Boxing Timeline
Before Common Era (BCE)
circa 3000 Sumerian relief carvings depict visual evidence of boxers.
c. 1500 A carved vase from Minoan Crete depicts the use of hand coverings in boxing.
c. 1350 A relief sculpture from Egyptian Thebes shows boxers and spectators.
688 Boxing first appears as a formal Olympic event.
675 Homer recounts a boxing bout in the Iliad.
100 Apollonius the Athenian sculpts The Boxer, a Roman bronze copy of Greek sculpture.
Common Era (CE)
400 Emperor Theodoric the Great bans boxing outright.
1681 The first ever recorded boxing match in England, arranged by Christopher Monck, 2nd Duke of Albemarle: his butler vs. his butcher.
1704 Jack Broughton is born in Cirencester, England. He will be an English bare knuckle boxer and the publisher of the first ever boxing code.
1719 James Figg becomes the first English bare-knuckle boxing champion.
1734, James Figg was born. He would be the first recognised boxing champion of England.
1743 Jack Broughton, Champion of England, publishes the earliest boxing code: 'Rules of the Ring'
1750 The first international prize fight: Jack Slack retains Champion of England boxing title by beating Frenchman Jean Petit in 7 rounds.
1818 Jack Broughton designs the first boxing glove to be used in a competitive boxing match.
1838 The London Prize Ring Rules are instituted.
1867 John Graham Chambers writes the Marquess of Queensberry rules.
1876 Nelly Saunders and Rose Harland fight in the first female boxing match.
1881 Jess Willard was born. He would defeat Jack Johnson for the world Heavyweight title in 1915 and eventually lose the title against Jack Dempsey in 1919.
1885 Boxing's first Heavyweight title fight with 3-oz gloves and 3-minute rounds: John L. Sullivan vs. Dominick McCaffrey.
1888 Ad Wolgast, the Michigan Wildcat, was born. He would become the world Lightweight champion from 1910 to 1912.
1892 The longest boxing match under modern rules: 77 rounds between Harry Sharpe and Frank Crosby.
1894 Pierre de Coubertin creates the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
1894 Ted ‘Kid’ Lewis was born. He would twice win the World Welterweight Championship and be regarded as one of the all time greats.
1899 Bobby Dobbs defeats Pete Sheenan.
1902 Jack Marles invents the first mouth guard for boxers.
1902 Joe Gans defeats Rufe Turner to defend his World Lightweight Championship.
1906 Joe Gans defeats Battling Nelson via disqualification in Round 42 to regain the world Lightweight title.
1908 Jack Johnson wins the world Heavyweight title.
1908 Sam Langford defeats Jim Flynn in a first round KO.
1909 Barney Ross was born in NYC, New York. He would be world champion in 3 weight divisions and a decorated veteran of WWII.
1910 Jack Johnson defeats James J. Jeffries by TKO in 15 rounds to retain his world heavyweight boxing title.
1912 Henry Armstrong is born in Columbus, Mississippi. He would be world champion at featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight with 19 title defences.
1913 Ted ‘Kid’ Lewis becomes the first boxer to use a mouth guard in the ring.
1913 Tony Zale was born. He held the world Middleweight title multiple times and earned the nickname 'Man of Steel' for his ability to take fearsome punishment and still rally to win.
1915 Jess Willard defeats Jack Johnson after 26 rounds to win the Heavyweight title.
1916 Harry Wills defeats Sam Langford in their 4th fight. They will eventually fight 22 times.
1920 The International Federation of Amateur Boxers (Fédération Internationale de Boxe Amateur, FIBA) is formed.
1920 Jack Dempsey defeats Billy Miske in 3 rounds for the Heavyweight title in the first radio broadcast of a prize fight.
1921 Angelo Dundee is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He will be remembered as the boxing trainer and cornerman of Muhammad Ali.
1921 Jack Britton retained the world Welterweight title with a fifteen-round decision over Ted "Kid" Lewis.
1921 Jack Dempsey fights Georges Carpentier in the first million-dollar fight in boxing history.
1921 Johnny Wilson retains the world Middleweight title with a seventh round disqualification win over William Bryan Downey.
1921 Pete Herman regains the world Bantamweight title with a fifteen-round decision over Joe Lynch.
1922 Battling Siki becomes Senegal's first world boxing champion.
1922 Mickey Walker becomes world Welterweight champion, defeating Jack Britton by a fifteen-round decision.
1923 Ban Johnson persuades American League owners to prohibit boxing in their parks.
1923 Harry Greb defeats Tommy Loughman in a rare case of Christmas boxing.
1923 Jack Bernstein wins the world Junior Lightweight title with a fifteen-round decision over Johnny Dundee.
1923 Pancho Villa becomes the first world boxing champion in history from the Philippines, knocking out Jimmy Wilde in seven rounds.
1926 The ‘Chicago Tribune’ arranges the ‘Golden Gloves’ amateur competitions.
1926 the ‘Chicago Tribune’ arranges the ‘Golden Gloves’ amateur competitions with the status of national championship.
1927 The National Boxing Association (NBA) becomes the first ‘sanctioning body’ to govern the sport.
1927 Gene Tunney defeats contender Jack Dempsey again. .
1927 the National Boxing Association (NBA) becomes the first sanctioning body to govern the sport.
