Boxing is in a golden period, as fans finally get to witness the biggest fights against the best fighters. Due to Riyadh Season, the best bouts, for the most valued belts are happening more often than not.
No more ducking, no more breakdown in contract negaotions between broadcasters and promoters. The fights are just being done.
No more evidence can be presented than Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 in December 2024, and the incredible 'Last Crescendo' fight card set for Riyadh on February 22.
That card will include a Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol rematch, while Daniel Dubois will defend his IBF heavyweight crown against Joseph Parker
What this means is that there are a lot more top level fights that present the opportunity for a boxer to become either a unified or undisputed champion.
Putting all of those titles and terms together certainly can be a mouthful. What does unified and undisputed champion mean? What are the differences between the two?
What does it mean to be a unified champion?
A unified champion is one who holds two or more of the major sanctioning titles in a division:
- IBF
- WBA
- WBC
- WBO
What does it mean to be an undisputed champion?
An undisputed champion is a fighter who holds all four major championship belts (IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO) in a division.
Since the four-belt era began in 2004, there has only been one undisputed heavyweight champion. Oleksandr Usyk took that crown in May 2024, when be defeated Tyson Fury on points.
Before that, the last undisputed champion in the heavyweight division was Lennox Lewis back in November 1999, when he defeated Evander Holyfield in their rematch. At the time, there were three major belts (WBC, WBA, IBF).
Here are the historic undisputed champions in men's boxing in the four-belt era:
- Artur Beterbiev (light heavyweight) - Oct. 2024
- Oleksandr Usyk (heavyweight) - May 2024-Jun. 2024
- Naoya Inoue (junior featherweight) - Dec. 2023
- Terence Crawford (welterweight) - Jul. 2023-Nov. 2023
- Naoya Inoue (bantamweight) - Dec. 2022-Jan. 2023
- Devin Haney (lightweight) - Jun. 2022-Nov. 2023
- Jermell Charlo (junior middleweight) - May 2022-Nov. 2023
- Canelo Alvarez (super middleweight) - Nov. 2021-Jul. 2024
- Josh Taylor (junior welterweight) - May 2021-Jun. 2023
- Oleksandr Usyk (cruiserweight) - Jul. 2018-Jun. 2019
- Terence Crawford (junior welterweight) - Aug. 2017-Sept. 2017
- Jermain Taylor (middleweight) - Jul. 2005-Sept. 2007
Women's side undisputed champions:
- Seniesa Estrada (strawweight) - Mar. 2024-Oct. 2024
- Katie Taylor (junior welterweight - Nov. 2023
- Savannah Marshall (super middleweight) - Jul. 2023-Dec. 2023
- Alycia Baumgardner (junior lightweight) - Feb. 2023
- Amanda Serrano (featherweight) - Feb. 2023-Dec. 2023
- Chantelle Cameron Junior (welterweight) - Nov. 2022-Nov. 2023
- Franchón Crews-Dezurn (super middleweight) - Apr. 2022-Jul. 2023
- Claressa Shields (junior middleweight) - May 2021
- Jessica McCaskill (welterweight) - Aug. 2020-Nov. 2022
- Katie Taylor (lightweight) - Jun. 2019-Jan. 2024
- Claressa Shields (middleweight) - Apr. 2019-2020
- Cecilia Brækhus (welterweight) - Sept. 2014-Aug. 2020
More Boxing
- Best fights of 2024 - so far
- Usyk v Fury 2 - full fight guide
- Boxing full schedule and calendar
- DAZN's upcoming Boxing shows
- Boxing rankings
- Boxing champions list in every division
- Complete list of undisputed heavyweight boxing champions
- Fighter profiles and highlights
- How do weight classes work?
- What are the major boxing titles?
- How is boxing scored?