How many men have claimed a heavyweight championship in the Queensbury era, no matter how tenuous?

Charles C. Smith 40 (32)-14-6, 7 no contests, title info unavailable
COLORED 1876-1878?

Morris Grant 5(2)-9-1, 2 no contest, 1 defense
COLORED 1878-No details- Jan 14, 1881, L3 Charles Hadley

Charles Hadley 20 (10)-16-16, 3 no contests, 12(?) defenses
COLORED January 14, 1881 Morris Grant W 3, February 23, 1883 George Godfrey KO in 6

John L. Sullivan
(Lineage seems to have been officially created with this fight) 7 February 1882 Paddy Ryan RTD 9?, 7 September 1892 Jim Corbett KO by 21

George Godfrey
COLORED February 23, 1883 Charles Hadley KO 6, August 24, 1888 Peter Jackson TKO in 19

Peter Jackson
COLORED, August 24, 1888 George Godfrey TKO in 19

Jim Corbett
SULLIVAN LINEAGE September 7, 1892 John L. Sullivan KO 21-17 March 1897 Bob Fitzsimmons KO by 14

Peter Maher
DISPUTED when Maher knocked out Steve O'Donnel, ended by Bob Fitzimmons, 1895-1896

Bob Armstrong
COLORED December 21, 1896 Charley Strong KO 19- January 29, 1898 Frank Childs KO in 2

Tom Sharkey
DISPUTED reign based on referee Wyatt Earp awarding a DQ win over Fitzimmons, Corbett was in temporary "retirement" December 2, 1896)

Bob Fitzsimmons
SULLIVAN LINEAGE 17 March 1897 Jim Corbett KO 14-June 9, 1899 Jim Jefferies KO by 11

Jim Jefferies
SULLIVAN LINEAGE June 9, 1899 Bob Fitsimmons KO 11- May 1905 surrendered title

Frank Childs
COLORED January 29, 1898 Bob Armstong KO 2, September 14, 1898 George Byers L 20
COLOREDMarch 16, 1901 George Byers KO 17- February 24, 1902 Denver Ed Martin L 6

George Byers
COLORED September 14, 1898 Frank Childs W 20, March 16, 1901 Frank Childs KO in 17

Ed Martin
COLORED February 24, 1902 Frank Childs W 6, February 5, 1903 Jack Johnson L 20

Jack Johnson
COLORED February 3,1903 Denver Ed Martin W 20-Dec 26,1908 surrendered title
HART LINEAGE 1908- 26 Dec 1908 Tommy Burns W PTS 14/20-5 Apr 1915 Jess Willard KO by 26
SULLIVAN LINEAGE July 4, 1910, TKO 15 Jim Jefferies, Apr 1915 Jess Willard KO by 26

Marvin Hart
NEW LINEAGE CREATED July 3 1905 Jack Root KO 12, February 23 1906 Tommy Burns LPTS20

Tommy Burns
HART LINEAGE 23 February 1906 Marvin Hart WPTS20, Dec 26 1908 Jack Johnson WPTS 14/20)

Mike Schreck
DISPUTED claim based on subsequent victory over Hart May 3 1906 NWS 4/4

Jack Twin Sullivan
DISPUTED ret-con claim based on previous victory over Burns, October 17 1905 WPTS20

Sam McVea
COLORED February 20, 1909 Joe Jeanette W20, April 17, 1909 Joe Jeanette RTD 49 December 26, 1911 Sam Langford W20, April 8, 1912 Sam Langford L20

Joe Jeanette
COLORED April 17, 1909 Sam McVey W49, title surrendered?
DISPUTED COLORED? April 13, 1915 Sam Langford PTS 12, May 12 1916 Sam Langford KO by 7