1930 Jack Kid Berg defeats Mushy Callahan to become world Jr. Welterweight champion.
1930 Max Schmeling wins the undisputed World Heavyweight title, defeating Jack Sharkey by a four-round disqualification, after a low blow, and also becomes the first boxer to win the title by disqualification.
1930 Panama Al Brown retains the world Bantamweight title with a fifteen-round decision over Eugene Huat.
1931 Don King is born in Cleveland, Ohio. An American boxing promoter, he will be best known for his association with Mike Tyson and for his unusual hairstyles.
1931 Kid Chocolate becomes Cuba's first world boxing champion in history by defeating Benny Bass.
1931 Max Schmeling retains the world Heavyweight title, with a fifteenth-round knockout of Young Stribling.
1931 Maxie Rosenbloom retains his world Light Heavyweight title over Jimmy Slattery.
1931 Panama Al Brown retains his world Bantamweight title with a fifteen-round decision over Eugene Huat.
1932 Benny Leonard's last fight, the former world Lightweight champion would be knocked out in six rounds by Jimmy McLarnin.
1933 Battling Shaw defeats Johnny Jadick to win the world Jr Welterweight title.
1933 First televised boxing match: a 6-round middleweight exhibition at Broadcasting House in London, between Archie Sexton and Lauri Raiteri, aired by BBC-TV
1933 Tony Canzoneri defeats Kid Chocolate in their second fight, giving Kid Chocolate his first KO loss.
1933 Young Corbett III defeats Jackie Fields to become the world Welterweight champion.
1934 Barney Ross becomes the third man in boxing history to win world titles in three divisions.
1934 Barney Ross retains his world Lightweight title against Frankie Klick.
1934 Jimmy McLarnin recovers the world Welterweight title over Barney Ross.
1934 Max Baer wins the world Heavyweight title, dropping Primo Carnera eleven times to an eleventh-round knockout.
1934 Sixto Escobar becomes Puerto Rico's first world champion in history, knocking out Baby Casanova in nine rounds.
1935 Baby Arizmendi becomes the first world champion from Mexico in boxing history.
1935 Floyd Patterson was born. He would reign as the world Heavyweight champion twice, and be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.
1935 James J Braddock, with 24 losses, produces one of the biggest upsets in world Heavyweight championship history, defeating world champion Max Baer to take the world title, by a fifteen-round unanimous decision.
1935 Tony Canzoneri recovers the world Lightweight title over Lou Ambers.
1936 Billy Conn defeats Fritzie Zivic in Round 10.
1936 Henry Armstrong becomes world champion for the first time by defeating Baby Arizmendi.
1936 Max Schmeling gives Joe Louis his first defeat with a twelve-round knockout.
1936 Sixto Escobar retains the world Bantamweight title, with a first-round knockout over Indian Quintana.
1936 Sixto Escobar unifies the world Bantamweight title, with a knockout victory over Tony Marino.
1937 Doug Jones the American heavyweight boxer was born. He is best known for his 1963 fight with Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) that resulted in a challenged loss.
1937 Joe Louis becomes Heavyweight champion and defends the title until his retirement in 1949, becoming the longest reigning champion in history.
1938 Henry Armstrong becomes the first man in boxing history to hold world titles in three divisions at the same time.
1938 Henry Armstrong wins his 3rd concurrent boxing championship.
1939 Henry Armstrong begins what would be a run of 20 successful title defences of his world Welterweight title in the same year.
1939 Joe Louis retains the world Heavyweight title by defeating John Henry Lewis.
1939 Lou Ambers defeats Henry Armstrong to regain the world Lightweight title.
1939 Sixto Escobar defeats KO Morgan to retain the world Bantamweight title.
1940 Joe Louis defeats Al McCoy for the Heavyweight boxing title.
1941 All major titles are frozen until 1946, as four thousand professional boxers join the military.
1941 Anton Christoforidis becomes the first Greek world boxing champion in history, defeating Melio Bettina.
1941 Joe Louis defeats Gus Dorazio for his 14th title defence.
1942 Jake LaMotta fights Sugar Ray Robinson in Robinson's middleweight debut, their first of five fights.
1942 Joe Louis retains his world Heavyweight title against Buddy Baer.
1942 Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He would be one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the 20th century, and is frequently ranked as the greatest Heavyweight boxer of all time.
1942 National Boxing Association freezes the titles of those serving in the armed services.
1942 Willie Pep wins the world Featherweight championship over Chalky Wright.
1943 Jake LaMotta fought Sugar Ray Robinson for a 3rd time. This fight would be portrayed 37 years later in LaMotta's biographic movie, Raging Bull.
1943 Sugar Ray Robinson beats his childhood hero, Henry Armstrong, by a ten-round unanimous decision.
1944 Joe Frazier was born in Beaufort, South Carolina. A gold medalist in the 1964 Summer Olympics, he would be the first to defeat Muhammad Ali and reign as undisputed Heavyweight champion from 1970 to 1973.
1944 Michael Buffer, the great ring announcer, is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1944 Willie Pep retains the world Featherweight title with a fifteen-round decision over Chalky Wright.
