What are the major boxing titles? How many belts in boxing?

What are the major boxing titles? How many belts in boxing?

Undoubtedly, you are well aware that world championship boxing belts are the ultimate goal of every fighter. Winning a title is the dream of absolutely all professional boxers. But have you ever wondered where the tradition of awarding champions with special belts originated from? It happened more than a century before Mike Tyson, Larry Holmes, Muhammad Ali, and other greats were born. In the middle of the 19th century, there was a bout with the participation of heavyweight Ben Caunt in London. Once he knocked out his opponent, his fans granted him a red velvet belt decorated with silver. That’s how such a tradition appeared. In modern times, however, a whole set of different officially approved titles exists. And it’s in the fights for the most prestigious ones that pugilists go all out. Hence, if you are passionate about online bets on boxing, you should be well-versed in the boxing titles list. And Cyber.bet is here to clear it up!

So, in this article, such topics as how many heavyweight boxing belts are out there, their meanings, and who presently holds heavyweight boxing titles are explained.

Well, the first question that may arise is how many belts are there in boxing? But the answer is not as straightforward as it may be expected. To make it loud and simple, there are four main titles and many minor ones. But today, the realm of professional boxing recognizes as true champs only those boxers who are the holders of the four main belts awarded in each weight class by the following regulating bodies: WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO. In case of winning at least two awards, a wrestler will be recognized as a unified champion. Among such prominent figures, we can name James Braddock, Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali, Joseph Frazier, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Floyd Mayweather. A pug who has won three of them will be considered an absolute champion and will be recorded in sports history. Wladimir Klitschko, Sergey Kovalev, Juan Manuel Marquez, Kostya Tszyu, Riddick Bowe, O’Neil Bell, Michael Spinks, Marvin Hagler, Mike Tyson placed themselves on record here. Moreover, there are even those who managed to win 4 trophies: Bernard Hopkins, Andre Ward, Terence Crawford, Jermaine Taylor, Anthony Joshua, Andres Ruiz, Tyson Fury! 

For your convenience, we put all main boxing belts in order of their prestige.

WBA

It all started in 1921 with this very authority, it’s the first one, and in fact, the most prominent. IBF and WBC were its subsidiaries but later split off and created independent bodies. That’s why many still consider the WBA trophy to be the best boxing title belt. 

According to the rules, when a pugilist wins the WBA award and one of the other 3 major boxing associations, he gets a special title, meaning:

  • Interim – a fighter holding the top spot according to the WBA ranking.
  • Regular – an ordinary champ who has to defend his title against a mandatory opponent, defined by the association. 
  • Super – a holder of WBA belt along with the trophy of any other major association, who has to defend his title every other year.

The WBA trophies were held by the planet’s greatest boxers: Joe Frazier, Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, Ray Charles Leonard, Evander Holyfield. Current holders are Daniel Dubois (Interim), Trevor Bryan (Regular), Anthony Joshua (Super). 

In addition to the main titles, the WBA has nearly two dozen regional ones (PANAF, NABA, PABA, etc.)

WBC

This global organization was founded in 1963 and is notable for setting 12 rounds instead of 15 and adding new weight classes. The sanctioning body also has a considerable number of trophies, the most significant ones are the following:

  • Silver – the main title of the interim champion.
  • Diamond – historic fight winners, like Manny Pacquiao, Saul Alvarez, Floyd Mayweather, Jorge Linares, etc. 

Current owners are Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte (Silver).

The main feature of the WBC titles is that they are not subject to the criteria of weight classes, and there is no strict need to defend them. 

IBF

IBF was established in 1977. It’s the only body that does not divide its champs by weight classes. Also, the federation does not have different titles. One single champ is usually determined who has to define his title every 9 months. Such decoration was owned by Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Larry Holmes, and Wladimir Klitschko. Anthony Joshua is the reigning champ here.

WBO

It’s the youngest establishment that appeared in 1988 and gained recognition as one of the 4 major world championship groups in 2007. The sanctioning body operates with the motto: dignity, democracy, integrity. WBO has only one main trophy, which is needed to be defended every year, and about ten regional awards. Klitschko brothers, Vasiliy Lomachenko, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Saul Alvarez, Oleksandr Usyk, David Haye, and Tyson Fury managed to win this decoration. The current titlist is Anthony Joshua. 

So, now we hope you have a clear idea of what the belt a boxer is fighting for when stepping in the ring!Add the diversity of options to your online betting with Cyber.bet!

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