'Franchise' Champion Mexico Saul Alvarez WBC
2019-06-27 Present United States Jermall Charlo WBC

WBA

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Title inaugurated
1962-10-23 1963-12-07 Nigeria Dick Tiger WBA
1963-12-07 1965-10-21 United States Joey Giardello WBA
1965-10-21 1966-04-25 Nigeria Dick Tiger WBA
1966-04-25 1967-04-17 United States Virgin Islands Emile Griffith WBA
1967-04-17 1967-09-29 Italy Nino Benvenuti WBA
1967-04-17 1968-03-04 United States Virgin Islands Emile Griffith WBA
1968-03-04 1970-11-04 Italy Nino Benvenuti WBA
1970-11-07 1977-08-29-Retired Argentina Carlos Monzon WBA
1977-11-05 1978-04-22 Colombia Rodrigo Valdez WBA
1978-04-22 1979-06-30 Argentina Hugo Pastor Corro WBA
1979-06-30 1980-03-16 Italy Vito Antuofermo WBA
1980-03-16 1980-09-27 United Kingdom Alan Minter WBA
1980-09-27 1987-Stripped United States Marvin Hagler WBA
1987-10-23 1989-Stripped Italy Sumbu Kalambay WBA
1989-05-10 1991-04-01-Vacated Jamaica Mike McCallum WBA
1992-04-22 1993-10-01 United States Reggie Johnson WBA
1993-10-01 1994-08-Vacated United States John David Jackson WBA
1994-08-12 1995-12-19 Argentina Jorge Fernando Castro WBA
1995-12-19 1996-06-24 Japan Shinji Takehara WBA
1996-06-24 1997-08-23 United States William Joppy WBA
1997-08-23 1998-01-31 Dominican Republic Julio César Green WBA
1998-01-31 2001-05-12 United States William Joppy WBA
2001-05-12 2001-09-29 Puerto Rico Félix Trinidad WBA
2001-09-29 2005-07-16 United States Bernard Hopkins WBA Super Champion
2001-11-17 2003-12-13-Lost to Super Champion United States William Joppy WBA Regular Champion
2004-05-01 2006-03-11 New Zealand Maselino Masoe WBA Regular Champion
2005-07-16 2006-12-14-Stripped United States Jermain Taylor WBA Super Champion
2006-03-11 2006-07-15 Germany Felix Sturm WBA Regular Champion
2006-07-15 2007-04-28 Spain Javier Castillejo WBA Regular Champion
2007-04-28 2012-09-01 Germany Felix Sturm WBA Super Champion
2010-10-14 2014-07-26 Kazakhstan Gennady Golovkin WBA Regular Champion
2012-09-01 2012-11-02-Stripped Australia Daniel Geale WBA Super Champion
2014-07-26 2018-09-15 Kazakhstan Gennady Golovkin WBA Super Champion
2014-08-09 2017-03-18-Lost to Super Champion United States Daniel Jacobs WBA Regular Champion
2017-05-20 2017-10-22 Cameroon Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam WBA Regular Champion
2017-10-22 2018-10-20 Japan Ryota Murata WBA Regular Champion
2018-10-20 2019-07-12 United States Rob Brant WBA Regular Champion
2019-07-12 2021-01-01 Elevated to Super Champion Japan Ryota Murata WBA Regular Champion
2018-09-15 2021-01-01-Vacated Mexico Saul Alvarez WBA Super Champion
2021-01-05 2022-04-09 Japan Ryota Murata WBA Super Champion
2021-05-01 Present Cuba Erislandy Lara WBA Regular Champion
2022-04-09 Present Kazakhstan Gennady Golovkin WBA Super Champion

IBF

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Title inaugurated
1983-05-27 1987-04-06-Stripped United States Marvin Hagler IBF
1987-10-10 1988-07-28 United States Frank Tate IBF
1988-07-28 1991-05-10 United States Michael Nunn IBF
1991-05-10 1993-02-13-Vacated United States James Toney IBF
1993-05-22 1994-11-18-Vacated United States Roy Jones Jr. IBF
1995-04-29 2005-07-16 United States Bernard Hopkins IBF
2005-07-16 2005-10-11-Vacated United States Jermain Taylor IBF
2005-12-10 2009-07-12-Vacated Germany Arthur Abraham IBF
2009-09-19 2011-05-07 Germany Sebastian Sylvester IBF
2011-05-07 2013-08-17 Australia Daniel Geale IBF
2013-08-17 2013-12-07 United Kingdom Darren Barker IBF
2013-12-07 2014-05-31 Germany Felix Sturm IBF
2014-05-31 2014-10-08 Australia Sam Soliman IBF
2014-10-08 2015-02-06-Stripped United States Jermain Taylor IBF
2015-06-20 2015-10-17 Canada David Lemieux IBF
2015-10-17 2018-06-01-Stripped Kazakhstan Gennady Golovkin IBF
2018-10-27 2019-05-04 United States Daniel Jacobs IBF
2019-05-04 2019-08-01-Stripped Mexico Saul Alvarez IBF
2019-10-05 Present Kazakhstan Gennady Golovkin IBF

WBO

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Title inaugurated
1989-04-18 1990-04-29 United States Doug DeWitt WBO
1990-04-29 1990-11-18 United Kingdom Nigel Benn WBO
1990-11-18 1991-06-22-Vacated United Kingdom Chris Eubank WBO
1991-11-20 1992-Vacated United States Gerald McClellan WBO
1993-05-19 1994-05-11 United Kingdom Chris Pyatt WBO
1994-05-11 1995-03-Vacated Republic of Ireland Steve Collins WBO
1995-05-19 1997-06-28-Vacated United States Lonnie Bradley WBO
1997-12-13 1998-05-12-Vacated Canada Otis Grant WBO
1999-01-30 1999-11-Stripped Germany Bert Schenk WBO
1999-11 1999-11-27 United Kingdom Jason Matthews WBO
1999-11-27 2002-04-06 Sweden Armand Krajnc WBO
2002-04-06 2003-Retired Namibia Harry Simon WBO
2003-05-10 2003-09-13 Argentina Hector Javier Velazco WBO
2003-09-13 2004-06-05 Germany Felix Sturm WBO
2004-06-05 2004-09-18 United States Oscar De La Hoya WBO
2004-09-18 2005-07-16 United States Bernard Hopkins WBO
2005-07-16 2007-09-29 United States Jermain Taylor WBO
2007-09-29 2010-04-17 United States Kelly Pavlik WBO
2010-04-17 2010-06-01-Stripped Argentina Sergio Martínez WBO
2010-07-31 2012-08-25-Stripped Russia Dmitry Pirog WBO
2012-08-25 2012-10-20 Cameroon Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam WBO
2012-10-20 2014-09-04-Vacated United States Peter Quillin WBO
2014-12-13 2015-12-19 Republic of Ireland Andy Lee WBO
2015-12-19 2018-10-11 United Kingdom Billy Joe Saunders WBO
2018-10-20 2022-08-30 Vacated United States Demetrius Andrade WBO
2022-05-21 2022-08-30 Elevated Kazakhstan Janibek Alimkhanuly WBO Interim
2022-08-30 Present Kazakhstan Janibek Alimkhanuly WBO

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Mark Allen Baker, "Between the Ropes at Madison Square Garden: The History of an Iconic Boxing Ring, 1925-2007", McFarland, 2019, pp.81