Sam Langford (Seems to have been contradictory claims to colored title, and Langford is credited with more reigns, sometimes even when losing)
COLORED September 6, 1910, Klondike Hayes NWS 6, Sam Mcvea December 26,1911
COLORED April 8, 1912 Sam Mcvea PTS 20, October 3 2013 Joe Jeanette NWS L10
FRENCH BOXING FEDERATION 12-20-2013 Joe Jeanette W20-Stripped)
COLORED March 23, 1914, Bill Watkins TKO1, April 14 1915 Joe Jeanette L12
COLORED May 12 1916 Sam Joe Jeanette KO7, January 25 1917 Bill Tate L PTS 12
COLORED May 1 1917 Bill Tate KO5, ??? (Lineage becomes confused as Langford loses multiple fights and still claims championship until defeated by Harry Wills in April 4, 1918, KO by 6)

Bill Tate COLORED
January 25 1917 Sam Langford W12, May 1 1917 Sam Langford KOby5,

Harry Wills
DISPUTED COLORED, September 7, 1715 Sam McVea W12.
UNDISPUTED COLORED January 3, 1916 Sam Langford W20, February 11 1916 Sam Langford KOby19
COLORED April 14, 1918 Sam Lanford KO 6 (Wills appears to have beaten Langford previously, but this is accepted date of taking title), Vacated October 12 1926 after Wills' loss to Jack Sharkey
SUGGESTED "PSEUDO INTERUM" for Dempsey's failure to defend

George Godfrey
COLORED November 8, 1926 Larry Gaines RTD 6, August 15 1928 Larry Gaines L-DQ 3
COLORED August 24 1931, Seal Harris KO2, October 9, 1933 Obie Walker LUD10

Larry Gains
COLORED August 15 1928 George Godfrey DQ 3, seems not to have been defended and later reclaimed by Godfrey
COLORED July 20 1935 Obie Walker LPTS15, not subsequently defended

Obie Walker
COLORED October 9, 1933 George Godfrey WUD10, July 20 1935 Larry Gains LPTS15

Jess Willard
JOHNSON LINEAGE 5 Apr 1915 KO 26/45 Jack Johnson, July 4 1919 Jack Dempsey RTDby3

Jack Dempsey
JOHNSON LINEAGE July 4 1919 Jess Willard RTD 3, September 23, 1926 Gene Tunney L10

Gene Tunney
JOHNSON LINEAGE September 23, 1926 Jack Dempsey W10, Surrendered title 1928

Max Schmeling
SCHMELING LINEAGE 12 June 1930 DQ 4 Jack Sharkey, 21 June 1932, L15 Jack Sharkey

Young Stribling (Briefly recognized by NBA, retconned)

Jack Sharkey
21 June 1932, SD15 Max Schmeling, June 29, 1933 KO by 6 Primo Carnera

Primo Carnera
June 29, 1933 KO6 Jack Sharkey, June 14, 1934 TKOby11 Max Baer

Max Baer
June 14, 1934 TKO11 Primo Carnera, Jun 13, 1935 L 15 James J. Braddock

James J Braddock
Jun 13, 1935 UD 15 Max Baer, Sep 24, 1935 KOby4 Joe Louis

John Henry Lewis(I haven't found proof he claimed the title but his HW fights were 15 rounders for a period and he had a backdoor case because people thought he'd beaten Braddock).

Joe Louis
1935 KO4 James J. Braddock, Sep 27, 1950 L15 Ezzard Charles
25 Defenses

Big Boy Brown (Maryland Duration)
Nov 1942 W Lou Brooks

Harry Bobo(Ohio and Maryland state duration)
December 1942 W Buddy Walker...wins Ohio Duration, January 1943 W Big Boy Brown...Wins Maryland August 1943 L Lee Q. Murray

Lee Murray(duration)
August 1943 W Harry Bobo

Jim Bivins (Maryland and Ohio State duration Champion)

Joe Baksi(duration)
Cited by Wiki as holding the IAC duration championship in 1944. Information not available

Ezzard Charles
NBA June 22 1949 W 15 Joe Walcott to July 18 1951 KO by 7 Joe Walcott

