Following the name of the champion(s): Indicates the number of times the competitor has held that title at that point.
[...]
Indicates a gap in the listing where title changes are not known.
<
Title was held or changed hands no later than this. In these cases, it is known that a competitor held the title at a certain time but not when he/she won it.
@
Order uncertain. Different titleholders may be known for the same year, for example, but it is not known who held the title before whom.
#
Unofficial or disputable claims. These are usually matches that certainly took place, but where there is doubt that the competitor shown should be recognized as a true title holder. These listings are also italicized.
World Boxing Council
World Middleweight Title (as of 2025-09-14)
* Bolded letters in the competitor's name, if any, indicate the surname/family name.
Dick Tiger
1963-08-10
Ibadan, NGR
Defeats Gene Fullmer to become the first champion.
Joey Giardello
1963-12-07
Atlantic City, NJ, USA
Dick Tiger [2]
1965-10-21
New York, NY, USA
Emile Griffith
1966-04-25
New York, NY, USA
Nino Benvenuti
1968-03-04
New York, NY, USA
Carlos Monzon
1970-11-07
Rome, ITA
Stripped of the title on 74-02-09.
Rodrigo Valdéz
1974-05-25
Fontvieille, MON
Defeats Bennie Briscoe.
Carlos Monzón
1976-06-26
Fontvieille, MON
Vacant in 77-08 upon retirement.
Rodrigo Valdéz [2]
1977-11-05
Lombardy, ITA
Defeats Bennie Briscoe.
Hugo Corro
1978-04-22
Buenos Aires, ARG
Vito Antuofermo
1979-06-30
Monte Carlo, MON
Alan Minter
1980-03-16
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Marvelous Marvin Hagler
1980-09-27
London, ENG, GBR
Sugar Ray Leonard
1987-04-06
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Vacant on 87-05-27 upon retirement.
Thomas Hearns
1987-10-29
Winchester, NV, USA
Defeats Juan Roldán.
Iran Barkley
1988-06-06
Winchester, NV, USA
Roberto Durán
1989-02-24
Atlantic City, NJ, USA
Vacates on 89-12-01 when Durán moves up to the super middleweight class.
Julian Jackson
1990-11-24
Benalmádena, ESP
Defeats Herol Graham.
Gerald McClellan
1993-05-08
Paradise, NV, USA
Vacant on 94-05-07.
Julian Jackson [2]
1995-03-17
Worcester, MA, USA
Defeats Agostino Cardamone.
Quincy Taylor
1995-08-19
Paradise, NV, USA
Keith Holmes
1996-03-16
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Hacine Cherifi
1998-05-02
Villeurbanne, FRA
Keith Holmes [2]
1999-04-24
Washington, DC, USA
Bernard Hopkins
2001-04-14
New York, NY, USA
Jermain Taylor
2005-07-16
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Kelly Pavlik
2007-09-29
Atlantic City, NJ, USA
Sergio Martínez
2010-04-17
Atlantic City, NJ, USA
On 11-01-17, WBC designates Martinezs as Emeritus Champion, which grants him the right to fight for the title at any given time.
Sebastian Zbik
2011-01-17
Interim champion since defeating Emanuele Della Rosa on 09-12-19 in Schwerin, GER; status promoted on 11-01-17.
Julio César Chávez Jr.
2011-06-04
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Sergio Martínez [2]
2012-09-15
Paradise, NV, USA
Miguel Cotto
2014-06-07
New York, NY, USA
Stripped of the title on 15-11-17.
Canelo Álvarez (Saúl Álvarez)
2015-11-21
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Defeats Miguel Cotto; vacates on 16-05-18.
Gennady Golovkin
2016-05-18
Interim champion since defeating Marco Antonio Rubio on 14-10-18 in Carson, CA, USA; status promoted on 16-05-18.
Canelo Álvarez [2]
2018-09-15
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Named "Franchise" champion on 19-06-26.
Jermall Charlo
2019-06-26
Interim champion since defeating Hugo Centeno Jr. on 18-04-21 in Brooklyn, NY, USA; status promoted on 19-06-26; stripped of the title on 24-04-30 after being arrested for driving while intoxicated on 24-04-29 (ESPN, 24-05-07).
