Cruiserweight title history

WBC

Michał Cieslak

14 September 2026Reigning for 1 month

Was elevated from Interim Champion after Noel Mikaelian was named Champion in Recess.

Details & 1 source

Promoted to the WBC cruiserweight title.

Was elevated from Interim Champion after Noel Mikaelian was named Champion in Recess

WBC source

Event date recorded in the source.

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Division

All recorded title changes123

Exact dates are shown where recorded. Month-only dates mark the first appearance in our ranking archive, not necessarily the date the title was won.

Cruiserweight champions and recorded title changes
Date	Organisation	Champion	Title	Evidence
14 September 2026	WBC	Michał Cieslak	Champion	Was elevated from Interim Champion after Noel Mikaelian was named Champion in Recess WBC source
14 September 2026	WBC	Michal Cieslak	Champion	Promoted after the WBC ruled on Mikaelyan-Opetaia sanctioning, ordering Cieslak to face Benavidez before the winner meets Opetaia WBC source
12 September 2026	WBA	Jai Opetaia	World Champion	Won the WBA world title by stopping Norair Mikaeljan in the ninth round in Las Vegas WBA source
2 May 2026	WBAWBO	David Benavidez	Super Champion, Champion	Won the title by knocking out Gilberto Ramirez in the sixth round in Las Vegas, also taking his WBO title. Won the title by knocking out Gilberto Ramirez in the sixth round. WBA source WBO source
13 December 2025	WBC	Norair Mikaeljan	Champion	Regained the title by unanimous decision against Badou Jack in their Los Angeles rematch WBC source
28 June 2025	WBC	Michal Cieslak	Interim Champion	Won the vacant interim WBC title by stopping Jean Pascal in the fourth round in Laval, Canada WBC source
11 December 2024	WBC	Badou Jack	Champion	Reinstated as champion after Norair Mikaeljan was placed champion in recess for inactivity WBC source
16 November 2024	WBO	Gilberto Ramirez	Champion	Won the title by defeating Chris Billam-Smith WBO source
4 November 2024	WBA	Gilberto Ramirez	Super Champion	Listed as Super Champion in the WBA October 2024 ratings posted on 4 November WBA source
18 May 2024	IBF	Jai Opetaia	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Mairis Briedis IBF source
30 March 2024	WBA	Gilberto Ramirez	World Champion	Won the title by unanimous decision against Arsen Goulamirian in Inglewood WBA source
4 November 2023	WBC	Norair Mikaeljan	Champion	Won the title by defeating Ilunga Junior Makabu WBC source
27 May 2023	WBO	Chris Billam-Smith	Champion	Won the title by defeating Lawrence Okolie WBO source
26 February 2023	WBC	Badou Jack	Champion	Won the title by defeating Ilunga Junior Makabu WBC source
2 July 2022	IBFRING	Jai Opetaia	Champion	Won the title by unanimous decision over Mairis Briedis on the Gold Coast. Won the Ring and IBF cruiserweight titles by unanimous decision over Mairis Briedis on the Gold Coast. IBF source RING source
20 March 2021	WBO	Lawrence Okolie	Champion	Won the title by defeating Krzysztof Glowacki WBO source
29 January 2021	WBA	Ryad Merhy	World Champion	Promoted from interim champion after Beibut Shumenov was stripped WBA source
26 September 2020	IBFRING	Mairis Briedis	Champion	Won the title by defeating Yuniel Dorticos. Won the vacant title by defeating Yuniel Dorticos. IBF source RING source
31 January 2020	WBC	Ilunga Junior Makabu	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Michal Cieslak WBC source
August 2019	WBA	Beibut Shumenov	World Champion	Was reinstated as WBA world champion in August 2019. The WBA later confirmed that his period in recess ended that month after his promoter said he could return. The exact reinstatement day remains unverified. WBA source
August 2019	WBA	Arsen Goulamirian	Super Champion	The August 2019 ratings already list Goulamirian as Super Champion. A later WBA resolution instead associates the designation with the 15 November Watts fight; these conflicting official records do not establish a reliable decision day. WBA source
15 June 2019	WBO	Mairis Briedis	Champion	Won the title by defeating Krzysztof Glowacki WBO source
