The 11 Boxers Who Became Undisputed Champions In The Four Belt Era

What better way to start than the first to win all four belts?

On Sept. 18th, 2004, Bernard Hopkins beat Oscar De La Hoya, stopping him with a hard body shot in the 9th round to become the very first undisputed champion in the four belt era. "The Executioner" came into the fight the unified WBA, WBC, IBF and Ring Magazine middleweight champion, and won the WBO title from De La Hoya.

Not only would the victory etch Hopkins' name in history, but it also established the WBO as a legitimate world champion. Before this victory, the WBO wasn't recognized as such.

From here, a new standard was set.

Jermain Taylor

From the first to the second undisputed champion.

Then-undefeated contender Jermain Taylor achieved his crowning moment, beating the aforementioned Hopkins by split decision to win all the belts on July 16th, 2005. "Bad Intentions" was on a hot streak at this time, winning 23 straight en route to the title shot.

He would then beat Hopkins in his very next fight, winning by unanimous decision on Dec. 3rd, 2005.

Josh Taylor

This is where the belt collecting craze began in the 2020s.

On May 22nd, unified junior welterweight champions, Josh Taylor (IBF & WBA) and Jose Ramirez (WBC & WBO), fought to determine the first undisputed champion in three years. Both boxers were coming into the bout undefeated as the consensus No. 1 and 2 at 140 lbs.

Taylor would come out on top, beating Ramirez by unanimous decision in an exciting fight. Taylor knocked down Ramirez twice in the bout, which would be the deciding factor. All three judges scored the fight 114–112 in favor of the Scottish southpaw.

After this win, the frequency of undisputed matchups would go up.

Jermell Charlo

In one of the best bounce-back runs in recent history, Jermell Charlo's rise to the top of 154 lbs was poetic.

After suffering his first career loss to Tony Harrison back in 2018, Charlo would win three in-a-row, including claiming the unified WBC, WBA and IBF junior middleweight titles in that run. That would eventually lead him to WBO champion Brian Castano on July 17th, 2021. However, that fight would end in a controversial split draw.

The two would run it back on May 14th, 2022, with Charlo knocking out Castano in the 10th round to become undisputed. The win would be the pinnacle of Charlo's career, only fighting once since, in a losing effort to Canelo Alvarez on Sept. 30th. 2023.

Devin Haney

In a stacked lightweight division at the time, Devin Haney did what the other "Four Kings" couldn't do, and etched his name in boxing history.

On June 5th, 2022, the then WBC champion would go to enemy territory, in Australia, against unified IBF, WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine champion, George Kambosos Jr. Despite the crowd all for Aussie, Haney displayed a masterclass of boxing, picking Kambosos apart through 12 rounds.

Haney would win by unanimous decision to become undisputed in lightweight at just 23 years old. With that win, he would be the first to accomplish the feat since the late-great Pernell Whittaker in 1990.

Artur Beterbiev

In one of the most anticipated matchups of 2024, Artur Beterbiev would claim the ultimate prize in a battle of unstoppable forces at light heavyweight.

Beterbiev would beat Dmitry Bivol by majority decision on Oct. 12th, 2024 to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion. The bout was a high level chess match with both boxers implementing their game plans to a tee.

At 39 years old, the Russian proved that father time wasn't catching up just yet.

Dmitry Bivol

Maybe father time always catches up to people. After their initial bout, Beterbiev and Bivol would run it back again on Feb. 22, 2025.

In the rematch, Bivol would make the right adjustments, beating Beterbiev by unanimous decision and claiming the undisputed crown at 175 lbs. Bivol would also hand Beterbiev his first career loss, as the latter did in their previous bout.

The rematch would show just how even both boxers were, and establish them both as the greatest light heavyweights in the modern era.

Naoya Inoue

Pure. Domination.

Naoya Inoue is one of three boxers to become undisputed in two separate weight classes.

"The Monster" first did it at bantamweight, knocking out WBO champion Paul Butler in the 11th round on Dec. 13th, 2022. That win capped off a run at 118 lbs where he steam rolled through the division, even winning the World Boxing Super Series in 2019.

Inoue would then become undisputed again at junior featherweight, knocking out unified WBO and IBF champion Marlon Tapeles in the 10th round on Dec. 26th, 2023.

"The Monster" now reigns atop 122 lbs, with all four belts, with no end in sight of his dominance.

Terence Crawford

Here's another man who was able to become undisputed in two weight divisions.

Terence Crawford was first able to become undisputed at junior welterweight, beating then unified IBF and WBA champion Julius Indongo by 3rd round knockout. This crowning was a bit underwhelming for boxing fans, with many criticizing the quality of opponents on the road to undisputed.

However, at welterweight, it was a much different story.

"Bud" not only beat the man at 147 lbs, but he annihilated him. Crawford stopped unified IBF, WBA and WBC champion Errol Spence Jr. in one of the most one-sided superfights in boxing history. The win would not only put him in storied company, but also silence all the haters.

Canelo Alvarez

The only undisputed super middleweight champion in boxing history.

Canelo Alvarez's first run to undisputed glory was one of the best in recent memory. He steam rolled through Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders to claim the WBC, WBA and WBO titles.

Then, on Nov. 6th, 2021, he stopped IBF champion Caleb Plant in the 11th round to make history. The win capped off a career year for Alvarez, who also became the first Mexican undisputed champion.

Alvarez would then become undisputed at 168 lbs, beating IBF champion William Scull by unanimous decision on May 3rd. That win would come in one of the worst fights of the year, with both setting a new record for the fewest punches thrown in a 12-round fight, according to CompuBox.

Oleksandr Usyk

History. Maker.

Oleksandr Usyk first claim undisputed glory on July 21st, 2018, beating Murat Gassiev by unanimous decision to win all four belts at cruiserweight. That win would also claim him the crown of the World Boxing Super Series.

Usyk would then do it again at heavyweight, beating Tyson Fury by split decision on May 18th, 2024 to be the first boxer since Evander Holyfield to be undisputed at crusierweight and heavyweight. Usyk would then beat Fury again by unanimous decision on Dec. 21st, 2024.

And if that wasn't historic enough, the Ukrainian topped it over the weekend, knocking out IBF champion Daniel Dubois to become undipsuted a second time at heavyweight. He becomes the second boxer to become undisputed twice at heavyweight, after Muhammad Ali!

What Usyk has done in the past decade can't be replicated. It takes a special boxer to achieve what the Ukrainian has done, making him arguably the greatest heavyweight in the modern era.