Lee Savold
(British Boxing Board of Control) June 6 1950 WRTD4 Bruce Woodcock to June 15 1951 KOby6 Joe Louis

Joe Walcott
NBA July 18 1951 KO7 Ezzard Charles to September 23 1952 KOby13 Rocky Marciano

Rocky Marciano
September 23 1952 KO13 Joe Walcott to retirement after 9/21 1955

Archie Moore
-Claimed "Nevada state world championships" For his win against Nino Valdez in 1955
-Also another poorly recognized HW title claim via Canada. The Parker fight is better viewed as part of the 1956 "eliminator tournament" to name Marcianos successor which Moore had a bye in.

Floyd Patterson
November 30, 1956 KO5 Archie Moore to June 26, 1959, TKOby3 Ingemar Johansson
June 20 1960 KO5 Ingemar Johansson to September 25, 1962 KOby1 Sonny Liston

Ingemar Johanson
June 26, 1959, TKO3 Floyd Patterson

Sonny Liston
September 25, 1962 KO1 Floyd Patterson to February 26, 1964 LRTD6 Muhammed Ali

CONTINUED ON POST 3

 

Oh, dear. Maybe we'll leave it at that.

NOTE: continuing work on here:

Muhammed Ali 56-5, nineteen title defenses
February 26, 1964 WRTD6 Sonny Liston to stripped April 28 1967
October 30, 1974 KO8 George Foreman to February 15, 1978 L-SD Leon Spinks
September 15, 1978 WUD Leon Spinks- retirement

Ernest Terrell (WBA) 46 (21)- 9, two defenses
March 5, 1965 UD15 Eddie Machen to February 6, 1967 LUD15 Muhammed Ali

Jimmy Ellis (WBA), 40 (24)- 12, one defense
Apr 27, 1968 MD15 Jerry Quarry to Feb 16, 1970 RTD by4 Joe Frazier

Joe Frazier, 32 (27)- 4, nine total defenses
(NYSAC) March 4, 1968 TKO11 Buster Mathis
(WBA, WBC) February 16, 1970 Jimmy Ellis
(Lineal) Mar 8, 1971 Muahmmed Ali
...to Jan 22 1973, TKO by 2 George Foreman

George Foreman, 76 (68)- 5, 5 defenses (most expansively)
Jan 22 1973, TKO2 Joe Frazier to October 30, 1974 KOby8 Muhammed Ali
(WBA,IBF,Lineal) November 5, 1994 KO10 Michael Moorer, November 22, 1997 LMD12 Shannon Briggs

Leon Spinks, 26 (14) -17-3, No defenses
February 15, 1978 SD Muhammed Ali to September 15, 1978 LUD
Muhammed Ali

Ken Norton, 42 (33)-7, No defenses
Awarded WBC title in March 1978 due to title eliminator win, Nov 5, 1977 SD15 Jimmy Young to June 9, 1978 L-SD Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes, 69 (44)-6, 20 defenses
(WBC) June 9, 1978 SD Ken Norton to September 21, 1985 L-UD15 Michael Spinks

Jonny Tate 34 (23)-3, No defenses
(Vacant WBA) October 20, 1979 UD15 Gerrie Coetzee to March 31 1980 KOby15 Mike Weaver,

Mike Weaver 41 (28)-18, 2 defenses
(WBA) March 31 1980 KO15 Johnny Tate to December 10, 1882 TKOby1 Michael Dokes

Michael Dokes 53 (34)-6, 1 Defense
(WBA) December 10, 1882 TKO1 Mike Weaver to September 23, 1983 KOby10 Gerrie Coetzee

Gerrie Coetzee 33 (21)-6, No Defenses
(WBA) September 23, 1983 KO10 Michael Dokes to December 1, 1984 KOby5 Greg Page

Greg Page 58 (48)- 15, NO defenses
(WBA) December 1, 1984 KO5 Gerrie Coetzee to Apr 29, 1985 LUD15 Tony Tubbs

