Super Middleweight Champions
A super middleweight champion holds one or more of the four recognised world titles at 168 lb. This guide explains the belts, what unification and undisputed status mean, and the retired greats who shaped the division. We name historical figures only; for the current holders, check the sportsbook.
Four belts, unified and undisputed
The WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO each sanction a world title at super middleweight. A fighter holding two or more of them is unified; one holding all four is undisputed. The lineal championship runs separately on the principle of the man who beat the man, and does not always sit with the belt-holders. Unification fights tend to draw the sharpest markets because both men arrive proven. See title fights for how these bouts are structured.
All-time greats and the South African angle
Because the division is young, its all-time list is short but strong. Joe Calzaghe reigned for over a decade and retired undefeated. Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Sr. gave the division two of its fiercest rivalries, while James Toney and Roy Jones Jr. passed through at world level on the way to wider greatness. South Africa's signature moment came in 2000, when Dingaan Thobela stopped Britain's Glenn Catley in the 12th round to win the WBC super middleweight title, a remarkable move up in weight often called his finest night; Thobela's home division was really lightweight. For the modern names, see the pound-for-pound page.
Frequently asked questions
What does undisputed mean at super middleweight?
It means one fighter holds all four world titles at once, the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO.
Has a South African held a super middleweight world title?
Yes. Dingaan Thobela won the WBC super middleweight title in 2000 by stopping Glenn Catley in the 12th round, though his signature division was lightweight.