Open Boxing

WBC heavyweight world title

Covers world title bouts since 1963. Current champion: Agit Kabayel, since 27th Jun 2026.

World title bouts
122
Champions
26
Longest reign (Larry Holmes, 1978–1983)
5 years, 6 months
Most successful defences in one reign (Larry Holmes, 1978–1983)
16

Current champion

Agit KabayelSince 27th Jun 2026 · 4 months · 0 successful defences

Upcoming world title bouts

  1. Agit Kabayel v Nelson Hysa

    Heavyweight · WBC

Reigns and world title bouts

Jan 2022 – Jan 2027

WBC
Tyson FuryOleksandr UsykKabayel
AprJulOct2023AprJulOct2024AprJulOct2025AprJulOct2026AprJulOct2027
197019801990200020102020

World title boutScheduled

Reigns by length

  1. 1Larry HolmesWBC1978–19835 years, 6 months · 16 successful defences
  2. 2Vitali KlitschkoWBC2008–20135 years, 2 months · 9 successful defences
  3. 3Deontay WilderWBC2015–20205 years, 1 month · 9 successful defences
  4. 4Muhammad AliWBC1964–19695 years · 9 successful defences
  5. 5Tyson FuryWBC2020–20244 years, 2 months · 3 successful defences
  6. 6Lennox LewisWBC1997–20014 years, 2 months · 8 successful defences
  7. 7Muhammad AliWBC1974–19783 years, 3 months · 9 successful defences
  8. 8Mike TysonWBC1986–19903 years, 2 months · 9 successful defences
  9. 9Joe FrazierWBC1970–19732 years, 11 months · 4 successful defences
  10. 10Lennox LewisWBC2001–20042 years, 2 months · 2 successful defences
  11. 11Oleksandr UsykWBC2024–20262 years, 1 month · 3 successful defences
  12. 12Evander HolyfieldWBC1990–19922 years · 2 successful defences
  13. 13Lennox LewisWBC1992–19941 year, 9 months · 3 successful defences
  14. 14George ForemanWBC1973–19741 year, 9 months · 2 successful defences
  15. 15Oleg MaskaevWBC2006–20081 year, 6 months · 1 successful defence
  16. 16Pinklon ThomasWBC1984–19861 year, 6 months · 1 successful defence
  17. 17Vitali KlitschkoWBC2004–20051 year, 6 months · 1 successful defence
  18. 18Sonny ListonWBC1963–19641 year · 0 successful defences
  19. 19Oliver McCallWBC1994–199511 months · 1 successful defence
  20. 20Hasim RahmanWBC2005–20069 months · 0 successful defences
  21. 21Buster DouglasWBC1990–19908 months · 0 successful defences
  22. 22Bermane StiverneWBC2014–20158 months · 0 successful defences
  23. 23Trevor BerbickWBC1986–19868 months · 0 successful defences
  24. 24Samuel PeterWBC2008–20087 months · 0 successful defences
  25. 25Hasim RahmanWBC2001–20016 months · 0 successful defences
  26. 26Frank BrunoWBC1995–19966 months · 0 successful defences
  27. 27Mike TysonWBC1996–19966 months · 0 successful defences
  28. 28Tim WitherspoonWBC1984–19845 months · 0 successful defences
  29. 29Agit KabayelWBC2026–present4 months · 0 successful defences
  30. 30Ken NortonWBC1978–19782 months · 0 successful defences
  31. 31Leon SpinksWBC1978–19781 month · 0 successful defences
  32. 32Riddick BoweWBC1992–19921 month · 0 successful defences

Timeline of world title events

  1. 1963

  2. Sonny Liston becomes the WBC heavyweight world champion

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  3. 1964

  4. Muhammad Ali beats Sonny Liston via corner retirement 6/15

    Heavyweight · NYSAC, WBA, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  5. 1965

