Heavyweight · The Ring

The Ring’s champions

The heavyweight champions of The Ring magazine, from Jack Dempsey in 1922 to Oleksandr Usyk: 30 reigns and 10 vacancies, as Wikipedia lists them.

Today

2022 20 Aug

Oleksandr Usyk

Beat Anthony Joshua for the vacant title · SD 12

Since 20 Aug 2022 · 4 years

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

2022

Vacant

Fury vacates the title. Vacant 7 days.

2020 22 Feb

Tyson Fury

Beat Deontay Wilder for the vacant title · TKO 7

22 Feb 2020 – 13 Aug 2022 · 2 years · his second reign

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

2018

Vacant

Fury was stripped of the title for failing to declare an opponent by 31 January 2018, the deadline set by The Ring. Vacant 2 years.

2015 28 Nov

Tyson Fury

Beat Wladimir Klitschko · UD 12

28 Nov 2015 – 1 Feb 2018 · 2 years · his first reign

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

2009 20 Jun

Wladimir Klitschko

Beat Ruslan Chagaev for the vacant title · RTD 9

20 Jun 2009 – 28 Nov 2015 · 6 years

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

2005

Vacant

Vitali Klitschko retired after withdrawing from a bout against Hasim Rahman due to injuries. Vacant 4 years.

2004 24 Apr

Vitali Klitschko

Beat Corrie Sanders for the vacant title · TKO 8

24 Apr 2004 – 9 Nov 2005 · 19 months

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

2004

Vacant

Lewis retired as champion and chose not to accept a rematch with Vitali Klitschko before a WBC-mandated 1 March deadline to accept the bout. Vacant 3 months.

2001 2 Dec

Lennox Lewis

Awarded the title

2 Dec 2001 – 6 Feb 2004 · 2 years

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1989

Vacant

New ownership discontinued the championship policy during Tyson's reign. Vacant 12 years.

1988 27 Jun

Mike Tyson

Beat Michael Spinks · KO 1

27 Jun 1988 – 31 Dec 1989 · 18 months

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1985 21 Sep

Michael Spinks

Beat Larry Holmes · UD 15

21 Sep 1985 – 27 Jun 1988 · 3 years

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1980 31 Mar

Larry Holmes

Awarded the title

31 Mar 1980 – 21 Sep 1985 · 5 years

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1979

Vacant

Ali retired. Vacant 9 months.

1978 15 Sep

Muhammad Ali

Beat Leon Spinks · UD 15

15 Sep 1978 – 3 Jul 1979 · 10 months · his third reign

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1978 15 Feb

Leon Spinks

Beat Muhammad Ali · SD 15

15 Feb 1978 – 15 Sep 1978 · 7 months

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1974 30 Oct

Muhammad Ali

Beat George Foreman · KO 8

30 Oct 1974 – 15 Feb 1978 · 3 years · his second reign

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1973 22 Jan

George Foreman

Beat Joe Frazier · TKO 2

22 Jan 1973 – 30 Oct 1974 · 21 months

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1970 May

Joe Frazier

Awarded the title

May 1970 – 22 Jan 1973 · 3 years

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1970

Vacant

Ali was stripped of the title due to his refusal to be drafted to army service. Frazier was awarded the title in May. Vacant 49 days.

1964 25 Feb

Muhammad Ali

Beat Sonny Liston · RTD 6

25 Feb 1964 – 13 Mar 1970 · 6 years · his first reign

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1962 25 Sep

Sonny Liston

Beat Floyd Patterson · KO 1

25 Sep 1962 – 25 Feb 1964 · 17 months

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1960 29 Jun

Floyd Patterson

Beat Ingemar Johansson

29 Jun 1960 – 25 Sep 1962 · 2 years · his second reign

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1959 26 Jun

Ingemar Johansson

Beat Floyd Patterson · TKO 3

26 Jun 1959 – 29 Jun 1960 · 12 months

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1956 30 Nov

Floyd Patterson

Beat Archie Moore for the vacant title · KO 5

30 Nov 1956 – 26 Jun 1959 · 3 years · his first reign

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1956

Vacant

Marciano retired. Vacant 7 months.

1952 23 Sep

Rocky Marciano

Beat Jersey Joe Walcott · KO 13

23 Sep 1952 – 27 Apr 1956 · 4 years

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1951 18 Jul

Jersey Joe Walcott

Beat Ezzard Charles · KO 7

18 Jul 1951 – 23 Sep 1952 · 14 months

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1950 27 Sep

Ezzard Charles

Beat Joe Louis for the vacant title · UD 15

27 Sep 1950 – 18 Jul 1951 · 10 months

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1949

Vacant

Louis retired. Vacant 19 months.

1937 22 Jun

Joe Louis

Beat James J. Braddock · KO 8

22 Jun 1937 – 1 Mar 1949 · 12 years

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1935 13 Jun

James J. Braddock

Beat Max Baer · UD 15

13 Jun 1935 – 22 Jun 1937 · 2 years

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1934 14 Jun

Max Baer

Beat Primo Carnera · TKO 11

14 Jun 1934 – 13 Jun 1935 · 12 months

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1933 29 Jun

Primo Carnera

Beat Jack Sharkey · KO 6

29 Jun 1933 – 14 Jun 1934 · 11 months

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1932 21 Jun

Jack Sharkey

Beat Max Schmeling · SD 15

21 Jun 1932 – 29 Jun 1933 · 12 months

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1930 12 Jun

Max Schmeling

Beat Jack Sharkey for the vacant title · DQ 4

12 Jun 1930 – 21 Jun 1932 · 2 years

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1928

Vacant

Tunney retired. Vacant 22 months.

1926 23 Sep

Gene Tunney

Beat Jack Dempsey · UD 10

23 Sep 1926 – 31 Jul 1928 · 22 months

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

1922

Jack Dempsey

Awarded the title

1922 – 23 Sep 1926 · 5 years

Record → On the chart → Reigns →

Adapted from Wikipedia's List of The Ring world champions, as it stood on 26 Sep 2026, under CC BY-SA 4.0. The fights are from each champion's own record.