What Does Undisputed Champion Mean? | Explained
In this page we will cover what exactly being an Undisputed Champion in Boxing and the UFC means, and the differences of being an undisputed champion between the two sports.
Table of Contents
- Undisputed Champion in Boxing
- Undisputed Champion in UFC
- What's the Difference Between Undisputed & Undefeated?
- Why Do They Say Undisputed?
Undisputed Champion in Boxing
Being an undisputed champion in Boxing is a little bit different due to the amount of sanctioning bodies in the sport.
In Boxing it means that a Boxer holds all 4 championship belts including WBO, IBF, WBC & WBA. Amazingly less than 10 fighters have been able to accomplish this feat.
Undisputed Champion in UFC
Being an undisputed champion in the UFC simply means that only one fighter holds the belt in that division. When a champion is unable to defend their belt due to injury, timing, or contract disputes, an Interim championship bout is created. As long as there is no Interim champion in a division, the fighter holding the belt is undisputed.
If there is an interim champion, both champions must fight each other and the winner of the bout will become the undisputed champion of that division.
What's the Difference Between Undisputed and Undefeated?
Undisputed means that there is only one fighter that holds the belt in a certain weight division. Undefeated means that a fighter has yet to lose a fight. If a fighter has 10 wins and 0 losses, he is undefeated.
Israel Adesanya was the undisputed and undefeated Middleweight champion of the world when he won the belt against Robert Whittaker with a 18-0 MMA record.
Why Do They Say Undisputed?
Being an undisputed champion in any combat sport is the ultimate goal for any fighter.
Being announced as the undisputed champion is a massive deal for fighters, and legitimizes/reinforces to the public that the fighter being announced is the best fighter in the world in that weight class.