Boxing is a mess. Honestly, if you're trying to keep track of every single person holding a shiny strap over their shoulder right now, you're probably getting a headache. We’ve got "Super" champions, "Regular" champions, interim placeholders, and "Franchise" titles that seem to exist just to keep the sanctioning fees flowing. It’s a lot. But even with the alphabet soup of the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO, the start of 2026 has actually clarified a few things—mostly because a handful of generational talents decided they were tired of sharing.
The landscape changed fundamentally just a few weeks ago. Terence Crawford, the man many considered the pound-for-pound king, hung up the gloves in December 2025. That left a massive power vacuum at 154 and 147 pounds. It also pushed the heavyweight titan Oleksandr Usyk back to the undisputed #1 spot on most people's lists. If you want to know who the real boxing weight divisions champions are, you have to look past the marketing and see who is actually cleaning out their neighborhoods.
The Heavyweights: Usyk’s World (and Everyone Else’s)
Let’s be real: Oleksandr Usyk is the man. After he beat Tyson Fury twice—the second time being a much clearer unanimous decision in late 2024—the heavyweight division finally had one face. He holds the WBC, WBA, and IBF titles. He actually vacated the WBO belt, which Fabio Wardley snatched up in November 2025 after beating Frazer Clarke.
Usyk is 24-0. He’s 38 years old. Most guys his age are looking for a commentary gig, but he’s still making giant men look like they’re fighting in slow motion. Behind him, you’ve got Agit Kabayel holding the WBC interim title after stopping Damian Knyba earlier this month. There’s also the young monster Moses Itauma, who just destroyed Dillian Whyte in one round. Itauma is the guy everyone is terrified of right now. He's scheduled to fight Jermaine Franklin Jr. on January 24th, and if he wins that, the pressure for a title shot is going to become unbearable for the sanctioning bodies.
It's a weird time for the big guys. Fury is retired. Anthony Joshua is... well, Joshua. The era of the "Big Three" is over, and we are firmly in the Usyk era, even if the belts are starting to fragment again.
Why 168 and 175 Are the Most Intense Rooms in the House
For years, Canelo Alvarez owned 168 pounds. That ended last fall when he lost his undisputed status to Terence Crawford in a massive superfight. Since then, the super middleweight division has basically become the Wild West. Canelo is currently recovering from elbow surgery and is 35 years old. People are wondering if he’s finally hit the wall.
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Right now, the WBA "Regular" champion is Armando Reséndiz, who just picked up the title on New Year's Day. But the real names everyone is watching are Christian M’billi and Diego Pacheco. M’billi is the WBC interim champ and is basically a human wrecking ball.
If you move up to 175 pounds, things get even more elite. You have Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev. Bivol is the IBF, WBO, and WBA king after he unified everything against Beterbiev in early 2025. Beterbiev is 41 now. He’s still "The Beast," but he hasn't fought since February 2025. Bivol is also coming off back surgery. While they heal up, David Benavidez is sitting there with the WBC belt, having just mauled Anthony Yarde in November.
The light heavyweight division is arguably the most skilled in boxing right now. You have three guys—Bivol, Beterbiev, and Benavidez—who could all reasonably claim to be the best in the world.
The Lower Weight Classes Are Where the Real Monsters Hide
If you aren't watching the smaller guys, you are missing the best part of the sport. Naoya "The Monster" Inoue is 32-0 with 27 knockouts. He’s the undisputed super bantamweight (122 lbs) champion. He just defended his belts against David Picasso in Saudi Arabia. It wasn't his most explosive performance, but he still won basically every second of every round.
There is a massive fight brewing in Japan for later this year. Junto Nakatani, the WBC bantamweight champ, is widely considered the heir to Inoue’s throne. He’s taller, he’s got freakish reach, and he hits like a mule. When these two finally meet, it’ll be for more than just belts; it’ll be for the soul of Japanese boxing.
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Then there’s Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez. He’s the super flyweight (115 lbs) king, holding the WBC, WBA, and WBO titles. He’s only 26. He’s already beaten legends like Juan Francisco Estrada and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai. People are already talking about him moving up to face Inoue. It sounds crazy because of the size difference, but Bam is that good.
Current State of Major Champions (The Big Names)
To make it easier, here is who actually matters across the most popular divisions as of January 2024:
- Heavyweight: Oleksandr Usyk (WBC, WBA, IBF) and Fabio Wardley (WBO).
- Cruiserweight: Jai Opetaia (IBF, Ring) and Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez (WBA, WBO).
- Light Heavyweight: Dmitry Bivol (WBA, IBF, WBO) and David Benavidez (WBC).
- Super Middleweight: Mostly vacant/fragmented after Canelo's loss. Christian M'billi is the top contender.
- Welterweight: Very messy after Crawford’s retirement. Mario Barrios (WBC) is set to fight Ryan Garcia in February.
- Lightweight: Gervonta "Tank" Davis (WBA) and Shakur Stevenson (WBC). Shakur fights Teofimo Lopez on January 31st.
- Super Bantamweight: Naoya Inoue (Undisputed).
The Shakur vs. Teofimo Factor
The end of this month is going to be huge. Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez are fighting on January 31st. This is a classic "pure boxer vs. explosive athlete" matchup. Shakur has the WBC lightweight title, while Teofimo is coming down from 140 where he held the WBO and Ring belts.
This fight will likely determine who the "alpha" is at 135 pounds, especially since Gervonta Davis seems content to do his own thing and sell out arenas without necessarily chasing every single belt. If Shakur wins convincingly, the pressure for a Davis vs. Stevenson fight will reach a boiling point.
What Most Fans Get Wrong About "Undisputed"
You’ll hear the word "undisputed" thrown around a lot. Technically, it means holding the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO belts at the same time. But the politics of boxing make it almost impossible to stay undisputed for long.
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The IBF is notorious for stripping champions who don't fight their mandatory challengers immediately. That’s why Usyk isn't "undisputed" anymore on paper, even though he beat the only other guy who mattered. Don't get too hung up on the "undisputed" label. Look for the "Lineal" champion—the man who beat the man. In most divisions, that’s much clearer.
How to Follow the Belts in 2026
If you want to keep up with boxing weight divisions champions without losing your mind, follow these three steps:
- Ignore the "Regular" belts: The WBA often has two champions in one division. The "Super" champion is the real one. The "Regular" champion is usually just a secondary title holder.
- Watch the "Ring Magazine" rankings: While not an official sanctioning body, The Ring usually has the most respected rankings because they don't take sanctioning fees. If they say someone is the champion, they usually are.
- Check the mandatories: If a big champion like Bivol or Inoue is suddenly stripped of a belt, it’s usually because of a mandatory defense dispute. It doesn't mean they lost their spot as the best in the world.
The next few months are going to be wild. With Ryan Garcia returning to face Mario Barrios in February and the heavyweights shuffling around Usyk, the list of champions is going to look very different by summer. Stick to the fighters, not just the gold around their waists. Half of those belts are just there for decoration anyway.
If you're looking for the next big thing, keep your eyes on the January 31st cards. Those results are going to dictate the entire narrative for the rest of the year.