15 June 2019	IBF	Yuniel Dorticos	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Andrew Tabiti IBF source
31 May 2019	WBA	Arsen Goulamirian	World Champion	Was listed as WBA world champion in the rankings released on 31 May 2019 after Beibut Shumenov was placed in recess by the 13 May resolution. The displayed date is the rankings publication, not a verified promotion decision day WBA source
April 2019	WBA	Denis Lebedev	Super Champion	Was reinstated from champion in recess after Usyk moved up. Accounts give different reinstatement dates; the WBA resolution of 13 May 2019 already treats Lebedev as Super Champion but does not date the reinstatement. WBA source
10 November 2018	WBO	Krzysztof Glowacki	Interim Champion	Won the vacant interim WBO title by defeating Maksim Vlasov by unanimous decision in Chicago WBO source
24 July 2018	WBO	Oleksandr Usyk	Super Champion	Designated Super Champion by the WBO Championship Committee resolution of 24 July 2018 after he unified the cruiserweight titles WBO source
21 July 2018	WBAIBFRING	Oleksandr Usyk	Super Champion, Champion	Won the title by unanimous decision against Murat Gassiev in Moscow. Won the title by defeating Murat Gassiev. WBA / IBF source RING source
7 July 2018	WBA	Beibut Shumenov	World Champion	Won the regular title by defeating Hizni Altunkaya WBA source
3 February 2018	WBA	Murat Gassiev	Super Champion	Won the unified title by defeating Yuniel Dorticos WBA source
27 January 2018	WBC	Oleksandr Usyk	Champion	Won the title by defeating Mairis Briedis WBC source
19 June 2017	WBA	Yuniel Dorticos	World Champion	Was promoted from interim to WBA world champion after Beibut Shumenov relinquished the title because of an eye injury, the WBA announced the resolution on 19 June 2017 WBA source
1 April 2017	WBC	Mairis Briedis	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Marco Huck WBC source
3 December 2016	IBF	Murat Gassiev	Champion	Won the title by defeating Denis Lebedev IBF source
17 September 2016	WBO	Oleksandr Usyk	Champion	Won the title by unanimous decision against Krzysztof Glowacki in Gdansk WBO source
29 May 2016	WBC	Tony Bellew	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Ilunga Junior Makabu WBC source
21 May 2016	WBA	Beibut Shumenov	World Champion	Won the regular title by defeating Junior Anthony Wright WBA source
21 May 2016	WBAIBF	Denis Lebedev	Super Champion, Champion	Won the title by defeating Victor Ramirez. WBA source IBF source
22 September 2015	IBF	Victor Ramirez	Champion	Promoted from interim champion after Yoan Pablo Hernandez was stripped IBF source
14 August 2015	WBO	Krzysztof Glowacki	Champion	Won the title by defeating Marco Huck WBO source
November 2014	WBO	Marco Huck	Super Champion	The WBO reported that Huck had already been named Super Champion before its October 2014 convention ceremony. The ceremony does not establish the designation day. WBO source
27 September 2014	WBC	Grigory Drozd	Champion	Won the title by defeating Krzysztof Wlodarczyk WBC source
18 October 2013	WBA	Denis Lebedev	World Champion	Reinstated as champion after Guillermo Jones was stripped for a positive drug test WBA source
17 May 2013	WBA	Guillermo Jones	World Champion	Was initially recognized after stopping Denis Lebedev on 17 May 2013, following Jones’s positive anti-doping test, the WBA withdrew that recognition and recognized Lebedev again WBA source
30 October 2012	WBA	Denis Lebedev	World Champion	Was elevated from interim to WBA world champion at the 30 October 2012 Jakarta convention, as his promoter confirmed that day after Guillermo Jones was placed in recess WBA source
3 March 2012	WBO	Ola Afolabi	Interim Champion	Won the vacant interim title by stopping Valery Brudov in the fifth round in Dusseldorf WBO source
4 February 2012	RING	Yoan Pablo Hernandez	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Steve Cunningham RING source
1 October 2011	IBF	Yoan Pablo Hernandez	Champion	Won the title by defeating Steve Cunningham IBF source
12 February 2011	WBA	Yoan Pablo Hernandez	Interim Champion	Won the interim title by knocking out Steve Herelius in the seventh round WBA source
