List of world middleweight boxing champions
# List of world middleweight boxing champions

## Championship recognition

### 1884–1910

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.

### 1910–1961

**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 United States in 1921.
* Other bodies including the National Sporting Club in Great Britain and the California State Athletic Commission also awarded world titles.

An Australian version of the world title which existed briefly between 1914 and 1916 gained considerable credibility because its holder, Les Darcy, was widely believed to be best boxer in the world in this division.

### 1961–present

**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 United States.
* The World Boxing Council (WBC), founded in 1963.
* The International Boxing Federation (IBF), founded in 1983.
* The World Boxing Organization (WBO), founded in 1988.

## List of champions

| Reign Begun | Reign Ended | Champion | Recognition |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1884-07-30 | 1891-01-14 | Nonpareil Dempsey | World |
| 1891-01-14 | 1894-09-26 – vacated | Bob Fitzsimmons | World |
| 1896-03-02 | 1897-12-17 – vacated | Kid McCoy | World |
| 1897-12-20 | 1907-05-28 – vacated | Tommy Ryan | World |
| 1907-12-12 | 1908-09-07 | Stanley Ketchel | World |
| 1908-09-07 | 1908-11-26 | Billy Papke | World |
| 1908-11-26 | 1910-10-15 – died | Stanley Ketchel | World |
| 1913-03-5 | 1913-10-11 | Frank Klaus | World |
| 1913-10-11 | 1914-04-07 | George Chip | World |
| 1914-04-07 | 1917-11-14 | Al McCoy | World |
| 1917-11-14 | 1920-05-06 | Mike O'Dowd | World |
| 1920-05-06 | 1923-08-31 | Johnny Wilson | World |
| 1923-08-31 | 1926-02-26 | Harry Greb | World |
| 1926-02-26 | 1926-12-03 | Tiger Flowers | World |
| 1926-12-03 | 1929-10-29 – vacated | Mickey Walker | World |
| 1932-01-25 | 1932-06-11 | Gorilla Jones | NBA |
| 1932-06-11 | 1932-07-04 | Marcel Thil | NBA |
| 1933-01-13 | 1933-08-09 | Ben Jeby | NYSAC |
| 1933-08-09 | 1933-10-30 | Lou Brouillard | NYSAC |
| 1933-10-30 | 1934-09-11 | Vince Dundee | World |
| 1934-09-11 | 1935-09-19 | Teddy Yarosz | World |
| 1935-09-19 | 1936-07-11 | Eddie Babe Risko | World |
| 1936-07-11 | 1938-07-26 | Freddie Steele | World |
| 1938-07-26 | 1938-11-01 | Al Hostak | NBA |
| 1938-11-01 | 1939-06-27 | Solly Krieger | NBA |
| 1938-11-18 | 1939-10-02 | Fred Apostoli | NYSAC |
| 1939-06-27 | 1940-07-19 | Al Hostak | NBA |
| 1939-10-02 | 1940-05-23 | Ceferino Garcia | NYSAC |
| 1940-05-23 | 1941-05-09 | Ken Overlin | NYSAC |
| 1940-07-19 | 1947-07-16 | Tony Zale | NBA |
| 1941-05-09 | 1941-10-31 | Billy Soose | NYSAC |
| 1941-11-28 | 1947-07-16 | Tony Zale | NYSAC |
| 1947-07-16 | 1948-06-10 | Rocky Graziano | NBA |
| 1948-06-10 | 1948-09-21 | Tony Zale | NBA |
| 1948-09-21 | 1949-06-16 | Marcel Cerdan | NBA |
| 1949-06-16 | 1951-02-14 | Jake LaMotta | NBA |
| 1950-07-12 | 1951-02-14 | Jake LaMotta | NYSAC |
| 1951-02-14 | 1951-07-10 | Sugar Ray Robinson | World |
| 1951-07-10 | 1951-09-12 | Randy Turpin | World |
| 1951-09-12 | 1952-04-16 – vacated | Sugar Ray Robinson | World |
