Open Boxing

WBC cruiserweight world title

Covers world title bouts since 1979. Current champion: Michal Cieslak, since 14th Sep 2026.

World title bouts
78
Champions
25
Longest reign (Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, 2010–2014)
4 years, 4 months
Most successful defences in one reign (Juan Carlos Gomez, 1998–2002)
10

Current champion

Michal CieslakSince 14th Sep 2026 · 2 months · 0 successful defences

Upcoming world title bouts

  1. David Benavidez v Michal Cieslak

    Cruiserweight · WBC and WBO

Reigns and world title bouts

Feb 2022 – Feb 2027

WBC
Ilunga MakabuBadou JackNoel MikaelianBadou JackNoel Mikaelian
AprJulOct2023AprJulOct2024AprJulOct2025AprJulOct2026AprJulOct2027
19801990200020102020

World title boutScheduled

Reigns by length

  1. 1Krzysztof WlodarczykWBC2010–20144 years, 4 months · 6 successful defences
  2. 2Juan Carlos GomezWBC1998–20023 years, 11 months · 10 successful defences
  3. 3Anaclet WambaWBC1991–19943 years, 5 months · 6 successful defences
  4. 4Ilunga MakabuWBC2020–20233 years · 2 successful defences
  5. 5Marcelo DominguezWBC1995–19982 years, 6 months · 3 successful defences
  6. 6Wayne BraithwaiteWBC2002–20052 years, 5 months · 3 successful defences
  7. 7Carlos De LeonWBC1986–19882 years · 3 successful defences
  8. 8Carlos De LeonWBC1983–19851 year, 10 months · 3 successful defences
  9. 9Carlos De LeonWBC1980–19821 year, 7 months · 1 successful defence
  10. 10Grigory DrozdWBC2014–20161 year, 5 months · 1 successful defence
  11. 11Oleksandr UsykWBC2018–20191 year, 4 months · 2 successful defences
  12. 12Carlos De LeonWBC1989–19901 year, 2 months · 0 successful defences
  13. 13O'Neil BellWBC2006–20071 year, 2 months · 0 successful defences
  14. 14Noel MikaelianWBC2023–20241 year, 1 month · 0 successful defences
  15. 15Giacobbe FragomeniWBC2008–20091 year · 0 successful defences
  16. 16ST GordonWBC1982–19831 year · 1 successful defence
  17. 17Badou JackWBC2024–20251 year · 1 successful defence
  18. 18Massimiliano DuranWBC1990–199111 months · 1 successful defence
  19. 19Tony BellewWBC2016–201710 months · 1 successful defence
  20. 20Mairis BriedisWBC2017–20189 months · 1 successful defence
  21. 21Jean Marc MormeckWBC2005–20069 months · 0 successful defences
  22. 22Noel MikaelianWBC2025–20269 months · 0 successful defences
  23. 23Marvin CamelWBC1980–19807 months · 0 successful defences
  24. 24Evander HolyfieldWBC1988–19887 months · 0 successful defences
  25. 25Jean Marc MormeckWBC2007–20077 months · 0 successful defences
  26. 26Badou JackWBC2023–20236 months · 0 successful defences
  27. 27David HayeWBC2007–20086 months · 1 successful defence
  28. 28Bernard BentonWBC1985–19866 months · 0 successful defences
  29. 29Alfonzo RatliffWBC1985–19853 months · 0 successful defences
  30. 30Michal CieslakWBC2026–present2 months · 0 successful defences
  31. 31Zsolt ErdeiWBC2009–20101 month · 0 successful defences

Timeline of world title events

  1. 1979

  2. Mate Parlov and Marvin Camel draw via majority decision 15/15

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  1. 1980

  2. Marvin Camel beats Mate Parlov via unanimous decision 15/15

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  3. Carlos De Leon beats Marvin Camel via majority decision 15/15

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  4. 1982

  5. Carlos De Leon beats Marvin Camel via knockout 8/15

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  6. ST Gordon beats Carlos De Leon via knockout 2/15

