Champion Nickname Reign
John L. Sullivan The Boston Strong Boy 1885-1892
James J. Corbett Gentleman Jim 1892-1897
Bob Fitzsimmons Ruby Robert 1897-1899
James J. Jeffries The Boilermaker 1899-1905, retired
Marvin Hart The Fightin' Kentuckian 1905-1906
Tommy Burns The Little Giant of Hanover 1906-1908
Jack Johnson Lil' Arthur 1908-1915
Jess Willard The Pottawatomie Giant 1915-1919
Jack Dempsey The Manassa Mauler 1919-1926
Gene Tunney The Fighting Marine 1926-1928, retired
Max Schmeling The Black Uhlan of the Rhine 1930-1932
Jack Sharkey The Boston Gob 1932-1933
Primo Carnera The Ambling Alp 1933-1934
Max Baer The "Livermore Larruper" 1934-1935
James J. Braddock The Cinderella Man 1935-1937
Joe Louis The Brown Bomber 1937-1949, retired
Ezzard Charles The Cincinnatti Cobra 1949-1951
"Jersey" Joe Walcott Jersey Joe 1951-1952
Rocky Marciano The Brockton Blockbuster 1952-1956, retired
Floyd Patterson . 1956-1959
Ingemar Johansson Ingo 1959-1960
Floyd Patterson . 1960-1962
Charles "Sonny" Liston Sonny 1962-1964
Cassius Clay The Louisville Lip 1964-1970, retires
Joe Frazier Smokin Joe 1970-1973
George Foreman . 1973-1974
Muhammad Ali The Greatest 1974-1978
Leon Spinks Neon Leon 1978
Muhammad Ali The Greatest 1978-1979, retires 6/79
Larry Holmes The Easton Assasin 1980-1985
Michael Spinks The Spinks Jinx 1985-1988
Mike Tyson Iron Mike 1988-1990
James "Buster" Douglas Buster 1990
Evander Holyfield The Real Deal 1990-1992
Rid**** Bowe Big Daddy 1992-1993
Evander Holyfield The Real Deal 1993-1994
Michael Moorer Double M 1994
George Foreman Big George 1994-1997
Shannon Briggs The Cannon 1997-1998
Lennox Lewis The Lion 1998-2001
Hasim Rahman The Rock 2001
Lennox Lewis The Lion 2001-2004, Retires
John L. Sullivan The Boston Strong Boy 1885-1892
James J. Corbett Gentleman Jim 1892-1897
Bob Fitzsimmons Ruby Robert 1897-1899
James J. Jeffries The Boilermaker 1899-1905, retired
Marvin Hart The Fightin' Kentuckian 1905-1906
Tommy Burns The Little Giant of Hanover 1906-1908
Jack Johnson Lil' Arthur 1908-1915
Jess Willard The Pottawatomie Giant 1915-1919
Jack Dempsey The Manassa Mauler 1919-1926
Gene Tunney The Fighting Marine 1926-1928, retired
Max Schmeling The Black Uhlan of the Rhine 1930-1932
Jack Sharkey The Boston Gob 1932-1933
Primo Carnera The Ambling Alp 1933-1934
Max Baer The "Livermore Larruper" 1934-1935
James J. Braddock The Cinderella Man 1935-1937
Joe Louis The Brown Bomber 1937-1949, retired
Ezzard Charles The Cincinnatti Cobra 1949-1951
"Jersey" Joe Walcott Jersey Joe 1951-1952
Rocky Marciano The Brockton Blockbuster 1952-1956, retired
Floyd Patterson . 1956-1959
Ingemar Johansson Ingo 1959-1960
Floyd Patterson . 1960-1962
Charles "Sonny" Liston Sonny 1962-1964
Cassius Clay The Louisville Lip 1964-1970, retires
Joe Frazier Smokin Joe 1970-1973
George Foreman . 1973-1974
Muhammad Ali The Greatest 1974-1978
Leon Spinks Neon Leon 1978
Muhammad Ali The Greatest 1978-1979, retires 6/79
Larry Holmes The Easton Assasin 1980-1985
Michael Spinks The Spinks Jinx 1985-1988
Mike Tyson Iron Mike 1988-1990
James "Buster" Douglas Buster 1990
Evander Holyfield The Real Deal 1990-1992
Rid**** Bowe Big Daddy 1992-1993
Evander Holyfield The Real Deal 1993-1994
Michael Moorer Double M 1994
George Foreman Big George 1994-1997
Shannon Briggs The Cannon 1997-1998
Lennox Lewis The Lion 1998-2001
Hasim Rahman The Rock 2001
Lennox Lewis The Lion 2001-2004, Retires
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