1945 Jake LaMotta fights Sugar Ray Robinson for the fifth and final time.
1946 Professional boxing was revived following the Second World War, after being frozen for the duration of the war.
1946 Sugar Ray Robinson becomes world champion for the first time, defeating Tommy Bell by a fifteen-round unanimous decision.
1946 Sylvester Stallone was born. He will write and star in Rocky, perhaps the most culturally, historically and aesthetically significant boxing films in boxing history.
1946 The International Boxing Association (AIBA) is established.
1946 Willie Pep unifies the world Featherweight title with a victory over Sal Bartolo.
1947 Joe Louis retains his world Heavyweight title for the 24th time by defeating Jersey Joe Walcott.
1947 Len Wickwar fights for the 473rd time in his career, more than any other boxer in history.
1947 Manuel Ortiz regains the world Bantamweight title with a fifteen-round decision over Harold Dade.
1947 Rinty Monaghan regains the world Flyweight title with a fifteen-round decision over Dado Marino.
1948 Joe Louis retains his world Heavyweight title for the 25th and final time, a record for any division in boxing history.
1948 Rinty Monaghan unifies the world's Flyweight title with a win over Jackie Patterson.
1949 Joe Louis announces his retirement after the longest single reign as champion of any boxer in history, leaving the world Heavyweight title vacant after 11 years, six months, and a world record 25 defences as world champion.
1949 Ezzard Charles retains his world Heavyweight title, knocking out Gus Lesvenich.
1949 Sugar Ray Robinson retains the world Welterweight title with a fifteen-round unanimous decision over Kid Gavilán.
1950 Sandy Saddler regains the world Featherweight title against Willie Pep in their third of four fights.
1950 Sugar Ray Robinson knocks out Jose Basora in 48 seconds, a record for a championship fight that stood for 37 years.
1950 Willie Pep retains his world Featherweight title, with a fifth-round knockout of Charley Riley.
1951 Jersey Joe Walcott became the oldest heavyweight champion at the age of 37, a record that would eventually be broken in 1994 by 45-year-old George Foreman.
1951 Joe Louis' last fight, as he is knocked out in eight rounds by the up-and-coming Rocky Marciano.
1951 Randy Turpin wins the world Middleweight title by defeating Sugar Ray Robinson.
1951 St Valentine's Day Massacre: Sugar Ray Robinson defeats Jake LaMotta in their six-fight rivalry, becoming the undisputed world Middleweight champion.
1951 Sugar Ray Robinson recovers the world Middleweight title with a tenth-round knockout of Randy Turpin.
1952 Danny Nardico defeats Jake LaMotta in a Light Heavyweight non-title fight.
1952 Sugar Ray Robinson retains his world Middleweight title with a third-round knockout of former world champion Rocky Graziano.
1952 Yoshio Shirai becomes Japan's first world champion in boxing history, defeating Dado Marino by a fifteen-round decision for the world Flyweight title.
1952, Rocky Marciano defeats Jersey Joe Walcott to become the Heavyweight champion of the world.
1953 Archie Moore retains his world Light-Heavyweight title over former world champion Joey Maxim.
1953 Carl Olson becomes world Middleweight champion over Randy Turpin.
1953 Dwight Muhammad Qawi was born, world champion in 2 weight classes and inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.
1954 Pascual Pérez becomes Argentina's first world boxing champion, defeating Yoshio Shirai to take the world Flyweight championship.
1954 Rocky Marciano defeats Ezzard Charles by a fifteen-round unanimous decision.
1955 Sugar Ray Robinson joins the exclusive group of fighters who have been world champion three or more times in one division.
1956 After going bankrupt in 1955, the American national broadcaster DuMont Television Network makes its final broadcast: a boxing match from St. Nicholas Arena.
1956 Floyd Patterson wins the vacant world Heavyweight championship over Archie Moore.
1956 Joe Brown wins the world Lightweight title with a fifteen-round split decision over Bud Smith.
1956 Mario D'Agata becomes boxing's first deaf-mute world champion in history, defeating Robert Cohen by knockout in six rounds for the world Bantamweight title.
1956 Rocky Marciano announces his retirement and becomes the only Heavyweight champion to finish his career undefeated, 49-0.
1956 Sugar Ray Robinson defeats Bobo Olson for the fourth time.
1957 Hogan Bassey becomes Nigeria's first world boxing champion in history, winning the vacant world Featherweight title with a tenth-round knockout of Cherif Hamia.
1957 Tom Witherspoon was born. He would become a two-time heavyweight champion, and work regularly as a sparring partner for Muhammad Ali.
1958 Archie Moore knocks out Yvon Durelle to retain his world Light Heavyweight title in what many consider to be one of the greatest fights in boxing history.
1959 Gene Fullmer wins the National Boxing Association's world Middleweight title over Carmen Basilio.
1960 Gene Fullmer and Sugar Ray Robinson fight for the third time. Fullmer retains the NBA's world Middleweight title with a fifteen-round draw.
1960 LaMar Clark sets pro boxing record of 44 consecutive knockouts.
1960 Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) wins gold at the Summer Olympics in Rome in the Light Heavyweight division.
1961 Frank Bruno was born. We would win the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995 and be known for his exceptional punching power, scoring 38 knockouts in 40 wins.
