Expert: Lian Shoemake - 12/10/2006

Question
What is the difference between being the undisputed heavyweight/lightweight/etc....champion and being the IBF or WBO, or WBC heavyweight/lightweight/etc...champion. Is it when a boxer holds more than one belt in his weight class? What exactly does undisputed champion mean?

Answer
Hi Tiffani,

Thanks for the question.
"Undisputed" is a term that has tended to lose some of its meaning in recent years, for the reasons you discussed in your question. What it should mean is that no one (including the various sanctioning bodies like the WBO, WBC, etc.) disputes or questions who the champion is in a given division. For example, in the recent past, Bernard Hopkins held the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO middleweight championships, so he was regarded as the "undisputed" middleweight champion. There seems to be an unwritten rule that even if a champion holds just the WBC, WBA and IBF titles, he is considered the undisputed champ, since the WBO still seems to lag in acceptance. However, sometimes a champion can be considered undisputed by the fans and media, with or without all the belts. When Lennox Lewis retired from boxing, he only held the WBC title, but was universally recognized as THE heavyweight champion.
Long answer to a not-so-easy-to-answer question, but I hope that helps!
Thanks again for writing, Tiffani.
Regards,
Lian