  6. Muhammad Ali beats Sonny Liston via knockout 1/15

    Heavyweight · NYSAC, WBC and The Ring

  7. Muhammad Ali beats Floyd Patterson via knockout 12/15

    Heavyweight · NYSAC, WBC and The Ring

  8. 1966

  9. Muhammad Ali beats George Chuvalo via unanimous decision 15/15

    Heavyweight · NYSAC, WBC and The Ring

  10. Muhammad Ali beats Henry Cooper via knockout 6/15

    Heavyweight · NYSAC, WBC and The Ring

  11. Muhammad Ali beats Brian London via knockout 3/15

    Heavyweight · NYSAC, WBC and The Ring

  12. Muhammad Ali beats Karl Mildenberger via knockout 12/15

    Heavyweight · NYSAC, WBC and The Ring

  13. Muhammad Ali beats Cleveland Williams via knockout 3/15

    Heavyweight · NYSAC, WBC and The Ring

  14. 1967

  15. Muhammad Ali beats Ernie Terrell via unanimous decision 15/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC, NYSAC and The Ring

  16. Muhammad Ali beats Zora Folley via knockout 7/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC, NYSAC and The Ring

  17. 1969

  18. Muhammad Ali’s reign as the WBC heavyweight world champion ends

    Heavyweight · WBC

  1. 1970

  2. Joe Frazier beats Jimmy Ellis via corner retirement 4/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and NYSACNew WBC champion

  3. Joe Frazier beats Bob Foster via knockout 2/15

    Heavyweight · WBA and WBC

  4. 1971

  5. Joe Frazier beats Muhammad Ali via unanimous decision 15/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  6. 1972

  7. Joe Frazier beats Terry Daniels via knockout 4/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  8. Joe Frazier beats Ron Stander via corner retirement 4/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  9. 1973

  10. George Foreman beats Joe Frazier via knockout 2/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  11. George Foreman beats Jose Roman via knockout 1/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  12. 1974

  13. George Foreman beats Ken Norton via knockout 2/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  14. Muhammad Ali beats George Foreman via knockout 8/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  15. 1975

  16. Muhammad Ali beats Chuck Wepner via knockout 15/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  17. Muhammad Ali beats Ron Lyle via knockout 11/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  18. Muhammad Ali beats Joe Bugner via unanimous decision 15/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  19. Muhammad Ali beats Joe Frazier via corner retirement 14/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  20. 1976

  21. Muhammad Ali beats Jimmy Young via unanimous decision 15/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  22. Muhammad Ali beats Richard Dunn via knockout 5/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  23. Muhammad Ali beats Ken Norton via unanimous decision 15/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  24. 1977

  25. Muhammad Ali beats Alfredo Evangelista via unanimous decision 15/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  26. Muhammad Ali beats Earnie Shavers via unanimous decision 15/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  27. 1978

  28. Leon Spinks beats Muhammad Ali via split decision 15/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  29. Leon Spinks’s reign as the WBC heavyweight world champion ends

    Heavyweight · WBC

  30. Ken Norton becomes the WBC heavyweight world champion

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  31. Larry Holmes beats Ken Norton via split decision 15/15

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  32. Larry Holmes beats Alfredo Evangelista via knockout 7/15

    Heavyweight · WBC

  33. 1979

  34. Larry Holmes beats Ossie Ocasio via knockout 7/15

    Heavyweight · WBC

  35. Larry Holmes beats Mike Weaver via knockout 12/15

    Heavyweight · WBC

  36. Larry Holmes beats Earnie Shavers via knockout 11/15

    Heavyweight · WBC

  1. 1980

  2. Larry Holmes beats Lorenzo Zanon via knockout 6/15

    Heavyweight · WBC

  3. Larry Holmes beats Leroy Jones via knockout 8/15

    Heavyweight · WBC

  4. Larry Holmes beats Scott LeDoux via knockout 7/15

    Heavyweight · WBC

  5. Larry Holmes beats Muhammad Ali via corner retirement 10/15

    Heavyweight · WBC and The Ring

  6. 1981

  7. Larry Holmes beats Trevor Berbick via unanimous decision 15/15

    Heavyweight · WBC and The Ring

  8. Larry Holmes beats Leon Spinks via knockout 3/15

    Heavyweight · WBC and The Ring

  9. Larry Holmes beats Renaldo Snipes via knockout 11/15

    Heavyweight · WBC and The Ring

  10. 1982

  11. Larry Holmes beats Gerry Cooney via knockout 13/15

    Heavyweight · WBC and The Ring

  12. Larry Holmes beats Randall Cobb via unanimous decision 15/15

    Heavyweight · WBC and The Ring

  13. 1983

  14. Larry Holmes beats Lucien Rodriguez via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and The Ring

  15. Larry Holmes beats Tim Witherspoon via split decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and The Ring

  16. Larry Holmes beats Scott Frank via knockout 5/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and The Ring

  17. Larry Holmes’s reign as the WBC heavyweight world champion ends

    Heavyweight · WBC

  18. 1984

  19. Tim Witherspoon beats Greg Page via majority decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  20. Pinklon Thomas beats Tim Witherspoon via majority decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  21. 1985