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  7. 1983

  8. ST Gordon beats Jesse Burnett via knockout 8/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  9. Carlos De Leon beats ST Gordon via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  10. Carlos De Leon beats Yaqui Lopez via knockout 4/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  11. 1984

  12. Carlos De Leon beats Anthony Davis via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC and The Ring

  13. Carlos De Leon beats Bash Ali via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC and The Ring

  14. 1985

  15. Alfonzo Ratliff beats Carlos De Leon via split decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  16. Bernard Benton beats Alfonzo Ratliff via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  17. 1986

  18. Carlos De Leon beats Bernard Benton via majority decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  19. Carlos De Leon beats Michael Greer via knockout 8/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC and The Ring

  20. 1987

  21. Carlos De Leon beats Angelo Rottoli via corner retirement 4/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC and The Ring

  22. 1988

  23. Carlos De Leon beats Jose Maria Flores Burlon via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  24. Evander Holyfield beats Carlos De Leon via knockout 8/15

    Cruiserweight · WBA, WBC and IBFNew WBC champion

  25. Evander Holyfield’s reign as the WBC cruiserweight world champion ends

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  26. 1989

  27. Carlos De Leon beats Sammy Reeson via knockout 9/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  1. 1990

  2. Carlos De Leon and Johnny Nelson draw via split decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  3. Massimiliano Duran beats Carlos De Leon via disqualification 11/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  4. Massimiliano Duran beats Anaclet Wamba via disqualification 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  5. 1991

  6. Anaclet Wamba beats Massimiliano Duran via knockout 11/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  7. Anaclet Wamba beats Massimiliano Duran via knockout 11/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  8. 1992

  9. Anaclet Wamba beats Andrey Rudenko via knockout 5/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  10. Anaclet Wamba beats Andrew Maynard via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  11. 1993

  12. Anaclet Wamba beats David Vedder via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  13. Anaclet Wamba beats Akim Tafer via corner retirement 7/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  14. 1994

  15. Anaclet Wamba and Adolpho Washington draw via majority decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  16. Anaclet Wamba beats Marcelo Dominguez via majority decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  17. Anaclet Wamba’s reign as the WBC cruiserweight world champion ends

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  18. 1995

  19. Marcelo Dominguez becomes the WBC cruiserweight world champion

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  20. 1996

  21. Marcelo Dominguez beats Patrice Aouissi via knockout 10/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  22. Marcelo Dominguez beats Jose Arimatea da Silva via knockout 8/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  23. 1997

  24. Marcelo Dominguez beats Akim Tafer via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  25. 1998

  26. Juan Carlos Gomez beats Marcelo Dominguez via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  27. Juan Carlos Gomez beats Guy Waters via knockout 6/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  28. Juan Carlos Gomez beats Alexey Ilyin via knockout 2/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  29. Juan Carlos Gomez beats Rodney Gordon via knockout 2/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  30. 1999

  31. Juan Carlos Gomez beats Marcelo Dominguez via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  32. Juan Carlos Gomez beats Bruce Scott via knockout 6/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  33. Juan Carlos Gomez beats Napoleon Tagoe via knockout 9/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  1. 2000

  2. Juan Carlos Gomez beats Mohamed Siluvangi via knockout 2/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  3. Juan Carlos Gomez beats Imamu Mayfield via knockout 3/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  4. Juan Carlos Gomez beats Jorge Castro via knockout 10/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  5. 2001

  6. Juan Carlos Gomez beats Pietro Aurino via knockout 6/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  7. 2002

  8. Juan Carlos Gomez’s reign as the WBC cruiserweight world champion ends

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  9. Wayne Braithwaite beats Vincenzo Cantatore via knockout 10/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  10. 2003

  11. Wayne Braithwaite beats Ravea Springs via knockout 4/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  12. Wayne Braithwaite beats Luis Andres Pineda via knockout 1/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  13. 2004

  14. Wayne Braithwaite beats Louis Azille via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  15. 2005

  16. Jean Marc Mormeck beats Wayne Braithwaite via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBA Super, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  17. 2006

