Longest reigning heavyweight champions
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Below is a list of longest reigning heavyweight champions in boxing measured by the individual's longest reign. Career total time as champion (for multiple time champions) does not apply. It includes their most consecutive successful title defenses, career grand total title defenses (for multiple time champions) does not apply.
Contents
Longest title reign
| Name | Title Reign | Title Recognition | Successful Consec. Defenses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  Joe Louis |
11 years, 8 months, 8 days | World Heavyweight Championship | 25 |
| 2. |  Wladimir Klitschko |
9 years, 7 months, 7 days | IBF (+WBA, WBO, The Ring) | 18 |
| 3. | Larry Holmes |
7 years, 3 months, 12 days | WBC-to-IBF (+The Ring/Lineal) | 20 |
| 4. | Jack Dempsey |
7 years, 2 months, 19 days | World Heavyweight Championship | 5 |
| 5. | John L. Sullivan |
7 years, 0 months, 9 days | World Heavyweight Championship | 4 |
| 6. | Jack Johnson |
6 years, 3 months, 10 days | World Heavyweight Championship | 8 |
| 7. | James J. Jeffries |
5 years, 11 months, 4 days | World Heavyweight Championship | 7 |
| 8. | Vitali Klitschko |
5 years, 2 months, 4 days | WBC | 9 |
| 9. | Joe Frazier |
4 years, 10 months, 18 days | NYAC (+WBA, WBC) | 9 |
| 10. | James J. Corbett |
4 years, 6 months, 10 days | World Heavyweight Championship | 1 |
| 11. | Jess Willard |
4 years, 2 months, 29 days | World Heavyweight Championship | 1 |
| 12. |  Lennox Lewis |
4 years, 2 months, 15 days | WBC (+IBF, WBA stripped, The Ring/Lineal) | 9 |
| 13. | Rocky Marciano |
3 years, 11 months, 29 days | World Heavyweight Championship | 6 |
| 14. | Chris Byrd |
3 years, 4 months, 8 days | IBF | 4 |
| 15. | Muhammad Ali |
3 years, 3 months, 16 days | The Ring/+ Lineal, (+ WBA, + WBC) | 10 |
| 16. | Mike Tyson |
3 years, 2 months, 20 days | WBC (+WBA, IBF, The Ring/Lineal) | 9 |
| 17. | George Foreman |
3 years, 0 months, 17 days | Lineal (+WBA, IBF stripped) | 3 |
| 18. | Evander Holyfield |
3 years, 0 months, 4 days | WBA (+IBF) | 4 |
| 19. |  Tommy Burns |
2 years, 10 months, 3 days | World Heavyweight Championship | 11 |
| 20. | Michael Spinks |
2 years, 9 months, 6 days | The Ring/Lineal (+IBF stripped) | 3 |
Unofficial Long Title reigns
The following title reigns are not recognized as official reigns due to: long periods of inactivity, legitimacy of title, false billing & promotion etc.
| Name | Title Reign | Title Recognition | Successful Defenses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Vitali Klitschko |
9 years, 4 months, 24 days | Full WBC-to-WBC Emeritus-to-Full WBC (+The Ring rel) | 11 |
| N/A | Muhammad Ali |
7 years, 0 months, 11 days | The Ring/+ Lineal (+ WBA , + WBC) | 11 |
| N/A | James Toney |
4 Years, 5 months, 14 days | IBA/IBU | 3 |
| N/A |  Brian Nielsen |
3 years, 7 months, 20 days | IBO | 5 |
Combined reigns
As of February 27, 2016. This list includes only major titles, and it doesn′t include lineal championships.
Keys:
- with boldface indicates the current champion and his days as champion
- WHC = officially recognized as World Heavyweight Championship too
| Name | Days as champion | Number Of Reigns | Title Recognition | Cumulative Title Defenses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Wladimir Klitschko |
4 383 | 2 | IBF, WBA, WBO | 23 |
| 2. | Joe Louis |
4 270 | 1 | NYSAC, NBA | 25 |
| 3. | Vitali Klitschko |
2 735 | 3 | WBO, WBC | 12 |
| 4. | Larry Holmes |
2 661 | 1 | WBC, IBF | 20 |
| 5. | Jack Dempsey |
2 638 | 1 | WHC, NYSAC, NBA | 5 |
| 6. | John L. Sullivan |
2 566 | 1 | WHC | 4 |
| 7. | Muhammad Ali |
2 363 | 3 | NYSAC, WBC, WBA | 19 |
| 8. | Lennox Lewis |
2 346 | 3 | WBC, IBF, WBA | 14 |
| 9. | Jack Johnson |
2 291 | 1 | WHC | 8 |
| 10. | Evander Holyfield |
2 235 | 4 | WBA, WBC, IBF | 7 |
| 11. | James J. Jeffries |
2 156 | 1 | WHC | 7 |
| 12. | Joe Frazier |
1 788 | 1 | NYSAC, WBA, WBC | 9 |
| 13. | Floyd Patterson |
1 761 | 2 | WHC | 6 |
| 14. | James J. Corbett |
1 650 | 1 | WHC | 1 |
| 15. | Jess Willard |
1 550 | 1 | WHC | 1 |
| 16. | Rocky Marciano |
1 459 | 1 | WHC | 6 |
| 17. | John Ruiz |
1 390 | 2 | WBA | 5 |
| 18. | Chris Byrd |
1 387 | 2 | IBF, WBO | 4 |
| 19. | Mike Tyson |
1 342 | 2 | WBA, WBC, IBF | 9 |
| 20. | George Foreman |
1 122 | 2 | WBA, WBC, IBF | 3 |
Key
- Active Title Reign
- Reign has ended