| 1953-10-21 | 1955-12-09 | Bobo Olson | World |
| 1955-12-09 | 1957-01-02 | Sugar Ray Robinson | World |
| 1957-01-02 | 1957-05-01 | Gene Fullmer | World |
| 1957-05-01 | 1957-09-23 | Sugar Ray Robinson | World |
| 1957-09-23 | 1958-03-25 | Carmen Basilio | World |
| 1958-03-25 | 1960-01-22 | Sugar Ray Robinson | The Ring Magazine title |
| 1959-08-28 | 1962-10-23 | Gene Fullmer | NBA |
| 1960-01-22 | 1961-07-11 | Paul Pender | The Ring Magazine title |
| 1961-07-11 | 1962-04-07 | Terry Downes | The Ring Magazine title |
| 1962-04-07 | 1962-04-07 – vacated | Paul Pender | The Ring Magazine title |
| 1962-10-23 | 1963-12-07 | Dick Tiger | Universal (WBA/WBC) |
| 1963-12-07 | 1965-10-21 | Joey Giardello | Universal (WBA/WBC) |
| 1965-10-21 | 1966-04-25 | Dick Tiger | Universal (WBA/WBC) |
| 1966-04-25 | 1967-04-17 | Emile Griffith | Universal (WBA/WBC) |
| 1967-04-17 | 1967-09-29 | Nino Benvenuti | Universal (WBA/WBC) |
| 1967-09-29 | 1968-03-04 | Emile Griffith | Universal (WBA/WBC) |
| 1968-03-04 | 1970-11-07 | Nino Benvenuti | Universal (WBA/WBC) |
| 1970-11-07 | 1974-02-09 – title split | Carlos Monzón | Universal (WBA/WBC) |
| 1976-06-26 | 1977-08-29 – retired | Carlos Monzón | Universal (WBA/WBC) |
| 1980-09-27 | 1987-04-06 – title split | Marvin Hagler | Universal (WBA/WBC/IBF) |
| 2004-09-18 | 2005-07-16 – title lost | Bernard Hopkins | Universal (WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO) |
| 2005-07-16 | 2005-10-11 – title split | Jermain Taylor | Universal (WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO) |
| WBC ||||
| Title inaugurated |
| 1963-08-10 | 1963-12-07 | Dick Tiger | WBC |
| 1963-12-07 | 1965-10-21 | Joey Giardello | WBC |
| 1965-10-21 | 1966-04-25 | Dick Tiger | WBC |
| 1966-04-25 | 1967-04-17 | Emile Griffith | WBC |
| 1967-04-17 | 1967-09-29 | Nino Benvenuti | WBC |
| 1967-09-29 | 1968-03-04 | Emile Griffith | WBC |
| 1968-03-04 | 1970-11-07 | Nino Benvenuti | WBC |
| 1970-11-07 | 1974-02-09-Stripped | Carlos Monzon | WBC |
| 1974-05-25 | 1976-06-26 | Rodrigo Valdez | WBC |
| 1976-06-26 | 1977-08-29-Retired | Carlos Monzón | WBC |
| 1977-11-05 | 1978-04-22 | Rodrigo Valdez | WBC |
| 1978-04-22 | 1979-06-30 | Hugo Pastor Corro | WBC |
| 1979-06-30 | 1980-03-16 | Vito Antuofermo | WBC |
| 1980-03-16 | 1980-09-27 | Alan Minter | WBC |
| 1980-09-27 | 1987-04-06 | Marvelous Marvin Hagler | WBC |
| 1987-04-06 | 1987-05-27-Vacated | Sugar Ray Leonard | WBC |
| 1987-10-29 | 1988-06-06 | Thomas Hearns | WBC |
| 1988-06-06 | 1989-02-24 | Iran Barkley | WBC |
| 1989-02-24 | 1989-12-07-Vacated | Roberto Durán | WBC |
| 1990-11-24 | 1993-05-08 | Julian Jackson | WBC |
| 1993-05-08 | 1994-05-07-Vacated | Gerald McClellan | WBC |
| 1995-03-17 | 1995-08-19 | Julian Jackson | WBC |
| 1995-08-19 | 1996-03-16 | Quincy Taylor | WBC |
| 1996-03-16 | 1998-05-02 | Keith Holmes | WBC |
| 1998-05-02 | 1999-04-24 | Hacine Cherifi | WBC |
| 1999-04-24 | 2001-04-14 | Keith Holmes | WBC |
| 2001-04-14 | 2005-07-16 | Bernard Hopkins | WBC |
| 2005-07-16 | 2007-09-29 | Jermain Taylor | WBC |
