Editing Heavyweight (section)

====Historical development====
Because this division has no upper weight limit, it has historically been vaguely defined. In the 19th century, for example, many [[List of heavyweight boxing champions|heavyweight champions]] weighed {{convert|170|lb|kg stlb}} or less (although others weighed 200 pounds).

In 1920, the light heavyweight division was formed, with a maximum weight of {{convert|175|lb|kg stlb}}. Any fighter weighing more than 175 pounds was a heavyweight. The cruiserweight division (first for boxers in the 175–190 pound range) was established in 1979 and recognized by the various boxing organizations in the 1980s with a maximum weight of either {{convert|190|lb|kg stlb}} or {{convert|195|lb|kg stlb}}. Later these organizations increased the cruiserweight limit to 200 pounds.

Since 1975, the [[Amateur Athletic Union of the United States]] and the Soviet Sports Committee established a new concept in international boxing, called "Heavy Duals," an all-heavyweight team contest between the United States and the Soviet Union.<ref>'Heavy' Date, ''AAU News'', 1975, v. 45, p. 10.</ref>

As of 2024, [[Wladimir Klitschko]] holds records of beating the most boxers for the world heavyweight title, with 23, and the [[World heavyweight boxing championship records and statistics#Longest title reigns|longest cumulative heavyweight title reign]] of all time, with 4,382 days as world heavyweight champion.{{refn|group=nb|Attributed to multiple sources: <ref name=guinness-world-records-most-days-as-hw-ch>{{cite web |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/496533-most-days-as-a-heavyweight-boxing-champion|title=Most days as a heavyweight boxing champion|work=[[Guinness World Records]]|access-date=15 March 2024}}</ref><ref name=business-insider-sg>{{cite web |url=https://www.businessinsider.sg/wladimir-klitschko-plotting-boxing-comeback-2019-10 |title=Wladimir Klitschko is plotting a spectacular boxing comeback, and he wants to break an old heavyweight record |publisher=Business Insider Singapore |website=businessinsider.sg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110192101/https://www.businessinsider.sg/wladimir-klitschko-plotting-boxing-comeback-2019-10/ |archive-date=10 November 2019 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all |access-date=26 July 2023}}</ref><ref name=boxing-records>{{cite web |url=https://sport.24tv.ua/volodimiru_klichku__44_naykrashhi_nokauti_boksera_n1303940 |title=Володимиру Кличку – 44: найкращі нокаути боксера|date=25 March 2020 |access-date=5 February 2021 |language=Ukrainian}}</ref><ref name=klitschko-rekord>{{cite web |url=https://sport.segodnya.ua/sport/boxing/ukraina-sdelala-svoy-vybor-nazvan-luchshiy-bokser-v-istorii-1580204.html|title=Украина сделала свой выбор! Назван лучший боксер в истории страны|access-date=28 April 2022|language=ru}}</ref><ref name=klitschko-rekord2>{{cite web |url=https://www.polsatsport.pl/wiadomosc/2022-04-25/wladimir-kliczko-wroci-na-ring-jesli-wojna-sie-skonczy/|title=Władimir Kliczko wróci na ring? "Jeśli wojna się skończy..."|date=25 April 2022 |publisher=[[Polsat Sport]]|access-date=30 April 2022 |language=pl}}</ref><ref name=klitschko-reuters>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-boxing-heavyweight-fury-idUSKBN22W0OR |title=Fury 'mentally happy' to be in ring, eyes Klitschko-like reign |work=Reuters |date=20 May 2020|access-date=8 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.croatiaweek.com/klitschko-believes-hrgovic-will-become-world-boxing-champ/ |title=Klitschko believes Hrgović will become world boxing champ |work=croatiaweek.com |date=6 April 2019|access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://kreschatic.kiev.ua/ua/5361/news/1573133479.html |title=Володимир Кличко виступив на Web Summit-2019 в Лісабоні |work=kreschatic.kiev.ua |access-date=17 April 2021 |language=uk |archive-date=17 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417170436/http://kreschatic.kiev.ua/ua/5361/news/1573133479.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://kremenchug.org.ua/2020/12/15/volodymyr-klychko-uvijshov-do-mizhnarodnogo-zalu-bokserskoyi-slavy/ |title=Володимир Кличко увійшов до Міжнародного залу боксерської слави |work=kremenchug.org.ua |date=15 December 2020|access-date=17 April 2021 |language=uk}}</ref>}} [[Joe Louis]] has won the most world heavyweight title bouts, with 27,<ref name=boxing-records/> and had the most consecutive title defenses, with 26.{{refn|group=nb|According to [[BoxRec]] and [[IBHOF]], Louis' fight against Johnny Davis in 1944, viewed by many as an exhibition fight, was for the NYSAC heavyweight title, which would lift Louis' title defenses to 26|exhibition according to some sources; other sources including IBHOF consider it a legitimate title fight, which would bring Louis' defenses to 26.}} This is also the record for most consecutive title defenses in boxing history.<ref>[https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/reign-longest-(boxing)/ Longest reigning boxing world champion]</ref>

Four boxers have regained the heavyweight title in an immediate rematch: [[Floyd Patterson]] in 1960, [[Muhammad Ali]] in 1978, [[Lennox Lewis]] in 2001, and [[Anthony Joshua]] in 2019. [[George Foreman]] holds the record for being the oldest heavyweight to ever achieve championship status, becoming champion at the age of 45, while [[Mike Tyson]] possesses the record for youngest heavyweight champion at 20. Tyson also became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts – WBA, WBC, and IBF as well as The Ring and lineal heavyweight titles at the same time.