Youngest Boxing Champions in Different Weight Divisions

Discover the incredible achievements of the youngest boxing champions across various weight divisions. From Mike Tyson's historic heavyweight title win at the age of 20 to Wilfred Benitez becoming a junior welterweight champion at just 17, these young athletes have left an indelible mark on boxing history. Here’s a look at these remarkable champions, their ages at the time of their victories, and the divisions they conquered.

List of Youngest Boxing Champions in different Weight Classes

Here's the list about the youngest boxers in each division:

Mike Tyson, (20 Years) Heavyweight

At the age of 20, Tyson became the youngest boxing champion in the heavyweight division. On November 22, 1986, the 20-year-old Tyson challenged the boxing champion, Berbick. Tyson was calm and vowed to win the boxing champion title.

At the beginning of the match, Tyson quickly dodged and approached Berbick. Obviously, he was not used to such lightning-fast attacks and pushed Tyson away. A flat uppercut hit Berbick's head hard. Facing the aggressive Tyson, Berbick could only push away with force.

At the end of the first round, Tyson got the opportunity and hit him with a heavy uppercut. At this time, Tyson fired a burst of heavy punches, all of which hit. Berbick was staggering at this time, but even so, at the end of the round, Berbick continued to provoke Tyson.

At the beginning of the second round, Tyson hit back with a heavy punch, and Tyson launched another lightning-fast and fierce attack. At this time, Berbick fell heavily to the ground. Berbick was indeed a man. He stood up and signaled to the referee that it was okay and he wanted to continue fighting. But Tyson then directly ended his last hope.

Tyson will soon feature in a heavyweight fight against Jake Paul, where boxing online betting markets are considering him the favorite to win the bout.

Wilfred Benitez, (17 Years) Junior Welterweight

Wilfred Benitez, a gifted Puerto Rican boxing sensation, turned professional at 15 and, after 25 fights, outboxed future Hall-of-Famer Antonio Cervantes by 15-round split decision to claim the WBA 140-pound title in March 1976. He later won welterweight and junior middleweight titles but was already past his prime by the time he was 25 years old. Sadly, since retiring, he has been affected by a degenerative brain condition caused by taking blows to the head.

Pipino Cuevas, (17 Years) Welterweight

Pipino Cuevas, a welterweight boxer, had a rocky start to his career with a record of 15 wins and 6 losses. However, in July 1976, he became the WBA welterweight champion by defeating Angel Estrada in two rounds. Cuevas successfully defended his title 11 times before losing to Thomas Hearns, also in two rounds. After that, his performance was inconsistent, and he never challenged for another world title.

Hiroki Ioka, (17 Years) Strawweight

Hiroki Ioka, a strawweight fighter, delighted his fans in Osaka by outboxing Mai Thomburifarm to win the vacant WBC strawweight title in October 1987. After two title defenses, he lost to Napa Kiatwanchai. Ioka then moved up to junior flyweight and surprised everyone by defeating the long-reigning champion Myung Woo Yuh to claim the WBA title, although he lost in the rematch. He continued to fight, but was unsuccessful in four more title attempts.

Tony Canzoneri, (17 Years) Featherweight

Tony Canzoneri was the youngest boxing champion from America to win a world title, almost a century ago. He claimed the NYSAC featherweight title by defeating Johnny Dundee in October 1927. Remarkably, this was his third title attempt, having previously drawn and lost to Bud Taylor for the vacant NBA bantamweight belt earlier that year. Canzoneri had a Hall-of-Fame career, winning world titles in the lightweight and junior welterweight divisions and facing the top fighters of his time.

Explore the world of online sports betting with Pinnacle Sports Betting, a top-tier sportsbook, and trust it along with Sport Betting Guide for unparalleled insights and reliable guidance to enhance your betting experience.

• User-Friendly Interface and Diverse Options
  Pinnacle Sports ensures a seamless journey through sports betting with a user-friendly interface and a wide range of options for various sports events. Whether it's basketball, football, soccer, or other sports, Pinnacle Sports provides a comprehensive platform.
• Live Betting Excitement
  Experience the excitement of live betting with Pinnacle Sports, where you can place bets on live events, access real-time odds, and enjoy smooth transactions. Our platform caters to both beginners and experienced bettors, offering valuable tips, strategies, and resources.
• Informed Decisions through Insights
  Pinnacle Sports Betting and Sport Betting Guide equip you with knowledge and tools for informed decisions. From pre-match analysis to detailed statistics, our platform provides insights for staying ahead, whether you're interested in NBA Power Rankings or exploring championship contenders.
• Trusted Partner for an Elevated Experience
  Pinnacle Sports is a trusted partner, known for reliability, transparency, and customer satisfaction. Join us in this exhilarating journey and elevate your sports betting experience with Pinnacle Sports Betting and Sport Betting Guide.

Netrnoi Sor Vorasingh, (17 Years) Junior Flyweight

Netrnoi Sor Vorasingh, a junior flyweight from Thailand, lost a WBC title fight against Luis Estaba but came back to win a split decision over Freddy Castillo in May 1978 to claim the WBC belt. He knocked out Estaba in his only title defense before losing the belt and making a final title attempt against Hilario Zapata. Tragically, Sor Vorasingh died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 23.

Morris East, (17 Years) Junior Welterweight

Morris East was a Filipino boxer who made it into the highlights of the boxing world when he won the WBA junior welterweight championship at the age of 19 and beat Akinobu Hiranaka via knockout. He was also awarded the Knockout of the Year award for that match. Morris East's career in boxing didn't get going like he thought, and he retired at the age of 21. 

East traveled to Japan to face Akinobu Hiranaka for the WBA title and was down on all three scorecards entering the penultimate round, only to score The Ring Magazine “Knockout of the Year” in September 1992. The Filipino lost his title in his first defense against Juan Coggi, as boxing online betting markets were favoring Coggi to win it. After a handful of bouts at a lower level, East fought for the last time at age 21.

Marvin Sonsona, (17 Years) Junior Bantamweight

Marvin Sonsona claimed the junior bantamweight championship in September 2009 as the youngest in this weight class. Marvin won the championship via unanimous decision after beating Jose Lopez in the 4th round. The Filipino boxer dropped his championship when he decided to fight for the vacant WBO Junior Featherweight Championship, where his opponent was Wilfredo Vazquez.

Marvin could not achieve this championship as Vazquez beat him in the 4th round of the fight and won that championship, although Marvin was very confident and boxing online betting odds were clearly in his favor. The Filipino boxer is currently active in the welterweight division and last fought in the ring back in 2018.

Al McCoy, (17 Years) Middleweight

Al McCoy is the youngest boxing champion in the middleweight boxing division, and he achieved this feat after beating George Chip in the first round of their fight in April 1914. He kept this middleweight championship for almost 3 years, and later, in November 1917, he lost this championship to Mike O’Dowd. McCoy has a relatively short career in boxing, and he retired at the age of 30.