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.
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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 Organization
World Middleweight Title (as of 2025-08-15)
* Bolded letters in the competitor's name, if any, indicate the surname/family name.
Doug DeWitt
1989-04-18
Atlantic City, NJ, USA
Defeats Robbie Sims.
Nigel Benn
1990-04-29
Atlantic City, NJ, USA
Chris Eubank
1990-11-18
Birmingham, ENG, GBR
Vacates on 91-09-21 to move up to the super middleweight class.
Gerald McClellan
1991-11-20
London, ENG, GBR
Defeats John Mugabi; vacates on 92-02-24 to move up to the super middleweight class.
Chris Pyatt
1993-05-19
Leicester, ENG, GBR
Defeats Sumbu Kalambay.
Steve Collins
1994-05-11
Sheffield, ENG, GBR
Vacates on 95-03-18 to move up to the super middleweight class.
Lonnie Bradley
1995-05-19
Primm, NV, USA
Defeats David Mendez; vVacates in 97 to have eye surgery to repair a detached retina.
Otis Grant
1997-12-13
Sheffield, ENG, GBR
Defeats Ryan Rhodes; vacates on 98-11-14 to move up to the light heavyweight class.
Bert Schenk
1999-01-30
Cottbus, GER
Defeats Freeman Barr; vacates in mid-99 due to achilles injury.
Jason Matthews
1999-07-17
Doncaster, ENG, GBR
Defeats Ryan Rhodes.
Armand Krajnc
1999-11-27
Lübeck, GER
Vacates on 2001-06-05 while in a dispute with Universum Box-Promotion; WBO votes on 01-09-17 that Krajnc has never vacated the title and reinstates him as the champion.
Harry Simon #
2002-04-06
Copenhagen, DEN
Interim champion since defeating Hacine Cherifi on 01-07-21 in Bayamon, PR, USA; status promoted briefly between 01-06-05 and 01-09-17; interim title declared vacant in 02-11 after Simon is sentenced to prison due to his role in fatal car crash.
Héctor Javier Velazco
2003-05-10
Buenos Aires, ARG
Defeats Andras Galfi.
Felix Sturm
2003-09-13
Berlin, GER
Oscar De La Hoya
2004-06-05
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Bernard Hopkins
2004-09-18
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Jermain Taylor
2005-07-16
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Kelly Pavlik
2007-09-29
Atlantic City, NJ, USA
Sergio Gabriel Martínez
2010-04-17
Atlantic City, NJ, USA
Stripped of the title on 10-05-29 for refusing to vacate WBC super welterweight title.
Dmitry Pirog
2010-07-31
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Defeats Daniel Jacobs; stripped of the title in 12-08 after being unable to defend it due to back injury.
Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam
2012-08-25
Interim champion since defeating Max Bursak on 12-05-04 in Levallois-Perret, FRA; status promoted on 12-08-25.
Peter Quillin
2012-10-20
Washington, DC, USA
Vacates on 14-09-04 after refusing to fight mandatory challenger Matt Korobov.
Andy Lee
2014-12-13
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Defeats Matt Korobov.
Billy Joe Saunders
2015-12-19
Manchester, ENG, GBR
Stripped of the title on 18-10-11 after Saunders tested positive in drug test before his defense fight against Demetrius Andrade.
Demetrius Andrade
2018-10-20
Boston, MA, USA
Defeats Walter Kautondokwa; vacates on 22-08-26 upon moving up to the super middleweight class.
Zhanibek Alimkhanuly
2022-08-26
Interim champion since defeating Danny Dignum on 022-05-21; status promoted; also wins IBF World Title on 23-10-14.
