List of undisputed world boxing champions
This is a list of undisputed champions in professional boxing.
Championship recognition
Titles have been awarded by:
- New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), founded in 1920
- World Boxing Association (WBA), founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA); re-founded as the WBA in 1962
- World Boxing Council (WBC), founded in 1963
- International Boxing Federation (IBF), founded in 1983
- World Boxing Organization (WBO), founded in 1988
Criteria
- 1922–1963, a boxer who held both the NYSAC and NBA (WBA) world titles simultaneously
- 1963–1983, a boxer who held both the WBA and WBC world titles simultaneously
- 1983–2007, a boxer who held the WBA, WBC, and IBF world titles simultaneously
- 2007–present, a boxer who holds the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO world titles simultaneously[1][2][3]
Heavyweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
July 24, 1922 | September 23, 1926 | Jack Dempsey | NYSAC, NBA | 2 | 2 |
September 23, 1926 | July 31, 1928 | Gene Tunney | NYSAC, NBA | 2 | 2 |
June 12, 1930 | January 7, 1931 | Max Schmeling | NYSAC, NBA | 1 | 1 |
June 21, 1932 | June 29, 1933 | Jack Sharkey | NYSAC, NBA | 0 | 0 |
June 29, 1933 | June 14, 1934 | Primo Carnera | NYSAC, NBA | 1 | 1 |
June 14, 1934 | June 13, 1935 | Max Baer | NYSAC, NBA | 0 | 0 |
June 13, 1935 | June 22, 1937 | James J. Braddock | NYSAC, NBA | 0 | 0 |
June 22, 1937 | March 1, 1949 | Joe Louis | NYSAC, NBA | 26[4] | 21 |
September 27, 1950 | July 18, 1951 | Ezzard Charles | NYSAC, NBA | 4 | 4 |
July 18, 1951 | September 23, 1952 | Jersey Joe Walcott | NYSAC, NBA | 1 | 1 |
September 23, 1952 | April 27, 1956 | Rocky Marciano | NYSAC, NBA | 6 | 5 |
November 30, 1956 | June 26, 1959 | Floyd Patterson | NYSAC, NBA | 4 | 4 |
June 26, 1959 | June 20, 1960 | Ingemar Johansson | NYSAC, NBA | 0 | 0 |
June 20, 1960 | September 25, 1962 | Floyd Patterson | NYSAC, NBA | 2 | 2 |
September 25, 1962 | July 22, 1963 | Sonny Liston | NYSAC, WBA | 0 | 0 |
July 22, 1963 | February 25, 1964 | Sonny Liston | WBC, WBA | 1 | 1 |
February 25, 1964 | September 19, 1964 | Muhammad Ali as Cassius Clay | WBC, WBA | 0 | 0 |
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February 6, 1967 | April 28, 1967 | Muhammad Ali | WBC, WBA | 1 | 1 |
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February 16, 1970 | January 22, 1973 | Joe Frazier | WBC, WBA | 4 | 4 |
January 22, 1973 | October 30, 1974 | George Foreman | WBC, WBA | 2 | 2 |
October 30, 1974 | February 15, 1978 | Muhammad Ali | WBC, WBA | 10 | 10 |
February 15, 1978 | March 18, 1978 | Leon Spinks | WBC, WBA | 0 | 0 |
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August 1, 1987 | February 11, 1990 | Mike Tyson | WBC, WBA, IBF | 6 | 6 |
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February 11, 1990 | October 25, 1990 | James "Buster" Douglas | WBC, WBA, IBF | 0 | 0 |
October 25, 1990 | November 13, 1992 | Evander Holyfield | WBC, WBA, IBF | 3 | 3 |
November 13, 1992 | December 14, 1992 | Riddick Bowe | WBC, WBA, IBF | 0 | 0 |
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November 13, 1999 | April 29, 2000 | Lennox Lewis | WBC, WBA, IBF | 0 | 0 |
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Cruiserweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
April 9, 1988 | 1988 | Evander Holyfield | IBF, WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
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January 7, 2006 | 2006 | O'Neil Bell | IBF, WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
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July 21, 2018 | March 27, 2019 | Oleksandr Usyk | WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO | 1 | 1 |
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Light heavyweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
June 1, 1963 | March 30, 1965 | Willie Pastrano | WBC, WBA | 2 | 2 |
March 30, 1965 | December 16, 1966 | José Torres | WBC, WBA | 3 | 3 |
December 16, 1966 | May 24, 1968 | Dick Tiger | WBC WBA | 2 | 2 |
May 24, 1968 | December 9, 1970 | Bob Foster | WBC, WBA | 4 | 4 |
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April 7, 1972 | September 16, 1974 | Bob Foster | WBC, WBA | 5 | 4 |
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March 18, 1983 | September 21, 1985 | Michael Spinks | WBA, WBC, IBF | 4 | 4 |
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June 5, 1999 | September 7, 2002 | Roy Jones, Jr. | WBA, WBC, IBF | 7 | 7 |
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Super middleweight