Tony Tubbs 47 (25)-10, 2 no-contest, No defenses
(WBA) Apr 29, 1985 LUD15 Greg Page to Jan 17, 1986 L-MD15 Tim Witherspoon

Tim Witherspoon 55 (38)-13 1 defense
(Vacant WBC) March 9, 1984 MD12 Greg Page to August 31, 1984 L-MD12 Pinklon Thomas
(WBA) Jan 17, 1986 MD15 Tony Tubbs to December 12, 1986 TKOby1 James Smith

Pinklon Thomas 43 (34)-7-1, 1 defense
(WBC) August 31, 1984 MD12 Tim Witherspoon to Mar 22, 1986, L12 Tervor Berbick

Michael Spinks, 31 (21)-1, 3 defenses
(IBF) September 21, 1985 UD 15 Larry Holmes, vacated, Lost Liner June 27 1988 KOby1 Mike Tysson

Trevor Berbick 49 (33)-11-1, no defenses
(WBC) Mar 22, 1986 W12 Pinklon Thomas to November 22, 1986 TKOby2 Mike Tyson

Bonecrusher Smith, 44 (32)-17-1, no defenses
December 12, 1986 TKO1 Tim Witherspoon to Mar 7, 1987 L-UD12 Mike Tyson

Toney Tucker, 57 (47)-7-1, no defenses
(Vacant IBF) May 30 1987, TKO10 Buster Douglas, to August 1, 1987 L-UD12 Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson


Buster Douglas
Evander Holyfield
Riddick Bowe
Michael Moorer
Shannon Briggs
Lennox Lewis
Oliver Mcall
Bruce Seldon
Francesco Damiani
Ray Mercer
Tommy Morrison
Michael Bent
Herbie Hide
Henry Akinwande
Haseem Rahman
Wlad Kltischko
Vitali Klistchko
Corrie Sanders
Chris Byrd
Lamon Brewster
Sehei Lyakovick
Sultan Ibragimov
Johnny Ruiz
Nikoli Valuev
Ruslan Chagev
Chris Byrd
Roy Jones
JamesToney (if you consider the NC)
David Haye
Bermaine Stiverne
Deontay Wilder
Tyson Fury
Charles Martin
Jospeh Parker
Anthony Joshua
Andy Ruiz
Oleksandr Usyk
Daniel Dubois
Fabio Wardley
Kabayel (WBC...elevated from Interum)
Murat Gassiev (WBA regular, became sole champion when Usyk dissolved super championship)


OTHER PROPOSED LINEAGES
IBO lineage (those who have not otherwise been considered a champion)
Lional Butler
Danell Nicholson
Jimmy Thunder
Brian Nielson

WBF Lineage
Audley Harrison
Currently can't find others listed

WBA REGULAR LINEAGE (Who were never super, sole WBA champion, or other recognized champion)
Alexander Povetkin
Lucas Browne
Mahmoud Charr
Travor Bryan
Kubrat Pulev

WBA INTERUM
Luis Ortiz

WBC INTERUM
Alexander Povetkin
Dillion Whyte
Joe Joyce
Zhilile Zhang

(argued as "pseudo-interum" during Willard years)
Fulton
Morris
Miske

"WORLD WHITE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP"
Gunboat Smith
Georges Carpentier

 