1961 Gene Fullmer retains the National Boxing Association's world Middleweight title against Sugar Ray Robinson. It would be Robinson’s last world title attempt.
1961 Ray Mercer was born. He would win the heavyweight gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics and later hold the WBO Heavyweight title from 1991 to 1992.
1961 Roger Mayweather was born. He would become a two-division champion and later coach Floyd Mayweather Jr to become one of the biggest names in boxing history.
1962 Carlos Ortiz becomes world Lightweight champion with a win over Joe Brown.
1962 Davey Moore passes away in Los Angeles. His passing leads to Bob Dylan's song Who Killed Davey Moore?
1962 Fighting Harada becomes world Flyweight champion, knocking out Pone Kingpetch in eleven rounds.
1962 Sonny Liston becomes world Heavyweight champion, knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round.
1963 Sonny Liston again defeats Floyd Patterson by a knockout in the first round, this time retaining the world Heavyweight title.
1964 Joe Frazier defeats German Hans Huber and wins the Olympic Heavyweight gold medal in Tokyo.
1964 Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) defeats Sonny Liston in an upset victory to become world Heavyweight champion.
1965 Muhammad Ali retains his WBC world Heavyweight title in a rematch with Sonny Liston, by knockout in the first round - one of the most controversial fights in boxing history because few were able to see the knockout punch. The fight became known as the Phantom Punch Fight.
1965 Floyd Patterson beats George Chuvalo by unanimous decision in a 12-round non-title clash.
1965 José Torres becomes the first Hispanic Light-Heavyweight champion in history by knocking out Willie Pastrano in nine rounds.
1965 Sugar Ray Robinson announces his retirement with a record of 173-19-6. Many sportswriters, boxers and trainers regard him as the greatest boxer in history irrespective of weight class.
1966 Carlos Ortiz beats Sugar Ramos to retain his world Lightweight title.
1966 Eric Esch is born in Jasper, Alabama. He will later be remembered as 'Butterbean'.
1966 Mike Tyson was born. He will be the youngest Heavyweight champion and one of the biggest names in boxing history.
1966 Muhammad Ali retains his WBC world Heavyweight title by defeating George Chuvalo
1966 Muhammad Ali retains his world Heavyweight title by defeating Henry Cooper.
1967 Carlos Ortiz retains his world Lightweight title against Ismael Laguna.
1967 Emile Griffith retains the world Middleweight title by defeating Joey Archer.
1967 Hiroshi Kobayashi drops Yoshiaki Numata four times before knocking him out to win the world title in the first world title fight in history between two Japanese fighters.
1967 Muhammad Ali retains his world Heavyweight title by defeating Zora Folley
1967 Muhammad Ali unifies his WBC world Heavyweight title with the WBA one, defeating the WBA's world champion Ernie Terrell by a fifteen-round unanimous decision.
1967 Nino Benvenuti wins the world Middleweight title by defeating Emile Griffith.
1967 Muhammad Ali denies his call for military service citing religious reasons. He was convicted of draft evasion, stripped of his heavyweight title, suspended from boxing, sentenced to five years in prison and fined $10,000.
1967 Carlos Ortiz once again knocks out Sugar Ramos to retain the world Lightweight title.
1968 Bob Foster wins the world Light-Heavyweight title by defeating Dick Tiger.
1968 Jess Willard passes away at age 86, the world Heavyweight champion between 1915 and 1919.
1968 Nicolino Locche wins the world's Jr Welterweight championship, knocking out Paul Fujii.
1969 Rubén Olivares becomes world Bantamweight champion for the first time, knocking out Lionel Rose.
1970 Muhammad Ali returns from his forced exile with a three-round stoppage of Jerry Quarry.
1970 Joe Frazier defeats Jimmy Ellis to become world Heavyweight champion.
1970 Sonny Liston passes away at his home in Las Vegas. He was the world heavyweight champion in 1962 after knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round and repeating the knockout the following year in defence of the title to become the inaugural WBC Heavyweight champion.
1971 Carlos Monzón retains his title with a three-round knockout of Nino Benvenuti.
1971 Joe Frazier defeats Muhammad Ali in their first of three fights, the ‘Fight of the Century’. It would be the most anticipated and publicized sporting event in boxing history.
1971 Joe Frazier retains his world Heavyweight title by defeating Terry Daniels.
1972 Roberto Durán wins the first of four world titles.
1972 Joe Frazier retains his world Heavyweight title with a five-round knockout over Ron Stander.
1972 Muhammad Ali beats Floyd Patterson by a knockout in round seven of their rematch.
1973 Arnold Taylor survives four knockdowns to knock out Romeo Anaya in fourteen rounds, winning the WBA world Bantamweight title.
1973 George Foreman becomes world Heavyweight champion, defeating Joe Frazier in the first fight televised by HBO Boxing.
1973 George Foreman retains his world Heavyweight title with a first-round knockout over José Roman.
1973 Ken Norton becomes the second boxer to defeat Muhammad Ali, breaking Ali's jaw in a twelve-round split decision.
1973 Muhammad Ali avenges his loss to Ken Norton, beating him by a twelve-round split decision.
1974 Alexis Argüello wins the first of three world titles, knocking out Rubén Olivares.
1974 Bob Foster retains his world Light-Heavyweight title with a draw with Jorge Ahumada.
1974 George Foreman retains his world Heavyweight championship with a second-round knockout over Ken Norton.
1974 Muhammad Ali defeats Joe Frazier in their second of three fights by a controversial decision, the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’.
