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Heavyweight Boxing Rankings — December 2001

Official Heavyweight rankings for December 2001.

Presented as a historical snapshot for that month. Use the weight-class arrows to move up or down divisions, the month controls to jump between updates, and click any fighter's name to see their ranking history across the four organisations.

Division
Period
Org
RankWBADecember 2001WBCIBFWBODecember 2001
🏆
Vacant
Not available for December 2001
Not available for December 2001
Ukraine flagWladimir Klitschko
Champion
🏆United States flagJohn Ruiz
World Champion

1Canada flagKirk JohnsonPuerto Rico flagFres Oquendo
2United States flagEvander HolyfieldUkraine flagVitali Klitschko
3Ukraine flagVitali KlitschkoUnited States flagJameel Ben McCline
4United States flagMike TysonUnited States flagChris Byrd
5Puerto Rico flagFres OquendoCanada flagKirk Johnson
6Russia flagNikolai ValuevNew Zealand flagDavid Tua▲+5
7United States flagOliver McCallUnited Kingdom flagDanny Williams
8United States flagJameel McClineUnited States flagOliver McCall
9United States flagLarry DonaldGermany flagLuan Krasniqi▲+3
10United States flagHasim RahmanUnited States flagLance Whitaker
11United States flagChris ByrdUnited States flagLarry DonaldNEW
12United States flagVaughn BeanSouth Africa flagFrans Botha▼-3
13United States flagFarug SaleemUnited States flagClifford Ettienne
14
Vacant
Cuba flagAurelio Perez
15United States flagLance WhitakerPoland flagPrzemyslaw SaletaNEW

Source: WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO

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About the Heavyweight Division

Weight Limit: No upper limit (typically 200+ lbs / 90.7+ kg)

The Heavyweight division is boxing's most prestigious weight class, featuring the largest fighters in the sport. Historically, heavyweight champions have been among the most famous athletes in the world, with legendary figures like Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, and Mike Tyson defining eras of boxing history.

Division Characteristics

Heavyweight boxers rely on power and size, with knockouts being more common than in lighter divisions. The division has no upper weight limit, allowing for a wide range of body types and fighting styles.

Notable Facts

The Heavyweight division has produced some of boxing's most iconic moments and biggest pay-per-view events. Modern heavyweights combine size, power, and athleticism in ways that previous generations couldn't match.

Historical Context

Heavyweight boxing has been a cornerstone of professional boxing since the sport's early days. The division has evolved significantly, with modern heavyweights being faster and more athletic than their predecessors while maintaining devastating power.

Learn more about how boxing rankings work or explore current world champions across all divisions.

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Month-over-month changes since November 2001

WBODecember 2001 vs November 2001

Entered the top 10

  • NZ flag
    David TuaUp from #11 - now #6
  • DE flag
    Luan KrasniqiUp from #12 to #9

Dropped out of the top 10

  • GY flag
    Andre PurletteLast ranked #6
  • ZA flag
    Frans BothaDown to #12

Biggest risers

  • NZ flag
    David TuaUp 5 places to #6
    ▲+5
  • DE flag
    Luan KrasniqiUp 3 places to #9
    ▲+3

Biggest fallers

  • ZA flag
    Frans BothaDropped from #9 to #12
    ▼-3