3 July 2010	WBA	Steve Herelius	Interim Champion	Won the vacant interim title when Firat Arslan retired at the end of the eleventh round WBA source
5 June 2010	IBF	Steve Cunningham	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Troy Ross IBF source
15 May 2010	WBC	Krzysztof Wlodarczyk	Champion	Won the title by defeating Giacobbe Fragomeni WBC source
21 November 2009	WBC	Zsolt Erdei	Champion	Won the title by defeating Giacobbe Fragomeni WBC source
29 August 2009	WBO	Marco Huck	Champion	Won the title by unanimous decision against Victor Ramirez in Halle WBO source
14 March 2009	WBO	Ola Afolabi	Interim Champion	Won the interim WBO title by knocking out Enzo Maccarinelli in the ninth round in Manchester WBO source
27 February 2009	WBO	Victor E. Ramirez	Champion	Was elevated from interim to full WBO champion, the WBO handbook dates the promotion separately from his 17 January interim-title win WBO source
11 December 2008	IBFRING	Tomasz Adamek	Champion	Won the title by defeating Steve Cunningham. Won the vacant title by defeating Steve Cunningham. IBF source RING source
24 October 2008	WBC	Giacobbe Fragomeni	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Rudolf Kraj WBC source
27 September 2008	WBA	Guillermo Jones	World Champion	Won the title by defeating Firat Arslan WBA source
8 March 2008	WBO	David Haye	Champion	Won the title by defeating Enzo Maccarinelli WBO source
24 November 2007	WBA	Firat Arslan	World Champion	Won the regular title by defeating Virgil Hill WBA source
10 November 2007	WBAWBCRING	David Haye	Super Champion, Champion	Won the title by defeating Jean Marc Mormeck. Won the title by defeating Jean-Marc Mormeck. WBA source WBC source RING source
16 June 2007	WBA	Firat Arslan	Interim Champion	Won the interim title by split decision against Valery Brudov WBA source
26 May 2007	IBF	Steve Cunningham	Champion	Won the title by defeating Krzysztof Wlodarczyk IBF source
17 March 2007	WBAWBCRING	Jean Marc Mormeck	Super Champion, Champion	Regained the title by defeating O'Neil Bell. Won the title by defeating O'Neil Bell. WBA source WBC source RING source
2 December 2006	WBA	Valery Brudov	Interim Champion	Won the interim title by stopping Luis Andres Pineda in Paris WBA source
25 November 2006	IBF	Krzysztof Wlodarczyk	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Steve Cunningham IBF source
22 September 2006	WBO	Enzo Maccarinelli	Champion	Promoted from interim champion after Johnny Nelson retired WBO source
27 January 2006	WBA	Virgil Hill	World Champion	Won the regular title by defeating Valery Brudov WBA source
7 January 2006	WBAWBCRING	O'Neil Bell	Super Champion, Champion	Won the title by defeating Jean Marc Mormeck. Won the title by defeating Jean-Marc Mormeck. WBA source WBC source RING source
20 May 2005	IBF	O'Neil Bell	Champion	Won the title by defeating Dale Brown IBF source
2 April 2005	WBAWBCRING	Jean Marc Mormeck	Super Champion, Champion	Won the unified title by defeating Wayne Braithwaite. Won the title by defeating Wayne Braithwaite. Won the vacant title by defeating Wayne Braithwaite. WBA source WBC source RING source
1 May 2004	IBF	Kelvin Davis	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Ezra Sellers IBF source
26 April 2003	IBF	James Toney	Champion	Won the title by defeating Vassiliy Jirov IBF source
11 October 2002	WBC	Wayne Braithwaite	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Vincenzo Cantatore WBC source
23 February 2002	WBA	Jean Marc Mormeck	World Champion	Won the title by defeating Virgil Hill WBA source
9 December 2000	WBA	Virgil Hill	World Champion	Won the title by defeating Fabrice Tiozzo WBA source
5 June 1999	IBF	Vassiliy Jirov	Champion	Won the title by defeating Arthur Williams IBF source
27 March 1999	WBO	Johnny Nelson	Champion	Won the title by stopping Carl Thompson WBO source
30 October 1998	IBF	Arthur Williams	Champion	Won the title by defeating Imamu Mayfield IBF source
21 February 1998	WBC	Juan Carlos Gomez	Champion	Won the title by defeating Marcelo Domínguez WBC source
8 November 1997	IBF	Imamu Mayfield	Champion	Won the title by defeating Uriah Grant IBF source