1974 Muhammad Ali fights George Foreman in the greatest sporting event of the 20th century.
1974 Rubén Olivares defeats Zensuke Utagawa for the vacant WBA world Featherweight championship.
1975 George Foreman stages an exhibition fight against five different boxers. He beats the five men by knockout.
1975 José Nápoles retains his world Welterweight title with a fifteen-round decision over Armando Muniz.
1975 Muhammad Ali fights Joe Frazier a third and final time in one of the best fights in boxing history, the ‘Thrilla in Manila’.
1975 Muhammad Ali retains his world Heavyweight championship over underdog Chuck Wepner. With a young Sylvester Stallone watching at home, the fight would inspire the movie Rocky.
1975 Muhammad Ali retains the world Heavyweight title with an eleventh-round knockout of Ron Lyle.
1976 George Foreman defeats Ron Lyle after being knocked down twice in round four.
1976 Muhammad Ali retains the world Heavyweight championship with a disputed fifteen round unanimous decision over Ken Norton in the last fight of their trilogy.
1976 Muhammad Ali retains the world Heavyweight title with a highly disputed fifteen round unanimous decision over Jimmy Young.
1976 Rocky is released: the highest-grossing film of that year and winner of three Academy Award nominations.
1976 Wilfred Benitez becomes the youngest world champion in boxing history, winning the WBA Light Welterweight championship at age 17.
1977 Carlos Monzón retains his world Middleweight championship against Rodrigo Valdez in their rematch.
1977 Carlos Zarate defeats WBA world champion Alfonso Zamora in four rounds in a non-title fight.
1977 Ken Norton knocks out Duane Bobick in the first round.
1977 Muhammad Ali retains the world Heavyweight championship with a fifteen-round unanimous decision over Earnie Shavers.
1978 José Cuevas retains his WBA world Welterweight title with a first-round knockout of former world champion Billy Backus.
1978 Larry Holmes retains his WBC world Heavyweight title with a seventh-round knockout over Uruguayan Alfredo Evangelista.
1978 Leon Spinks defeats Muhammad Ali to become undisputed world Heavyweight champion.
1978 Manny Pacquiao is born in Kibawe, Philippines. He will be the only champion of 8 different weight classes.
1978 Muhammad Ali makes history by becoming the first boxer to be world Heavyweight champion three times, by defeating Leon Spinks.
1979 Alexis Arguello retains his WBC world Jr Lightweight title against Alfredo Escalera
1979 Wilfred Benítez wins his 2nd of 3 world titles, defeating WBC world Welterweight champion Carlos Palomino.
1980 A frustrated Roberto Duran walks out in Round 8 of his rematch with Sugar Ray Leonard.
1980 Marvin Hagler becomes world Middleweight champion, scoring a technical knockout over Alan Minter on cuts in three rounds.
1980 Roberto Durán defeats Sugar Ray Leonard for the WBC world Welterweight title.
1980 Salvador Sánchez becomes WBC world Featherweight champion by defeating Danny Lopez.
1980 Thomas Hearns becomes WBA world Welterweight champion, knocking out Pipino Cuevas in two rounds.
1981 Muhammad Ali's last fight: He loses a ten-round unanimous decision to future WBC World Heavyweight Champion Trevor Berbick.
1981 Muhammad Ali announces his retirement from boxing.
1981 Wilfred Benítez becomes the first Hispanic and Puerto Rican to be a three time world champion when he defeats Maurice Hope.
1982 Aaron Pryor retains his WBA world Junior Welterweight title with a fourteen-round knockout of Alexis Argüello.
1982 Wilfred Benítez retains his WBC world Jr. Middleweight title by defeating Roberto Durán.
1983 Rafael Orono retains his WBC world Jr Bantamweight championship over Pedro Romero.
1983 Roberto Durán becomes the seventh fighter in history to be a three division world champion, knocking out WBA Junior Middleweight champion Davey Moore in eight rounds.
1984 Thomas Hearns retains his WBC world Junior Middleweight title with a second-round knockout over Roberto Durán.
1985 Marvin Hagler defeats Thomas Hearns in what many consider the greatest three rounds in boxing history.
1985 Michael Spinks makes history by becoming the first boxer to go from world Light-Heavyweight champion to world Heavyweight champion, defeating IBF champion Larry Holmes.
1985 Rocky IV is released, starring Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren. It would be the highest grossing sports film of all time for 24 years.
1985 Tony Jeffries was born. He would win Bronze at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
1986 Evander Holyfield wins his first world title, the WBA's Cruiserweight championship, with a fifteen-round decision over Dwight Muhammad Qawi.
1986 Mike Tyson becomes the youngest world Heavyweight champion in history by defeating Trevor Berbick by knockout in round two.
1987 Mike Tyson defeats Tony Tucker to become undisputed world Heavyweight champion.
1987 Mike Tyson unifies the WBC and WBA world Heavyweight titles by defeating James Smith.
1987 Sugar Ray Leonard comes back after three and a half years without fighting to defeat Marvin Hagler and win the undisputed world Middleweight championship.