To date, there have been no undisputed super middleweight champions. The closest the division came to having an undisputed champion was on November 3, 2007, when Joe Calzaghe defeated Mikkel Kessler to unify the WBA (Super), WBC, and WBO titles; the IBF champion at the time was Lucian Bute. Calzaghe was, however, frequently described as "undisputed champion" by some outlets.[5][6][7][8] Others disputed this, because although he held the WBA, WBC and WBO titles, he had vacated the IBF title in November 2006 for choosing to face Peter Manfredo Jr. as his next opponent instead of mandatory challenger Robert Stieglitz.[9][10][11]
Middleweight
Men's middleweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
August 10, 1963 | December 12, 1963 | Dick Tiger | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
December 12, 1963 | October 21, 1965 | Joey Giardello | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1[12][13] |
October 21, 1965 | April 25, 1966 | Dick Tiger | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
April 25, 1966 | April 17, 1967 | Emile Griffith | WBA, WBC | 2 | 1 |
April 17, 1967 | September 29, 1967 | Nino Benvenuti | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
September 29, 1967 | March 4, 1968 | Emile Griffith | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
March 4, 1968 | November 7, 1970 | Nino Benvenuti | WBA, WBC | 4 | 4 |
November 7, 1970 | February 9, 1974 | Carlos Monzón | WBA, WBC | 9 | 7[14] |
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June 26, 1976 | July 30, 1977 | Carlos Monzón | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1 |
November 5, 1977 | May 22, 1978 | Rodrigo Valdez | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
May 22, 1978 | June 30, 1979 | Hugo Corro | WBA, WBC | 2 | 2 |
June 30, 1979 | March 16, 1980 | Vito Antuofermo | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1 |
March 16, 1980 | September 27, 1980 | Alan Minter | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1 |
September 27, 1980 | April 6, 1987 | Marvin Hagler | WBA, WBC, IBF | 12 | 10[15][16] |
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September 29, 2001 | July 16, 2005 | Bernard Hopkins | WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO | 6 | 6 |
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July 16, 2005 | December 14, 2006 | Jermain Taylor | WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO | 0 | 0 |
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Women's middleweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
April 13, 2019 | September 2020 | Claressa Shields | WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO | 0 | 0 |
Light middleweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1962-10-20 | 1963-04-29 | Denny Moyer | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1[17] |
1963-04-29 | 1963-09-07 | Ralph Dupas | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1[18] |
1963-09-07 | 1965-06-18 | Sandro Mazzinghi | WBA, WBC | 3 | 3[19] |
1965-06-18 | 1966-06-25 | Nino Benvenuti | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1 |
1966-06-25 | 1968-05-26 | Ki Soo Kim | WBA, WBC | 2 | 2[20] |
1968-05-26 | 1968-10-25-Stripped | Sandro Mazzinghi | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
1969-03-17 | 1970-07-09 | Freddie Little | WBA, WBC | 2 | 2[21] |
1970-07-09 | 1971-10-31 | Carmelo Bossi | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1[22] |
1971-10-31 | 1974-06-04 | Koichi Wajima | WBA, WBC | 6 | 5 |
1974-06-04 | 1975-01-21 | Oscar Albarado | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1 |
1975-01-21 | 1975-03-22 | Koichi Wajima | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0[23] |
March 13, 2004 | November 20, 2004 | Winky Wright | WBA, WBC, IBF | 0 | 0 |
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Welterweight
Men's welterweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
December 8, 1962 | March 21, 1963 | Emile Griffith | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
March 21, 1963 | June 8, 1963 | Luis Manuel Rodríguez | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
June 8, 1963 | December 10, 1965 | Emile Griffith | WBA, WBC | 4 | 4[24] |
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November 28, 1966 | April 18, 1969 | Curtis Cokes | WBA, WBC | 4 | 4[25][26] |
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April 18, 1969 | December 3, 1970 | José Nápoles | WBA, WBC | 3 | 3 |
December 3, 1970 | June 4, 1971 | Billy Backus | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
June 4, 1971 | May 1975 | José Nápoles | WBA, WBC | 9 | 7 |
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September 16, 1981 | February 15, 1982 | Sugar Ray Leonard | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1 |
