Skip to content
Home » Mike Tyson ahead of Lennox Lewis on all-time WBC list, no Deontay Wilder

Mike Tyson ahead of Lennox Lewis on all-time WBC list, no Deontay Wilder

  • by
  • 4 min read

World Boxing Council chiefs remain steadfast in their belief that Mike Tyson was a better champion than Lennox Lewis, and Deontay Wilder is not an all-time top ten heavyweight.

Their all-time list hasn’t changed much in the past decade since long-reigning two-time ruler Vitali Klitschko retired.

Klitschko is the only champion in the past twenty years to make a dent since ex-foe Lewis hit the number three spot.

Despite his dominance and beating Tyson in 2002, Lewis cannot overhaul the youngest ever top division champion.

The great Muhammad Ali stays at number one and will take some shifting.

Tyson Fury, the current WBC king, has some work to do to knock Ken Norton off the number ten position.

A win over Anthony Joshua to become an undisputed champion would help his case.

DEONTAY WILDER

Deontay Wilder, who Fury beat to claim the accolade, held the title for five years. The longest reign since Vitali.

This impressive defensive run still hasn’t been enough to take Norton off the final placing.

Vitali Klitschko
WBC

WBC TOP 10 HEAVYWEIGHTS – 2021

1. Muhammad Ali (US)
2. Mike Tyson (US)
3. Lennox Lewis (GB)
4. Larry Holmes (US)
5. Evander Holyfield (US)
6. George Foreman (US)
7. Joe Frazier (US)
8. Vitaly Klitschko (Ukraine)
9. Sonny Liston (US)
10. Ken Norton (US)

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION IN WBC HISTORY

Twenty-six heavyweight world champions have held the WBC belt. Five of whom have regained the title.

Muhammad Ali (US), Mike Tyson (US), Lennox Lewis two times (GB), Hasim Rahman (US), Vitali Klitschko (Ukraine).

One hundred twenty heavyweight world championship fights have taken place n WBC history.

Since 2007, the WBC has installed interim belt holders to appease waiting contenders.

Dillian Whyte is the latest to hold this honor.

Sonny Liston

WBC HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS

1. Sonny Liston (US) 1963 – 1964
2. Muhammad Ali (US) 1964 – 1967
3. Joe Frazier (US) 1968 – 1973
4. George Foreman (US) 1973 – 1974
5. Muhammad Ali (US) * 1974 – 1978
6. Leon Spinks (US) 1978
7. Ken Norton (US) 1977 – 1978
8. Larry Holmes (US) 1978 – 1983
9. Tim Witherspoon (US) 1984
10. Pinklon Thomas (US) 1984 – 1985
11. Trevor Berbick (Can) 1986
12. Mike Tyson (US) 1986 – 1990

The 1990s

13. James Douglas (US) 1990
14. Evander Holyfield (US) 1990 – 1992
15. Riddick Bowe (US) 1992
16. Lennox Lewis (GB) 1993 – 1994
17. Oliver McCall (US) 1994 – 1995
18. Frank Bruno (GB) 1995 – 1996
19. Mike Tyson (US) * 1996
20. Lennox Lewis (GB) * 1997 – 2001
21. Hasim Rahman (US) 2001
22. Lennox Lewis (GB) * 2001 – 2003
23. Vitali Klitschko (Ukraine) 2004
24. Hasim Rahman (US) * 2005 – 2006
25. Oleg Maskaev (Kazakhstan) 2006 – 2008
26. Samuel Peter (Nigeria) Interim 2007 – 2008
27. Vitali Klitschko (Ukraine)* 2008 – 2014

MODERN ERA

28. Bermane Stiverne (Haiti-US) 2014 – 2015
29. Deontay Wilder (US) 2015 – 2020
30. Dillian Whyte (GB) Interim 2019 – 2020
31. Alexander Povetkin (Rus) Interim 2020 – 2021
32. Tyson Fury (GB) 2020 –
33. Dillian Whyte (GB) Interim 2021 –

WBC Statistics by Luis Medina.

World Boxing News has had over one billion views since its inception in 2010. Follow us on social media @worldboxingnews.