World Boxing Union

Sanctioning organization for professional boxing bouts

"WBU" redirects here. For other uses, see WBU (disambiguation).

World Boxing UnionAbbreviation| WBU

|

Formation| 1995; 30 years ago (1995)
Founder| Jon W. Robinson
Type| Non-profit institution
Legal status| Defunct
Purpose| Boxing sanctioning
Headquarters| Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Region served

| Worldwide

President

| Tony Rodriguez Jr.

Main organ

| General Assembly

The World Boxing Union (WBU) was a boxing sanctioning body. The original WBU was founded in January 1995 by IBF European representative, boxing journalist, actor and former holder of the title of Britain's heaviest man, Jon W. Robinson.[1] It sanctioned boxing with various promoters worldwide. Following Robinson's death in 2004, the organization became dormant and was eventually dissolved.

In 2010, the WBU brand was revitalized in the U.S. by Don "Moose" Lewis – President of the International Boxing Union and Women's International Boxing Council. Shortly thereafter, it decided to reestablish itself totally independent of any legal reference to the original organization so as to not expose today's WBU to any remaining potential liabilities from the previous company.[2]

## List of WBU heavyweight champions

[edit]

Name  | Duration of reign  | Defenses  | Notes

|
|
|

George Foreman (USA)[3] | March 29, 1995 - 1997  | 2  | Foreman was recognized as champion after he was stripped of the IBF title
Corrie Sanders (RSA)[4] | November 15, 1997 - May 20, 2000  | 3  | Defeated Ross Purity
Hasim Rahman (USA)[5] | May 20, 2000 - April 21, 2001  | 0  | Relinquished the title in order to fight Lennox Lewis for the IBF, IBO and WBC titles
Johnny Nelson (GBR)[6] | November 24, 2001 - December 4, 2001  | 0  | Defeated Alexander Vasiliev. Relinquished the title in order to concentrate on defending his WBO Cruiserweight title
Georgi Kandelaki (GEO)[7] | December 21, 2002 - January 2004  | 0  | Defeated Alexander Vasiliev. Kandelaki either relinquished or was stripped of the title
Matt Skelton (GBR)[8] | February 25, 2005 - January 26, 2009  | 0  | Skelton relinquished the title

## Other WBU champions (selected)

[edit]

For a more comprehensive list, see List of WBU world champions.

World Boxing Union featherweight belt won by Derry Mathews

Other past WBU champions include Sirimongkol Singwancha, Sornpichai Kratingdaenggym, Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, Ricky Hatton, Eamonn Magee, Tony Oakey, Corrie Sanders, Enzo Maccarinelli, Lee McAllister, Angel Manfredy, George Scott, Hasim Rahman, Thomas Hearns, Don Dieg Poeder, Willie Limond, Craig Docherty, Michael Gomez, Kevin Lear, Anthony Farnell, Jimmy Lange, Derry Mathews, Choi Tseveenpurev, Jeremy Williams, Cristian Charquero, Wayne Elcock, Roy Jones Jr., David Burke, Vinny Pazienza, Agostino Cardamone and Micky Ward.

In addition, Carlos Contreras defeated challenger Victor Rabanales by 8 RTKO.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The talk in boxing". April 14, 2012.
2. ^ AdminBecca. "About WBU". wbuboxing.org. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
3. ^ "George Foreman vs. Axel Schulz". boxrec.com. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
4. ^ "BoxRec - Corrie Sanders". boxrec.com. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
5. ^ "Hasim Rahman vs. Corrie Sanders". boxrec.com. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
6. ^ "BoxRec - Johnny Nelson". boxrec.com. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
7. ^ "BoxRec - George Kandelaki". boxrec.com. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
8. ^ "BoxRec - Matt Skelton". boxrec.com. Retrieved August 4, 2015.

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World professional boxing champions

* Current world champions
* men
* women

Champions by
sanctioning body|

| Major world titles|

* WBA
* men
* women
* WBC
* men
* women
* IBF
* men
* women
* WBO
* men
* women

|

Other world titles|

* The Ring
* men
* women
* IBO
* men
* women
* TBRB
* WBF

Champions by
weight class|

* Heavyweight (200+ lb) (records and statistics)
* Cruiserweight (200 lb)
* Light heavyweight (175 lb)
* Super middleweight (168 lb)
* Middleweight (160 lb)
* Light middleweight (154 lb)
* Welterweight (147 lb)
* Light welterweight (140 lb)
* Lightweight (135 lb)
* Super featherweight (130 lb)
* Featherweight (126 lb)
* Super bantamweight (122 lb)
* Bantamweight (118 lb)
* Super flyweight (115 lb)
* Flyweight (112 lb)
* Light flyweight (108 lb)
* Mini flyweight (105 lb)
* Atomweight (102 lb)

Champions in
multiple weight classes|

* Triple champions
* list
* Quadruple champions
* list
* Quintuple champions
* list
* Sextuple champions
* list
* Septuple champions
* list
* Octuple champions
* list

Miscellaneous|

* Lineal championship
* Undisputed championship
* men
* women
* Interim championship
* Undefeated champions

* Current rankings
* men
* women
* Pound for pound
* current rankings
* Boxing organisations

*[USA]: United States
*[RSA]: South Africa
*[GBR]: Great Britain
*[GEO]: Georgia
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