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December 6, 1985 | September 27, 1986 | Donald Curry | WBA, WBC, IBF | 0 | 0 |
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September 27, 1986 | 1987 | Lloyd Honeyghan | WBA, WBC, IBF | 0 | 0 |
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December 13, 2003 | February 5, 2005 | Cory Spinks | WBA, WBC, IBF | 2 | 2 |
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February 5, 2005 | January 7, 2006 | Zab Judah | WBA, WBC, IBF | 1 | 1 |
|
Women's welterweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 13, 2014 | August 15, 2020 | Cecilia Brækhus | WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO | 10 | 10 |
August 15, 2020 | present | Jessica McCaskill | WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO | 0 | 0 |
Light welterweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
June 15, 1963 | January 18, 1965 | Eddie Perkins | WBA, WBC | 2 | 2[27] |
January 18, 1965 | April 29, 1966 | Carlos Hernández | WBA, WBC | 2 | 2[28] |
April 29, 1966 | April 30, 1967 | Sandro Lopopolo | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1[29] |
April 30, 1967 | November 16, 1967 (Vacated) | Takeshi Fuji | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1[30] |
November 3, 2001 | January 19, 2003 | Kostya Tszyu | WBA, WBC, IBF | 2 | 2 |
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August 19, 2017 | August 30, 2017 | Terence Crawford | WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO | 0 | 0 |
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Lightweight
Men's lightweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
April 7, 1963 | April 10, 1965 | Carlos Ortiz | WBA, WBC | 3 | 3 |
April 10, 1965 | November 13, 1965 | Ismael Laguna | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
November 13, 1965 | June 29, 1968 | Carlos Ortiz | WBA, WBC | 5 | 3 |
June 29, 1968 | February 18, 1969 | Carlos Cruz | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1 |
February 18, 1969 | March 3, 1970 | Mando Ramos | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1[31] |
March 3, 1970 | September 15, 1970 | Ismael Laguna | WBA, WBC | 1 | 1[32] |
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February 12, 1971 | June 25, 1971 | Ken Buchanan | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0[33] |
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January 21, 1978 | January 1979 | Roberto Durán | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
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August 11, 1990 | January 18, 1992 | Pernell Whitaker | WBA, WBC, IBF | 3 | 3 |
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Women's lightweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
June 1, 2019 | Present | Katie Taylor | WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF. | 1 | 1 |
Super featherweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
February 16, 1963 | June 15, 1967 | Flash Elorde | WBA, WBC | 5 | 4 |
June 15, 1967 | December 14, 1967 | Yoshiaki Numata | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
December 14, 1967 | January 19, 1969 | Hiroshi Kobayashi | WBA, WBC | 2 | 2[34] |
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Featherweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
March 21, 1963 | September 26, 1964 | Sugar Ramos | WBA, WBC | 3 | 3[35][36] |
September 26, 1964 | October 14, 1967 | Vicente Saldivar | WBA, WBC | 7 | 5[37][38] |
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Bantamweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 11, 1962 | May 18, 1965 | Eder Jofre | WBA, WBC | 3 | 3[39][40] |
May 18, 1965 | February 27, 1968 | Fighting Harada | WBA, WBC | 4 | 4[41] |
February 27, 1968 | August 22, 1969 | Lionel Rose | WBA, WBC | 3 | 3 |
August 22, 1969 | October 16, 1970 | Rubén Olivares | WBA, WBC | 2 | 2 |
October 16, 1970 | April 2, 1971 | Chucho Castillo | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
April 2, 1971 | March 19, 1972 | Rubén Olivares | WBA, WBC | 2 | 2 |
March 19, 1972 | July 29, 1972 | Rafael Herrera | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0 |
July 29, 1972 | April 14, 1973 | Enrique Pinder | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0[42] |
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Super flyweight
There has never been an undisputed champion at Super Flyweight. Jiro Watanabe came close when he beat Payao Pooltarat for the WBC title. But Watanabe had been stripped of the WBA title before the fight for refusing to fight his number 1 contender Khaosai Galaxy.