1987 Thomas Hearns becomes the ninth boxer in history to win world titles in three divisions, and the first American to do so since Henry Armstrong, by defeating Dennis Andries.
1987 Thomas Hearns makes history, becoming the first boxer in history to win world titles at four different divisions, knocking out Juan Roldán in four rounds.
1988 Evander Holyfield unifies his WBA and WBC world Cruiserweight titles by defeating Carlos De León.
1988 Iran Barkley defeats Thomas Hearns for the WBC world Middleweight title.
1988 Mike Tyson retains his undisputed world Heavyweight title with a first-round knockout of former world champion Michael Spinks.
1988 Mike Tyson travels to Japan to beat Tony Tubbs and retain his undisputed world Heavyweight title.
1988 Sugar Ray Leonard becomes the second four division world champion and the first five division world champion by defeating Donnie Lalonde.
1989 Carlos De León becomes the first boxer to win the world Cruiserweight title four times when he knocks out Sammy Reeson in nine rounds.
1989 John Mugabi defeats René Jacquot to win the WBC Light Middleweight Championship.
1989 Roberto Durán makes history by becoming the 3rd fighter to win world titles in 4 different divisions.
1990 Buster Douglas defeats Mike Tyson in an upset victory.
1990 Chris Eubank wins the WBO Middleweight title by defeating Nigel Benn.
1990 Pernell Whitaker defeats Juan Nazario to unify the WBA, WBC, IBF belts and become the undisputed Lightweight champion of the world.
1991 Terry Norris defeats Sugar Ray Leonard, defending his WBC super welterweight title.
1992 Lennox Lewis defeats Razor Ruddock to defend his Commonwealth heavyweight title.
1993 Roy Jones Jr. defeats Bernard Hopkins to win the vacated IBF middleweight title.
1994 Frankie Randall defeats Julio César Chávez for the WBC world Jr Welterweight title, giving Chávez his first defeat in 91 professional bouts
1994 George Foreman at 45 years old becomes the oldest Heavyweight champion by defeating Michael Moorer via knockout in round 10 after being behind in all the scorecards.
1995 Mike Tyson defeats Peter McNeeley in his first comeback fight.
1995 Oscar De La Hoya unifies the WBO and IBF Lightweight titles in his victory against Rafael Ruelas.
1996 Evander Holyfield wins by technical knockout against Mike Tyson to win the WBA heavyweight title.
1996 Mike Tyson defeats Bruce Seldon in one round for the WBA heavyweight title, unifying it with the WBC heavyweight title he already holds. American rapper Tupac Shakur watches the fight but is fatally shot later that night.
1996 Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic Flame during the Opening Ceremony in Atlanta in what many consider the most inspiring, poignant and emotional moments in Olympic history.
1996 When We Were Kings is released: the documentary film directed by Leon Gast about the heavyweight championship between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali
1997 Naseem Hamed defeats Kevin Kelley to retain his WBO Featherweight Championship.
1997 Evander Holyfield wins by disqualification over Mike Tyson after Tyson tries to bite his ear twice.
1997 Oscar De La Hoya defeats Pernell Whitaker to win the Lineal & WBC Welterweight championship.
1997 Roy Jones Jr regains his WBC Light Heavyweight title by first-round knockout in his rematch against Montell Griffin.
1998 Floyd Mayweather, Jr., aged 21, defeats Genaro Hernández to win the Lineal & WBC Super featherweight titles, becoming the first 1996 U.S Olympian to win a world title.
1998 Lennox Lewis defeats Shannon Briggs to retain his WBC Heavyweight Championship and win the Lineal Heavyweight title.
1999 Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis meet in a unification heavyweight bout at Madison Square Garden, and the fight ends in a controversial draw.
1999 Félix Trinidad defeats Oscar De La Hoya by a close, controversial majority decision.
1999 Fernando Vargas defeats Winky Wright by majority decision to retain his IBF Light Middleweight championship
1999 Roy Jones Jr defeats Reggie Johnson and unifies the Light Heavyweight division.
2000 Erik Morales defeats Marco Antonio Barrera to unify the WBO and WBC super bantamweight belts.
2000 Evander Holyfield defeats John Ruiz for the WBA Heavyweight title, making Holyfield the only heavyweight in boxing history to win a portion of the title 4 times.
2000 Félix Trinidad defeats Fernando Vargas to unify the WBA and IBF Light Middleweight titles.
2001 Bernard Hopkins defeats Félix Trinidad to successfully unify the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles and become the undisputed Middleweight champion.
2001 Félix Trinidad defeats William Joppy to take the WBA Middleweight title.
2001 Floyd Mayweather Jr defeats Diego Corrales to defend his WBC Super Featherweight title.
2001 Kostya Tszyu becomes the undisputed Light Welterweight champion by defeating Zab Judah.
2001 Lennox Lewis recaptures the Heavyweight title as he avenges his loss against Hasim Rahman.
2001 Marco Antonio Barrera defeats Naseem Hamed.
2001 Micky Ward defeats Emanuel Augustus by 10-round decision.
2001 Roy Jones Jr defends the WBC, WBA, and IBF Light Heavyweight titles against Julio César González.
2002 Lennox Lewis defeats Mike Tyson by eighth-round knockout.
2002 Vernon Forrest defeats Shane Mosley in an upset victory for the WBC Welterweight title.
2003 Lennox Lewis defends his title by defeating Vitali Klitschko by technical knockout due to a cut in Klitschko's left eye. Klitschko was up on all the scorecards at the time of the stoppage.