  22. Pinklon Thomas beats Mike Weaver via knockout 8/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  23. 1986

  24. Trevor Berbick beats Pinklon Thomas via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  25. Mike Tyson beats Trevor Berbick via knockout 2/12

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  26. 1987

  27. Mike Tyson beats James Smith via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBA and WBC

  28. Mike Tyson beats Pinklon Thomas via knockout 6/12

    Heavyweight · WBA and WBC

  29. Mike Tyson beats Tony Tucker via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and IBF

  30. Mike Tyson beats Tyrell Biggs via knockout 7/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and IBF

  31. 1988

  32. Mike Tyson beats Larry Holmes via knockout 4/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and IBF

  33. Mike Tyson beats Tony Tubbs via knockout 2/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and IBF

  34. Mike Tyson beats Michael Spinks via knockout 1/15

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC, IBF and The Ring

  35. 1989

  36. Mike Tyson beats Frank Bruno via knockout 5/12

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC, IBF and The Ring

  37. Mike Tyson beats Carl Williams via knockout 1/12

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC, IBF and The Ring

  1. 1990

  2. Buster Douglas beats Mike Tyson via knockout 10/12

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and IBFNew WBC champion

  3. Evander Holyfield beats Buster Douglas via knockout 3/12

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and IBFNew WBC champion

  4. 1991

  5. Evander Holyfield beats George Foreman via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and IBF

  6. 1992

  7. Evander Holyfield beats Larry Holmes via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and IBF

  8. Riddick Bowe beats Evander Holyfield via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and IBFNew WBC champion

  9. Riddick Bowe’s reign as the WBC heavyweight world champion ends

    Heavyweight · WBC

    Lennox Lewis becomes the WBC heavyweight world champion

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  10. 1993

  11. Lennox Lewis beats Tony Tucker via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  12. Lennox Lewis beats Frank Bruno via knockout 7/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  13. 1994

  14. Lennox Lewis beats Phil Jackson via knockout 8/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  15. Oliver McCall beats Lennox Lewis via knockout 2/12

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  16. 1995

  17. Oliver McCall beats Larry Holmes via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  18. Frank Bruno beats Oliver McCall via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  19. 1996

  20. Mike Tyson beats Frank Bruno via knockout 3/12

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  21. Mike Tyson’s reign as the WBC heavyweight world champion ends

    Heavyweight · WBC

  22. 1997

  23. Lennox Lewis beats Oliver McCall via knockout 5/12

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  24. Lennox Lewis beats Henry Akinwande via disqualification 5/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  25. Lennox Lewis beats Andrew Golota via knockout 1/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  26. 1998

  27. Lennox Lewis beats Shannon Briggs via knockout 5/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  28. Lennox Lewis beats Zeljko Mavrovic via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  29. 1999

  30. Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield draw via split decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and IBF

  31. Lennox Lewis beats Evander Holyfield via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBA, WBC and IBF

  1. 2000

  2. Lennox Lewis beats Michael Grant via knockout 2/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and IBF

  3. Lennox Lewis beats Frans Botha via knockout 2/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and IBF

  4. Lennox Lewis beats David Tua via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and IBF

  5. 2001

  6. Hasim Rahman beats Lennox Lewis via knockout 5/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and IBFNew WBC champion

  7. Lennox Lewis beats Hasim Rahman via knockout 4/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and IBFNew WBC champion

  8. 2002

  9. Lennox Lewis beats Mike Tyson via knockout 8/12

    Heavyweight · WBC, IBF and The Ring

  10. 2003

  11. Lennox Lewis beats Vitali Klitschko via knockout 6/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and The Ring

  12. 2004

  13. Lennox Lewis’s reign as the WBC heavyweight world champion ends

    Heavyweight · WBC

  14. Vitali Klitschko beats Corrie Sanders via knockout 8/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  15. Vitali Klitschko beats Danny Williams via knockout 8/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and The Ring