| 2007-09-29 | 2010-04-17 | Kelly Pavlik | WBC |
| 2010-04-17 | 2011-01-17-Stripped | Sergio Martínez | WBC |
| 2011-01-17 | 2011-06-04 | Sebastian Zbik | WBC interim |
| 2011-06-04 | 2012-09-15 | Julio César Chávez Jr. | WBC |
| 2012-09-15 | 2014-06-07 | Sergio Martínez | WBC |
| 2014-04-05 | 2014-10-18 | Marco Antonio Rubio | WBC Interim |
| 2014-10-18 | 2016-05-18 | Gennady Golovkin | WBC Interim |
| 2014-06-07 | 2015-11-17-Stripped | Miguel Cotto | WBC |
| 2015-11-21 | 2016-05-18-Vacated | Saul Alvarez | WBC |
| 2016-05-18 | 2018-09-15 | Gennady Golovkin | WBC |
| 2018-04-21 | 2019-06-27 | Jermall Charlo | WBC Interim |
| 2018-09-15 | 2019-06-27-Elevated to 'Franchise' Champion | Saul Alvarez | WBC |
| 2019-06-27 | Present | Jermall Charlo | WBC |
| WBA ||||
| Title inaugurated |
| 1962-10-23 | 1963-12-07 | Dick Tiger | WBA |
| 1963-12-07 | 1965-10-21 | Joey Giardello | WBA |
| 1965-10-21 | 1966-04-25 | Dick Tiger | WBA |
| 1966-04-25 | 1967-04-17 | Emile Griffith | WBA |
| 1967-04-17 | 1967-09-29 | Nino Benvenuti | WBA |
| 1967-04-17 | 1968-03-04 | Emile Griffith | WBA |
| 1968-03-04 | 1970-11-04 | Nino Benvenuti | WBA |
| 1970-11-07 | 1977-08-29-Retired | Carlos Monzon | WBA |
| 1977-11-05 | 1978-04-22 | Rodrigo Valdez | WBA |
| 1978-04-22 | 1979-06-30 | Hugo Pastor Corro | WBA |
| 1979-06-30 | 1980-03-16 | Vito Antuofermo | WBA |
| 1980-03-16 | 1980-09-27 | Alan Minter | WBA |
| 1980-09-27 | 1987-Stripped | Marvin Hagler | WBA |
| 1987-10-23 | 1989-Stripped | Sumbu Kalambay | WBA |
| 1989-05-10 | 1991-04-01-Vacated | Mike McCallum | WBA |
| 1992-04-22 | 1993-10-01 | Reggie Johnson | WBA |
| 1993-10-01 | 1994-08-Vacated | John David Jackson | WBA |
| 1994-08-12 | 1995-12-19 | Jorge Fernando Castro | WBA |
| 1995-12-19 | 1996-06-24 | Shinji Takehara | WBA |
| 1996-06-24 | 1997-08-23 | William Joppy | WBA |
| 1997-08-23 | 1998-01-31 | Julio César Green | WBA |
| 1998-01-31 | 2001-05-12 | William Joppy | WBA |
| 2001-05-12 | 2001-09-29 | Félix Trinidad | WBA |
| 2001-09-29 | 2005-07-16 | Bernard Hopkins | WBA Super Champion |
| 2001-11-17 | 2003-12-13-Lost to Super Champion | William Joppy | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2004-05-01 | 2006-03-11 | Maselino Masoe | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2005-07-16 | 2006-12-14-Stripped | Jermain Taylor | WBA Super Champion |
| 2006-03-11 | 2006-07-15 | Felix Sturm | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2006-07-15 | 2007-04-28 | Javier Castillejo | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2007-04-28 | 2012-09-01 | Felix Sturm | WBA Super Champion |
| 2010-10-14 | 2014-07-26 | Gennady Golovkin | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2012-09-01 | 2012-11-02-Stripped | Daniel Geale | WBA Super Champion |
| 2014-07-26 | 2018-09-15 | Gennady Golovkin | WBA Super Champion |
