Top 5 Longest-Reigning Heavyweight Boxing Champions
In the history of boxing, heavyweights have been the biggest draws and knockouts have been emblematic of the division. Here are the top five longest-reigning heavyweight boxing champions of all time.
1 Joe Louis
Championship Reign: 11 Years and 8 Months
Joe Louis carried the boxing torch throughout the late 1930s and 10940s. He secured his first championship gold against James Braddock in 1937 and he held the title for more than a decade. Apart from being the longest reigning heavyweight boxer, Louis also holds the title for most title defences - a total of 25, which is yet to be matched.
2 Wladimir Klitschko
Championship Reign: April 22nd, 2006 - Present
Wladimir Klitschko is the current International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) World Heavyweight Champion. In modern boxing, he is the longest-reigning heavyweight boxer, with an impressive 15 consecutive title defences.
3 Larry Holmes
Championship Reign: 7 Years and 3 Months
Larry Holmes is a heavyweight champion from 1978 to 1985, who defended his title over 20 times. He took home the World Boxing Council (WBC) Heavyweight Champion title in 1978, which was later on handed-over to become the IBF World Heavyweight champion. He lost his championship and reign to Michael Spinks later on.
4 Jack Dempsey
Championship Reign: 7 Years and 2 Months
Jack Dempsey was hailed as the king of boxing from 1919 to 1926. He defeated the man who ended the reign of Jack Johnson, Jess Wiliard and reigned as the heavyweight champion for more than seven years. Dempsey remained affluent after his retirement and dies of natural causes in 1983.
5 John L. Sullivan
Championship Reign: 7 Years
John L. Sullivan is the last heavy-weight champion of bare-knuckle boxing and the first heavyweight champion of gloved boxing. In the late 19th century, he was an active boxer although the sport was illegal and underground across majority of the countries of the world. He lost his long-reigning title to James J. Corbett in 1892, which was also his last professional fight.