John L, Sullivan (7 February 1882 to 7 September 1892)
Jim Corbett (September 7, 1892-17 March 1897)
Peter Maher (DISPUTED)
Bob Fitzsimmons (17 March 1897-June 9, 1899,
Tom Sharkey (DISPUTED)
Jim Jefferies (June 9, 1899- May 1905 surrendered title)
Charles C. Smith (Colored)
Morris Grant (Colored)
Sam Langford (colored)
Charles Hadley (colored)
George Godfrey (1883, colored)
Billy Wilson(pre Cardiff lineage)
Killen(Cardiff lineage)
McAuliffe(Cardiff lineage)
Slavin(Cardiff lineage)
Peter Jackson(Cardiff lineage, Colored)
Kilrain(his title was in London)
Dan Creedon
Joe Goddard
Gunner Moir
Al Kaufmann
Iron Hague
Bob Armstrong (Colored)
Frank Childs (Colored)
George Byers (Colored)
Ed Martin (Colored)
Sam McVea (Colored)
Joe Jeanette (Colored)
Harry Wills (Colored, Pseudo-intreum))
Bill Tate (Colored)
George Godfrey (1926, colored)
Obie Walker (Colored)
Larry Gains (Colored)
Marvin Hart
Jack Twin Sullivan (for victory over Burns one before Burn's title win)
Mike Schreck (DISPUTED, For earlier victory over Hart)
Tommy Burns ( 23 February 1906- 26 Dec 1908)
Jack Johnson (COLORED February 3,1903-Dec 26,1908, 1908- 26 Dec 1908-5 Apr 1915)
Jack Dempsey
Fulton (psuedo-intrum)
Morris (psuedo-interum)
Miske (Pseudo-interum)
Gene Tunney
Gunboat Smith
Carpentier
Beckett
Ermino Spalla
Uzcudin
Phil Scott
Pierre Charles
Young Stribling (Briefly recognized by NBA, retconned)
Jack Sharkey
Max Schmeling
Prino Carnera
Max Baer
Jim Braddock
Joe Louis
Tommy Farr
John Henry Lewis(I haven't found proof he claimed the title but his HW fights were 15 rounders for a period and he had a backdoor case because people thought he'd beaten Braddock).
Koeblin
Lazek
Big Boy Brown (Maryland Duration)
Harry Bobo(Ohio state duration)
Jim Bivins (Maryland and Ohio State duration Champion)
Ezzard Charles
Joe Walcott
Rocky Marciano
Lee Murray(duration)
Joe Baksi(duration)
Lee Savold (British version)
Archie Moore (Nevada state world championships)
Floyd Patterson
Ingemar Johanson
Sonny Liston
Muhammed Ali
Ernest Terrell (WBA)
Jimmy Ellis (WBA)
Joe Frazier
George Foreman
Leon Spinks
Ken Norton
Larry Holmes
Jonny Tate
Mike Weaver
Michael Dokes
Jerry Coetzee
Greg Page
Toney Tubbs
Tim Witherspoon
Trevor Berbick
Bonecrusher Smith
Pinklon Thomas
Toney Tucker
Michael Spinks
Mike Tyson
Buster Douglas
Evander Holyfield
Riddick Bowe
Michael Moorer
Shannon Briggs
Lennox Lewis
Oliver Mcall
Bruce Seldon
Francesco Damiani
Ray Mercer
Tommy Morrison
Michael Bent
Herbie Hide
Henry Akinwande
Haseem Rahman
Wlad Kltischko
Vitali Klistchko
Corrie Sanders
Chris Byrd
Lamon Brewster
Sehei Lyakovick
Sultan Ibragimov
Johnny Ruiz
Nikoli Valuev
Ruslan Chagev
Chris Byrd
Roy Jones
JamesToney (if you consider the NC)
David Haye
Bermaine Stiverne
Deontay Wilder
Tyson Fury
Charles Martin
Jospeh Parker
Anthony Joshua
Andy Ruiz
Oleksandr Usyk
Daniel Dubois
Fabio Wardley
Luis Ortiz (WBA Interum)
Povetkin (WBA regular, WBC interum)
Dillion Whyte (WBC Interum)
Joe Joyce (WBC Interum)
Zhang (WBC interum)
Kabayel (WBC Interum)
Wardley
Charr (WBA regular)
Kubrat Pulev (WBA regular)
Murat Gassiev (WBA regular)

 

I appreciate this and am considering it. Having Audley Harrison and Kali Meehan on the list isn't bad, but when it degenerates into Tinnapjok Kittipayak...

Let's have some opinions. How far down the rabbit hole? WBF? WBU? IBO?