2003 Manny Pacquiao defeats Marco Antonio Barrera to earn the Ring Magazine featherweight title.
2003 Shane Mosley defeats Oscar De La Hoya in their rematch to unify the WBC and WBA Light Middleweight title belts.
2004 Antonio Tarver defeats Roy Jones Jr in an upset victory for the WBC, WBA and WBO Light Heavyweight titles.
2004 Manny Pacquiao defeats Juan Manuel Márquez for the Featherweight championship.
2005 Erik Morales defeats Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision.
2005 Reggie Strickland loses for the 276th time, a record for the most professional defeats.
2005 Ricky Hatton defeats Kostya Tszyu for the IBF Light-Welterweight title.
2006 Bernard Hopkins defeats Antonio Tarver to take the Light Heavyweight world championship.
2006 Carlos Baldomir defeats Zab Judah in an upset victory for the WBC Welterweight title.
2006 Floyd Mayweather Jr becomes the WBC and linear Welterweight champion, defeating Carlos Baldomir.
2006 Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeats Zab Judah by unanimous decision to win the IBF Welterweight title.
2006 James Toney fights Hasim Rahman for the WBC Heavyweight title, and the fight ends in a draw.
2006 Joe Calzaghe defeats Jeff Lacy for the IBF-WBO Super Middleweight unification.
2006 Laila Ali defeats Gwendolyn O'Neil in her last fight. She will retire with an undefeated record of 24-0.
2006 Manny Pacquiao defeats Erik Morales for the Super Featherweight title in their second bout in one of the greatest boxing trilogies of all time.
2006 Manny Pacquiao knocks out Erik Morales in the 3rd round of their third and final match.
2006 Mikkel Kessler unifies the WBC and WBA Super middleweight titles after knocking out Markus Beyer.
2006 Wladimir Klitschko wins the IBF world Heavyweight title from Chris Byrd.
2007 AIBA changes its name to International Boxing Association but keeps the abbreviation, AIBA. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. defeats Oscar De La Hoya by split decision, taking the WBC junior middleweight title in one of the highest grossing fights in the history of the sport.
2007 Bernard Hopkins beats Winky Wright by unanimous decision.
2007 Floyd Mayweather Jr defends his WBC and Ring Welterweight titles, defeating Ricky Hatton.
2007 Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeats Oscar De La Hoya, taking the WBC Junior Middleweight title.
2007 Juan Manuel Márquez defeats Marco Antonio Barrera to become the WBC Super Featherweight champion.
2007 Manny Pacquiao defeats Marco Antonio Barrera by unanimous decision.
2007 Miguel Cotto defends his WBA Welterweight title against Zab Judah by technical knockout in the 11th.
2007 Nonito Donaire defeats Vic Darchinyan for the IBF and IBO flyweight titles.
2007 Paul Williams becomes the WBO welterweight champion as he defeats Antonio Margarito.
2007 Ricky Hatton defends his Ring Light Welterweight championship by defeating José Luis Castillo.
2007 Ruslan Chagaev becomes the new WBA Heavyweight champion after defeating Nicolay Valuev
2007 Shane Mosley becomes WBC Welterweight champion by defeating Luis Collazo.
2007 Wladimir Klitschko defends his IBF Heavyweight title against Ray Austin.
2008 David Haye unifies the WBA, WBC and WBO titles as he defeats Enzo Maccarinelli by a 2nd-round technical knockout.
2008 Antonio Margarito knocks out Miguel Cotto to gain the WBA Welterweight title. A hand wrap controversy surrounding Margarito would later call the victory into question.
2008 Bernard Hopkins defeats Kelly Pavlik via unanimous decision.
2008 Joe Calzaghe defeats Bernard Hopkins to gain the Ring Light Heavyweight championship.
2008 Joe Calzaghe defeats Roy Jones Jr by unanimous decision to retain the Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight title.
2008 Manny Pacquiao becomes the Ring Magazine and WBC Super Featherweight champion by defeating Juan Manuel Márquez.
2008 Manny Pacquiao defeats Oscar De La Hoya after eight rounds.
2008 Roy Jones Jr. defeats Félix Trinidad by unanimous decision.
2008 Vitali Klitschko defeats Sam Peter after four years of inactivity.
2008 Wladimir Klitschko unifies the IBF and WBO heavyweight titles as he defeats Sultan Ibragimov.
2009 Amir Khan defeats Marco Antonio Barrera.
2009 Arthur Abraham defeats Jermain Taylor with less than 10 seconds left in the fight as part of the Super Six Tournament.
2009 Floyd Mayweather Jr defeats Juan Manuel Márquez in a comeback after retiring 21 months earlier.
2009 Joe Calzaghe retires unbeaten in 46 bouts as a two weight champion.
2009 Juan Manuel Márquez defeats Juan Díaz via 9th-round TKO to bag the WBA and WBO lightweight titles.
2009 Manny Pacquiao defeats Miguel Cotto by a technical knockout to become the only boxer to win a world title in seven different weight divisions.