| 2014-08-09 | 2017-03-18-Lost to Super Champion | Daniel Jacobs | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2017-05-20 | 2017-10-22 | Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2017-10-22 | 2018-10-20 | Ryota Murata | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2018-10-20 | 2019-07-12 | Rob Brant | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2019-07-12 | 2021-01-01 Elevated to Super Champion | Ryota Murata | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2018-09-15 | 2021-01-01-Vacated | Saul Alvarez | WBA Super Champion |
| 2021-01-05 | 2022-04-09 | Ryota Murata | WBA Super Champion |
| 2021-05-01 | Present | Erislandy Lara | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2022-04-09 | Present | Gennady Golovkin | WBA Super Champion |
| IBF ||||
| Title inaugurated |
| 1983-05-27 | 1987-04-06-Stripped | Marvin Hagler | IBF |
| 1987-10-10 | 1988-07-28 | Frank Tate | IBF |
| 1988-07-28 | 1991-05-10 | Michael Nunn | IBF |
| 1991-05-10 | 1993-02-13-Vacated | James Toney | IBF |
| 1993-05-22 | 1994-11-18-Vacated | Roy Jones Jr. | IBF |
| 1995-04-29 | 2005-07-16 | Bernard Hopkins | IBF |
| 2005-07-16 | 2005-10-11-Vacated | Jermain Taylor | IBF |
| 2005-12-10 | 2009-07-12-Vacated | Arthur Abraham | IBF |
| 2009-09-19 | 2011-05-07 | Sebastian Sylvester | IBF |
| 2011-05-07 | 2013-08-17 | Daniel Geale | IBF |
| 2013-08-17 | 2013-12-07 | Darren Barker | IBF |
| 2013-12-07 | 2014-05-31 | Felix Sturm | IBF |
| 2014-05-31 | 2014-10-08 | Sam Soliman | IBF |
| 2014-10-08 | 2015-02-06-Stripped | Jermain Taylor | IBF |
| 2015-06-20 | 2015-10-17 | David Lemieux | IBF |
| 2015-10-17 | 2018-06-01-Stripped | Gennady Golovkin | IBF |
| 2018-10-27 | 2019-05-04 | Daniel Jacobs | IBF |
| 2019-05-04 | 2019-08-01-Stripped | Saul Alvarez | IBF |
| 2019-10-05 | Present | Gennady Golovkin | IBF |
| WBO ||||
| Title inaugurated |
| 1989-04-18 | 1990-04-29 | Doug DeWitt | WBO |
| 1990-04-29 | 1990-11-18 | Nigel Benn | WBO |
| 1990-11-18 | 1991-06-22-Vacated | Chris Eubank | WBO |
| 1991-11-20 | 1992-Vacated | Gerald McClellan | WBO |
| 1993-05-19 | 1994-05-11 | Chris Pyatt | WBO |
| 1994-05-11 | 1995-03-Vacated | Steve Collins | WBO |
| 1995-05-19 | 1997-06-28-Vacated | Lonnie Bradley | WBO |
| 1997-12-13 | 1998-05-12-Vacated | Otis Grant | WBO |
| 1999-01-30 | 1999-11-Stripped | Bert Schenk | WBO |
| 1999-11 | 1999-11-27 | Jason Matthews | WBO |
| 1999-11-27 | 2002-04-06 | Armand Krajnc | WBO |
| 2002-04-06 | 2003-Retired | Harry Simon | WBO |
| 2003-05-10 | 2003-09-13 | Hector Javier Velazco | WBO |
| 2003-09-13 | 2004-06-05 | Felix Sturm | WBO |
| 2004-06-05 | 2004-09-18 | Oscar De La Hoya | WBO |
| 2004-09-18 | 2005-07-16 | Bernard Hopkins | WBO |
| 2005-07-16 | 2007-09-29 | Jermain Taylor | WBO |
| 2007-09-29 | 2010-04-17 | Kelly Pavlik | WBO |
| 2010-04-17 | 2010-06-01-Stripped | Sergio Martínez | WBO |
| 2010-07-31 | 2012-08-25-Stripped | Dmitry Pirog | WBO |
| 2012-08-25 | 2012-10-20 | Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam | WBO |
| 2012-10-20 | 2014-09-04-Vacated | Peter Quillin | WBO |
| 2014-12-13 | 2015-12-19 | Andy Lee | WBO |
| 2015-12-19 | 2018-10-11 | Billy Joe Saunders | WBO |
| 2018-10-20 | 2022-08-30 Vacated | Demetrius Andrade | WBO |
| 2022-05-21 | 2022-08-30 Elevated | Janibek Alimkhanuly | WBO Interim |
| 2022-08-30 | Present | Janibek Alimkhanuly | WBO |
