Heavyweight Champions Past Four Decades

[johnswan1]

With all the alphabet titles flying around these days, and champions dropping like flies, it's sometimes difficult to keep track of who is a former champion and who isn't. Here is a list of all champions over the past four decades under each of the four main titles. Stripping out the WBO title out of champions this decade, the number is reduced by 5 to 12 dropping out Corrie Sanders, Lamon Brewster, Sergei Liakhovich, Shannon Briggs & Sultan Ibragimov. Perhaps the WBO title should not be considered at all? Also, I found doing this that it's not only this decade that has provided questionable champions....

2000's (17 champions, 12 excluding WBO)

Vitali Klitschko - WBO, WBC
Chris Byrd - WBO, IBF
Lennox Lewis - IBF, WBA, WBC
Evander Holyfield - WBA
Wladimir Klitschko - WBO, IBF
John Ruiz - WBA
Hasim Rahman - IBF, WBC
Roy Jones Jr - WBA
Corrie Sanders - WBO
Lamon Brewster - WBO
Nicolay Valuev - WBA
Sergei Liakhovich - WBO
Oleg Maskaev - WBC
Shannon Briggs - WBO
Ruslan Chagaev - WBA
Sultan Ibragimov - WBO
Samuel Peter - WBC

1990's (16 champions, 10 excluding WBO)

Mike Tyson - Universal
James "Buster" Douglas - IBF, WBA, WBC
Evander Holyfield - IBF, WBA, WBC
Ray Mercer - WBO
Michael Moorer - WBO, IBF, WBA
Riddick Bowe - IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO
Lennox Lewis - WBC, IBF, WBA
Tommy Morrison - WBO
Michael Bentt - WBO
Herbie Hide - WBO
Oliver McCall - WBC
George Foreman - IBF, WBA
Bruce Seldon - WBA
Frank Bruno - WBC
Henry Akinwande - WBO
Vitali Klitschko - WBO

1980's (13 champions, 12 excluding WBO)

Larry Holmes - WBC, IBF
John Tate - WBA
Mike Weaver - WBA
Gerrie Coetzee - WBA
Tim Witherspoon - WBC, WBA
Pinklon Thomas - WBC
Greg Page - WBA
Tony Tubbs - WBA
Michael Spinks - IBF
Trevor Berbick - WBC
Mike Tyson - Universal
James "Bonecrusher" Smith - WBA
Francesco Damiani - WBO

1970s (8 champions)

Joe Frazier - Universal
Jimmy Ellis - WBA
George Foreman - Universal
Muhammed Ali - Universal
Leon Spinks - Universal
Ken Norton - WBC
Larry Holmes - WBC
John Tate - WBA

[DavidPayne]

If you ONLY listed the WBC champion how would the list look, better or worse?

[johnswan1]

Also, how many notable absentees are there from this list? Andrew Galota is one that comes to mind for me. He has been in 9 fights against 8 different world champions, with a record of 2 wins, 5 losses, 1 draw & 1 no contest. Despite this 4 of these fights have been for a heavyweight title, with the closest he came to winning one being a draw with Chris Byrd.

1996
V Bowe L DQ7
v Bowe L DQ9

1997
v Lewis L KO1 WBC

1998
v Sanders W UD10
v Witherspoon W UD10

2000
v Tyson NC 3

2004
v Byrd D PTS12 IBF
v Ruiz L UD12 WBA

2005
v Brewster L TKO1 WBO

[Poncey]

John, Jimmy Young is the most notable absentee for me. Arguable beat Norton, did beat Foreman and in some people's eyes beat Ali, but it's a tough fight to score:

Longtime RING magazine writer Lester Bromberg scored the fight 11 rounds to 4 for Jimmy Young. Bromberg called the official decision "a travesty of a decision." Even Ali's ever loyal trainer Angelo Dundee admitted it was the champion's worst fight.

In November 1976 Young beat top contender Ron Lyle in a 12-round bout, winning 11 of 12 rounds on one judge's card.

In March 1977 Young beat George Foreman, knocking him down in the final round and winning a 12-round decision. Ring Magazine named the Foreman-Young bout its 1977 "Fight of the Year."

Young's next major opponent was Norton. In November 1977, Young lost a split decision in Las Vegas.

[johnswan1]

If you ONLY listed the WBC champion how would the list look, better or worse?

Probably better but there have been some poor holders of that one too.......

2000's (5 champions)

Vitali Klitschko - WBO, WBC
Lennox Lewis - IBF, WBA, WBC
Hasim Rahman - IBF, WBC
Oleg Maskaev - WBC
Samuel Peter - WBC

1990's (7 champions)

Mike Tyson - Universal
James "Buster" Douglas - IBF, WBA, WBC
Evander Holyfield - IBF, WBA, WBC
Riddick Bowe - IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO
Lennox Lewis - WBC, IBF, WBA
Oliver McCall - WBC
Frank Bruno - WBC

1980's (5 champions)

Larry Holmes - WBC, IBF
Tim Witherspoon - WBC, WBA
Pinklon Thomas - WBC
Trevor Berbick - WBC
Mike Tyson - Universal

1970s (6 champions)

Joe Frazier - Universal
George Foreman - Universal
Muhammed Ali - Universal
Leon Spinks - Universal
Ken Norton - WBC
Larry Holmes - WBC

[DavidPayne]

Tua's record against future or current or past heavy champions is better? 3-2-1 (3KO)

Rahman WKO9? and a Draw
Ruiz WKO1
Maskaev WKO11
Lewis LUD12
Byrd LUD12

[Mensa07]

with reference to Tyson (90's), what does 'universal' mean?

[DavidPayne]

He had great grip?

[johnswan1]

with reference to Tyson (90's), what does 'universal' mean?

He came into the 90's as universal champion holding the WBC, WBA & IBF. The only person to dispute this was WBO title holder Francesco Damiani who became the first ever WBO title holder in May-89. By holding the three main belts, Tyson was universal champion so the fact that the WBO started up and gave out the belt did not really dispute that.

[Mensa07]

Damiani KO1 Tyson.

ahh of course, Tyson/Douglas was 1990 wasn't it.