2009 Roy Jones Jr defeats Jeff Lacy in round 10.
2010 Bernard Hopkins defeats Roy Jones Jr in a rematch of their May 1993 fight, in which Jones Jr won the vacant IBF Middleweight title.
2010 Devon Alexander wins a decision over Andriy Kotelnyk.
2010 Erik Morales comes out of a 32-month retirement to defeat José Alfaro and win the WBC international welterweight title.
2010 Evander Holyfield, at 47 years of age, knocks out Francois Botha in the eighth round to win the World Boxing Federation Heavyweight title.
2010 Floyd Mayweather Jr defeats Shane Mosley to continue his undefeated career streak.
2010 Jean Pascal defeats Chad Dawson by a technical decision due to an accidental headbutt.
2010 Juan Manuel Márquez defeats Juan Díaz for a second time to retain his WBO Lightweight title and to win the WBA super world Lightweight title.
2010 Manny Pacquiao defeats Antonio Margarito for the WBC super welterweight title, making Pacquiao the first and so far only boxer to win world titles in 8 different weight classes.
2010 Manny Pacquiao is officially proclaimed congressman of the lone district of Sarangani.
2010 Nonito Donaire knocksout Manuel Vargas to defend his interim WBA world Super Flyweight title.
2010 Ricky Burns gives Román Martínez his first defeat and wins the WBO super Featherweight title.
2010 Roman Karmazin defeats Dionisio Miranda as part of an IBF Middleweight title eliminator.
2010 Wladimir Klitschko knocks out Eddie Chambers with five seconds left in the fight.
2010 Yuriorkis Gamboa defeats Orlando Salido to unify the WBA world and vacant IBF Featherweight titles.
2011 Wladimir Klitschko defeats David Haye by unanimous decision.
2011 Amir Khan defeats Zab Judah in the fifth round.
2011 Andre Ward defeats Arthur Abraham to retain his WBA Super World Super Middleweight title.
2011 Arthur Abraham defeats Stjepan Božić.
2011 Giovanni Segura defeats Iván Calderón in a repeat of 2010's fight of the year.
2011 Kevin Mitchell defeats John Murray for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental lightweight title.
2011 Kimbo Slice makes his boxing debut with a 17-second knockout of James Wade.
2011 Miguel Cotto defeats Ricardo Mayorga to retain his WBA world Light Middleweight title.
2012 Juan Manuel Márquez knocks out Manny Pacquiao in the 6th round.
2012 Nicola Adams becomes first female Olympic boxing champion after winning gold at London Olympics.
2013 Floyd Mayweather Jr defeats Canelo Álvarez by majority decision.
2013 Timothy Bradley defeats Juan Manuel Márquez by split decision.
2013 Wladimir Klitschko beats Alexander Povetkin to retain his WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO heavyweight titles.
2014 Floyd Mayweather Jr defeats Marcos Maidana by majority decision.
2014 Manny Pacquiao defeats Timothy Bradley to regain his WBO Welterweight boxing title.
2015 Creed is released: the sequel and spin-off to the Rocky franchise, starring Michael B. Jordan.
2015 Floyd Mayweather Jr defeats Manny Pacquiao in the highest grossing fight in boxing history.
2015 Tyson Fury defeats Wladimir Klitschko, ending Klitschko’s almost decade-long reign as the Heavyweight Champion of the world.
2016 Bleed for This is released: an American biographical sports film directed by Ben Younger on the life of former world champion Vinny Pazienza.
2016 Canelo Álvarez knocks out Amir Khan in the 6th round.
2016 Muhammad Ali passes away at the age of 74. He will forever be remembered as ‘The Greatest’.
2017 Anthony Joshua stops Wladimir Klitschko in the 11th round.
2017 Floyd Mayweather Jr stops UFC fighter Conor McGregor in the 10th round to become 50-0.
2017 Gennady Golovkin fights Canelo Álvarez, which ends in a controversial draw.
2018 Canelo Alvarez defeats Gennady Golovkin by majority decision in a rematch to win the WBO and WBC middleweight titles.
2018 Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury ends in a controversial draw.
2019 Andy Ruiz Jr defeats Anthony Joshua in an upset victory to become the first Mexican world heavyweight champion.
2019 Anthony Joshua regains his titles by beating Andy Ruiz Jr. in a rematch.
2019 Manny Pacquaio beats Keith Thurman by split decision, becoming the oldest Welterweight champion at the age of 40.
2019 Saul Alvarez defeats IBF middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs, defending his WBA (Super), WBC, Ring and lineal Middleweight titles whilst obtaining the IBF Middleweight title.
2020 Tyson Fury defeats Deontay Wilder in their rematch by seventh-round technical knockout.
2021 Tyson Fury defeats Deontay Wilder in their third and final bout via 11th round knockout, in what is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight fights of all time.
2021 Manny Pacquiao retires from boxing as the only boxer to win world titles in eight divisions.
2021 Saul Alvarez defeats Caleb Plant to become the first undisputed super middleweight champion in boxing history.
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