8 November 1997	WBA	Fabrice Tiozzo	World Champion	Won the title by defeating Nate Miller WBA source
4 October 1997	WBO	Carl Thompson	Champion	Won the title by defeating Ralf Rocchigiani WBO source
21 June 1997	IBF	Uriah Grant	Champion	Won the title by defeating Adolpho Washington IBF source
31 August 1996	IBF	Adolpho Washington	Champion	Won the title by defeating Torsten May IBF source
25 May 1996	WBC	Marcelo Dominguez	Champion	Promoted from Interim Champion to WBC Champion WBC source
22 July 1995	WBA	Nate Miller	Champion	Won the title by defeating Orlin Norris WBA source
10 June 1995	WBO	Ralf Rocchigiani	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Carl Thompson WBO source
17 December 1994	WBO	Dariusz Michalczewski	Champion	Won the title by defeating Nestor Hipolito Giovannini WBO source
6 November 1993	WBA	Orlin Norris	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Marcelo Figueroa WBA source
26 June 1993	WBO	Nestor Hipolito Giovannini	Champion	Won the title by defeating Markus Bott WBO source
13 February 1993	WBO	Markus Bott	Champion	Won the title by defeating Tyrone Booze WBO source
30 July 1992	IBF	Al Cole	Champion	Won the title by defeating James Warring IBF source
25 July 1992	WBO	Tyrone Booze	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Derek Angol WBO source
7 September 1991	IBF	James Warring	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating James Pritchard IBF source
20 July 1991	WBC	Anaclet Wamba	Champion	Won the title by defeating Massimiliano Duran WBC source
8 March 1991	WBA	Bobby Czyz	Champion	Won the title by defeating Robert Daniels WBA source
27 July 1990	WBC	Massimiliano Duran	Champion	Won the title by defeating Carlos de León WBC source
22 March 1990	IBF	Jeff Lampkin	Champion	Won the title by defeating Glenn McCrory IBF source
3 December 1989	WBO	Boone Pultz	Champion	Won the title by defeating Magne Havnå WBO source
27 November 1989	WBA	Robert Daniels	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Dwight Muhammad Qawi WBA source
3 June 1989	IBF	Glenn McCrory	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Patrick Lumumba IBF source
17 May 1989	WBC	Carlos De Leon	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Sammy Reeson WBC source
25 March 1989	WBA	Taoufik Belbouli	Champion	Won the vacant title by defeating Michael Greer WBA source
9 April 1988	WBC	Evander Holyfield	Champion	Won the title by defeating Carlos de León WBC source
15 May 1987	IBF	Evander Holyfield	Champion	Won the title by defeating Rickey Parkey IBF source
25 October 1986	IBF	Rickey Parkey	Champion	Won the title by defeating Lee Roy Murphy IBF source
12 July 1986	WBA	Evander Holyfield	Champion	Won the title by defeating Dwight Muhammad Qawi WBA source
22 March 1986	WBCRING	Carlos De Leon	Champion	Won the title by defeating Bernard Benton. WBC source RING source
21 September 1985	WBCRING	Bernard Benton	Champion	Won the title by defeating Alfonso Ratliff. WBC source RING source
27 July 1985	WBA	Dwight Muhammad Qawi	Champion	Won the title by defeating Piet Crous WBA source
6 June 1985	RING	Alfonzo Ratliff	Champion	Won the title by defeating Carlos De Leon RING source
6 June 1985	WBC	Alfonso Ratliff	Champion	Won the title by defeating Carlos de León WBC source
1 December 1984	WBA	Piet Crous	Champion	Won the title by defeating Ossie Ocasio WBA source
6 October 1984	IBF	Lee Roy Murphy	Champion	Won the title by defeating Marvin Camel IBF source
3 February 1984	RING	Carlos De Leon	Champion	Awarded the inaugural Ring cruiserweight title RING source
13 December 1983	IBF	Marvin Camel	Champion	Won the title by defeating Roddy MacDonald IBF source
17 July 1983	WBC	Carlos De Leon	Champion	Won the title by defeating S. T. Gordon WBC source
27 June 1982	WBC	S. T. Gordon	Champion	Won the title by defeating Carlos de León WBC source
13 February 1982	WBA	Ossie Ocasio	Champion	Won the title by defeating Robbie Williams WBA source
25 November 1980	WBC	Carlos De Leon	Champion	Won the title by defeating Marvin Camel WBC source
31 March 1980	WBC	Marvin Camel	Champion	Won the title by defeating Mate Parlov WBC source