  16. 2005

  17. Vitali Klitschko’s reign as the WBC heavyweight world champion ends

    Heavyweight · WBC

    Hasim Rahman becomes the WBC heavyweight world champion

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  18. 2006

  19. Hasim Rahman and James Toney draw via majority decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  20. Oleg Maskaev beats Hasim Rahman via knockout 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  21. Oleg Maskaev beats Okello Peter via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  22. 2008

  23. Samuel Peter beats Oleg Maskaev via knockout 6/12

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  24. Vitali Klitschko beats Samuel Peter via corner retirement 8/12

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  25. 2009

  26. Vitali Klitschko beats Juan Carlos Gomez via knockout 9/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  27. Vitali Klitschko beats Chris Arreola via corner retirement 10/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  28. Vitali Klitschko beats Kevin Johnson via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  1. 2010

  2. Vitali Klitschko beats Albert Sosnowski via knockout 10/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  3. Vitali Klitschko beats Shannon Briggs via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  4. 2011

  5. Vitali Klitschko beats Odlanier Solis via knockout 1/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  6. Vitali Klitschko beats Tomasz Adamek via knockout 10/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  7. 2012

  8. Vitali Klitschko beats Dereck Chisora via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  9. Vitali Klitschko beats Manuel Charr via knockout 4/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  10. 2013

  11. Vitali Klitschko’s reign as the WBC heavyweight world champion ends

    Heavyweight · WBC

  12. 2014

  13. Bermane Stiverne beats Chris Arreola via knockout 6/12

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  14. 2015

  15. Deontay Wilder beats Bermane Stiverne via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

  16. Deontay Wilder beats Eric Molina via knockout 9/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  17. Deontay Wilder beats Johann Duhaupas via knockout 11/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  18. 2016

  19. Deontay Wilder beats Artur Szpilka via knockout 9/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  20. Deontay Wilder beats Chris Arreola via corner retirement 8/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  21. 2017

  22. Deontay Wilder beats Gerald Washington via knockout 5/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  23. Deontay Wilder beats Bermane Stiverne via knockout 1/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  24. 2018

  25. Deontay Wilder beats Luis Ortiz via knockout 10/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  26. Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury draw via split decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  27. 2019

  28. Deontay Wilder beats Dominic Breazeale via knockout 1/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  29. Deontay Wilder beats Luis Ortiz via knockout 7/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  1. 2020

  2. Tyson Fury beats Deontay Wilder via knockout 7/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  3. 2021

  4. Tyson Fury beats Deontay Wilder via knockout 11/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and The Ring

  5. 2022

  6. Tyson Fury beats Dillian Whyte via technical knockout 6/12

    Heavyweight · WBC and The Ring

  7. Tyson Fury beats Derek Chisora via technical knockout 10/12

    Heavyweight · WBC

  8. 2024

  9. Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury via split decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBA Super, WBC, IBF, WBO and The RingNew WBC champion

  10. Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury via unanimous decision 12/12

    Heavyweight · WBA Super, WBC, WBO and The Ring

  11. 2025

  12. Oleksandr Usyk beats Daniel Dubois via knockout 5/12

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

    Source: Usyk knocks out Dubois to become undisputed heavyweight champion(opens in a new tab), ESPN, Nick Parkinson,

  13. 2026

  14. Oleksandr Usyk beats Rico Verhoeven via technical knockout 11/12

    Heavyweight · WBA Super, WBC and The Ring

    Source: Usyk vs Rico LIVE: Result, scorecards, stats & reaction as Oleksandr Usyk stops Rico Verhoeven(opens in a new tab), BBC Sport, Charlotte Coates; Josh Lobley; Kal Sajad,

  15. Oleksandr Usyk vacates the WBC heavyweight world title

    Heavyweight · WBC

    Source: Heavyweight champion Usyk says vacating heavyweight world title belts(opens in a new tab), Al Jazeera, AFP,

  16. Agit Kabayel becomes the WBC heavyweight world champion

    Heavyweight · WBCNew champion

    Source: WBC elevates Agit Kabayel to full heavyweight champion(opens in a new tab), The Ring, Mosope Ominiyi,

  17. Agit Kabayel v Nelson Hysa

    Heavyweight · WBCScheduled

    Source: Report: Kabayel set for Hysa title defense Nov. 28(opens in a new tab), The Ring, Manouk Akopyan,