Who Had the Most Successful World Title Defenses?

By Ken Hissner: Most people remember World Heavyweight champion Joe “The Brown Bomber” Louis having a record 25 world title defenses. But was there anyone with more in another division?

Flyweight, Super Fly, and Light Flyweight champ Germany’s Regina Halmich 44 defenses; Super Featherweight, Lightweight, and Light Welterweight champ Mexico’s Julio ‘J.C.’ Cesar Chavez, 29;

Flyweight and Super Flyweight champ Argentina’s Omar ‘El Hurican’ Narvaez, 27; Super Featherweight, Lightweight, Light Welterweight, Welterweight and Light Middleweight champ Las Vegas, Nevada’s Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather, L.A, California’s Featherweight, Welterweight and Lightweight champ Henry ‘Homicide Hank’ Armstrong, 26;

Norway’s Welterweight champ Cecilia ‘First Lady’ Braekhus, 25, Mini and Light Flyweight champ Mexico’s Ricardo ‘Finto’ Lopez 24, Ukraine’s Heavyweight champ Wladimir ‘Dr. Steelhammer’ Klitschko, Poland’s Cruiserweight and Light Heavyweight champ Darius ‘Tiger’ Michaczewski, Kazakhstan’s Middleweight champ Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin, 23; Wiliston, North Dakota’s Light Heavyweight and Cruiserweight champ Virgil ‘Quick Silver’ Hill, 22;

Germany’s Middleweight champ Sven ‘Phantom’ Ottkee, Wales Super Middleweight champ Joe ‘Pride of Wales’ Calzaghe, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champ Bernard ‘The Executioner’ Hopkins, Thailand’s Flyweight champ Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, 21;

Easton, Pennsylvania’s Heavyweight champ Larry ‘Easton Assassin’ Holmes, Louisville, Kentucky’s Heavyweight champ Muhammad ‘The Greatest’ Ali, Panama’s Featherweight champ Eusebio ‘El Alacran’ Pedroza, Thailand’s Flyweight champ Khaosal Galaxy, Mexico’s Light Middleweight, Middleweight, Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champ Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 19;

Puerto Rico’s Wilfredo ‘Bazooka’ Gomez, L.A., California’s Super Featherweight, Lightweight, Light Welterweight, Welterweight, Light Middleweight and Middleweight champ Oscar De La Hoya, South Korea’s Light Flyweight Myung-Woo ‘Sonagi’ Yuh, 18; Indonesia’s Featherweight champ Chris ‘The Dragon’ John, Pensacola, Florida’s Middleweight, Super Middleweight, Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight champ Roy Jones, Jr., Ghana’s Azumah ‘The Professor’ Nelson, Uzbekistan and Germany’s ‘King’ Artur Gregorian, 17;

Managua, Nicaragua’s Feather, Super Feather and Lightweight champ Alexis ‘Thin Man’ Arguello, Laredo, Texas Bantamweight champ Orlando Canizales, Campo, California’s Light Middleweight champ ‘Terrible’ Terry Norris 16; Santa Fe’s Middleweight champ Carlos ‘Escopeda’ Monzon, Norfolk, Virginia’s Lightweight, Light Welter, Welter and Light Middleweight champ Pernell ‘Sweet Pea’ Whitaker, 14.

From Halmich’s 44 to Whitaker’s 14 title defenses, there were quite a few with title defenses.