  18. O'Neil Bell beats Jean Marc Mormeck via knockout 10/12

    Cruiserweight · WBA Super, WBC, IBF and The RingNew WBC champion

  19. 2007

  20. Jean Marc Mormeck beats O'Neil Bell via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBA Super, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  21. David Haye beats Jean Marc Mormeck via knockout 7/12

    Cruiserweight · WBA Super, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  22. 2008

  23. David Haye beats Enzo Maccarinelli via knockout 2/12

    Cruiserweight · WBA Super, WBC, WBO and The Ring

  24. David Haye’s reign as the WBC cruiserweight world champion ends

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  25. Giacobbe Fragomeni beats Rudolf Kraj via technical decision 8/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  26. 2009

  27. Giacobbe Fragomeni and Krzysztof Wlodarczyk draw via points decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  28. Zsolt Erdei beats Giacobbe Fragomeni via majority decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  1. 2010

  2. Zsolt Erdei’s reign as the WBC cruiserweight world champion ends

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  3. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk beats Giacobbe Fragomeni via knockout 8/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  4. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk beats Jason Robinson via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  5. 2011

  6. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk beats Francisco Palacios via split decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  7. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk beats Danny Green via knockout 11/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  8. 2012

  9. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk beats Francisco Palacios via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  10. 2013

  11. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk beats Rakhim Chakhkiev via knockout 8/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  12. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk beats Giacobbe Fragomeni via corner retirement 6/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  13. 2014

  14. Grigory Drozd beats Krzysztof Wlodarczyk via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  15. 2015

  16. Grigory Drozd beats Lukasz Janik via knockout 9/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  17. 2016

  18. Grigory Drozd’s reign as the WBC cruiserweight world champion ends

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  19. Tony Bellew beats Ilunga Makabu via knockout 3/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  20. Tony Bellew beats BJ Flores via knockout 3/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  21. 2017

  22. Tony Bellew’s reign as the WBC cruiserweight world champion ends

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  23. Mairis Briedis beats Marco Huck via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  24. Mairis Briedis beats Mike Perez via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  25. 2018

  26. Oleksandr Usyk beats Mairis Briedis via majority decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC and WBONew WBC champion

  27. Oleksandr Usyk beats Murat Gassiev via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBA Super, WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring

  28. Oleksandr Usyk beats Tony Bellew via knockout 8/12

    Cruiserweight · WBA Super, WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring

  29. 2019

  30. Oleksandr Usyk’s reign as the WBC cruiserweight world champion ends

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  1. 2020

  2. Ilunga Makabu beats Michal Cieslak via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  3. Ilunga Makabu beats Olanrewaju Durodola via knockout 7/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  4. 2022

  5. Ilunga Makabu beats Thabiso Mchunu via split decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  6. 2023

  7. Badou Jack beats Ilunga Makabu via technical knockout 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  8. Badou Jack’s reign as the WBC cruiserweight world champion ends

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  9. Noel Mikaelian beats Ilunga Makabu via technical knockout 3/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  10. 2024

  11. Noel Mikaelian’s reign as the WBC cruiserweight world champion ends

    Cruiserweight · WBC

    Badou Jack becomes the WBC cruiserweight world champion

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

  12. 2025

  13. Badou Jack beats Noel Mikaelian via majority decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBC

  14. Noel Mikaelian beats Badou Jack via unanimous decision 12/12

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

    Source: Noel Mikaelian dethrones Badou Jack(opens in a new tab), Boxsport, Adam Noble-Forcey,

  15. 2026

  16. Noel Mikaelian’s reign as the WBC cruiserweight world champion ends

    Cruiserweight · WBC

    Source: Cieslak elevated to WBC cruiserweight champion(opens in a new tab), The Ring, Nate Pardo-Marrero,

    Michal Cieslak becomes the WBC cruiserweight world champion

    Cruiserweight · WBCNew champion

    Source: Cieslak elevated to WBC cruiserweight champion(opens in a new tab), The Ring, Nate Pardo-Marrero,

  17. David Benavidez v Michal Cieslak

    Cruiserweight · WBC and WBOScheduled

    Source: Benavidez-Cieslak title unification set for Dec. 5(opens in a new tab), The Ring, Nate Pardo-Marrero,