1885-1910

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. With only minor exceptions, the heavyweight division remained free from dual title-holders until the 1960s.

Championship awarding organizations

• The International Boxing Union (IBU), formed in Paris in 1910. Changed name to European Boxing Union in 1946. It organised world title fights from 1913 to 1963 after which it was incorporated into the World Boxing Council (WBC).
• The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), formed in 1920. It organised world title bouts until the early 1970s when it became a member of World Boxing Council (WBC).
• The National Boxing Association (NBA) formed in the USA in 1921.
• Other bodies including the National Sporting Club in Great Britain and the California State Boxing Commission awarded world titles but this did not affect the heavyweight division.

Championship awarding organizations

• The World Boxing Association (WBA), founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA); it changed its name in 1961 and allowed membership from outside the USA.
• The World Boxing Council (WBC), founded in 1963.
• The International Boxing Federation (IBF), founded in 1983.
• The World Boxing Organization (WBO), founded in 1988.

Footnotes

¹ Relinquished championship title.

² Retired as champion, relinquishing title.

³ Championship recognition withdrawn by sanctioning organization due to champion's failure or refusal to defend title against the organization's #1 ranked contender.

Sources

• Steve Dimitry's Heavyweight Boxing History

See also

• List of current world boxing champions