We have only had nine undisputed world heavyweight champions since 1970. That is a travesty, only nine undisputed world heavyweight champions in the last 54 years. Smokin’ Joe Frazier became the undisputed world heavyweight champion in February 1970 when he stopped WBA champion Jimmy Ellis in round 4. Frazier held every major belt of the day, but at that time Muhammad Ali still had a rightful claim to the lineage, having never lost that distinction inside the ring.
Ali ultimately came back in October 1970 after having his boxing license reinstated. That matter was settled in the Fight of the Century on March 8th, 1971 when Smokin’ Joe won a 15 round unanimous decision against Ali, solidifying his status as truly undisputed beyond reproach by earning a rightful claim to the lineal crown. Things were as they should be throughout most of the 1970s with a direct lineage from one heavyweight champion to the next. From Joe Frazier, to George Foreman, to Muhammad Ali, and ultimately to Leon Spinks in 1978. Then the WBA stripped Spinks, and we had a gap of nearly 10 years before Iron Mike Tyson restored order, where we again had a direct line from one champion to the next, from Iron Mike, to Buster to Douglas, to Evander Holyfield, and ultimately to Riddick Bowe in November 1992.
Then Bowe vacated the WBC belt, technically losing undisputed distinction. Since that time, we only briefly had one undisputed world heavyweight champion when Lennox Lewis unified all three major belts of his day back in November 1999. But before Lennox made a single title defense of his newly earned undisputed crown, he was stripped by the WBA in April 2000, and we have not had an undisputed champion since. That was nearly 24 years ago now, 24 years without a single undisputed world heavyweight champion. We have only had nine undisputed world heavyweight boxing champions since 1970. Will Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk be next? Will we ever have another one at all?
by Geoffrey Ciani
Source: https://www.boxingnews24.com/2023/11/video-undisputed-heavyweight-champions-since-1970-will-tyson-fury-or-oleksandr-usyk-be-next/