Flyweight
Reign began | Reign ended | Champion | Recognition | Title defenses | Beaten opponents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 18, 1963 | January 23, 1964 | Hiroyuki Ebihara | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0[43] |
January 23, 1964 | April 23, 1965 | Pone Kingpetch | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0[44] |
April 23, 1965 | November 1965 | Salvatore Burruni | WBA, WBC | 0 | 0[45] |
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See also
References
- Compare
"WBC Bantamweight Ratings (incl. WBO)". WBC. Archived from the original on August 3, 2004. Retrieved November 15, 2008. and
"WBC Bantamweight Ratings (excl. WBO)". WBC. Archived from the original on February 4, 2004. Retrieved November 15, 2008. -
"IBF/USBA Rules Governing Championship Contests" (PDF). IBF. May 2006. pp. 10–11. Retrieved November 15, 2008.
For the purpose of unification of titles, the Champions of the World Boxing Association ('WBA') and the World Boxing Council ('WBC') may be designated as 'elite contenders' and may be permitted to fight for the unified title. Unification bouts with other organizations will be considered on a case to case basis.
- "IBF Ratings". IBF. February 2007. Archived from the original on February 2, 2007. Retrieved November 15, 2008.
- "Joe Louis, p. 575" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
Johnny Davis, Ret-World-H
- Johnson, Chuck (November 3, 2007). "Calzaghe beats Kessler to unify belts, eyes Hopkins". USA Today. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
- Paul Upham (November 4, 2007). "Calzaghe Outboxes Kessler To Become Undisputed World Champion". SecondsOut.com. Retrieved January 12, 2008.
-
Staniforth, Mark (November 4, 2007). "Battler Calzaghe triumphs against Kessler". The Independent on Sunday. PA Sport. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
Joe Calzaghe was crowned undisputed world super-middleweight champion in Cardiff tonight
- "Calzaghe the king in Cardiff Welshman wows his home crowd with points win over great Dane". Sky Sports. November 4, 2007. Archived from the original on January 12, 2009. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
-
Gonzalez, Frank, Jr. (November 3, 2007). "Sharkie's Machine: Joe Calzaghe Too Slick For Mikkel Kessler". eastsideboxing.com. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
Joe Calzaghe, who is now the closest to being the undisputed Super Middleweight Champion of the World. (There's still the IBF Title if he's to have all four of the most recognized belts.)
-
Kimball, George (November 11, 2007). "Calzaghe's plans quickly Executed". Boston Herald. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
Lucien Bute, whose claim to the International Boxing Federation title is all that stands between the Welshman and undisputed world champion status
-
Swann, Michael (November 3, 2008). "Darchinyan keeps promise, silences critics". 15rounds.com. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
Since when has holding the three major belts not been considered worthy of "undisputed?"
- "Joey Giardello, p. 476" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
- "Professional boxing record: Joey Giardello". Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Carlos Monzon, p. 608" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
- "Marvin Hagler, p. 500" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
- "Professional boxing record: Marvin Hagler". Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Denny Moyer". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Ralph Dupas". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Sandro Mazzinghi". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Ki Soo Kim". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Freddie Little". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Carmelo Bossi". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Koichi Wajima". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Emile Griffith, p. 496" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
- "Emile Griffith, p. 414" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
- "Professional boxing record: Curtis Cokes". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Eddie Perkins". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Carlos Hernández". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Sandro Lopopolo". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Takeshi Fuji". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Mando Ramos". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Ismael Laguna". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Ken Buchanan". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Hiroshi Kobayashi". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Sugar Ramos, p. 696" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
- "Professional boxing record: Sugar Ramos". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Vicente Saldivar, p. 726" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
- "Professional boxing record: Vicente Saldivar". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Eder Jofre". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Eder Jofre, p. 520" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
- "Masahiko Harada, p. 504" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
- "Professional boxing record: Enrique Pinder". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Hiroyuki Ebihara". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Pone Kingpetch". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Professional boxing record: Salvatore Burruni". BoxRec.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Boxing Records. |
- BoxRec Official Website
- IBHOF website
- Ken Buchanan - Lightweight Champion of the World - Ken Buchanan site with detailed bio, statistics, full fights and more