World Heavyweight Championship timeline:
Before the films
- 1922-1926: Jack Dempsey (lost to Gene Tunney)
- 1926-1928: Gene Tunney (title vacated)
- 1930-1932: Max Schmeling (lost to Jack Sharkey)
- 1932-1933: Jack Sharkey (lost to Primo Carnera)
- 1933-1934: Primo Carnera (lost to Max Baer)
- 1934-1935: Max Baer (lost to James J. Braddock)
- 1935-1937: James J. Braddock (lost to Joe Louis)
- 1937-1949: Joe Louis (title vacated)
- 1950-1951: Ezzard Charles (lost to Jersey Joe Walcott)
- 1951-1952: Jersey Joe Walcott (lost to Rocky Marciano)
- 1952-1956: Rocky Marciano (title vacated)
- 1956-1959: Floyd Patterson (lost to Ingemar Johansson)
- 1959-1960: Ingemar Johansson (lost to Floyd Patterson)
- 1960-1962: Floyd Patterson (lost to Sonny Liston)
- 1962-1964: Sonny Liston (lost to Cassius Clay)
- 1964-1970: Cassius Clay (title vacated)
- 1971-1973: Joe Frazier (lost to George Foreman)
- 1973-1974: George Foreman (lost to Apollo Creed in alternate "Rumble in the Jungle")
During the films
- 1974-1976: Apollo Creed (lost to Rocky Balboa)
- 1976-1982: Rocky Balboa (lost to Clubber Lang)
- 1982-1983: Clubber Lang (lost to Rocky Balboa)
- 1983-1984: Rocky Balboa (title vacated)
- 1986-1990: Union Cane (lost to Tommy Gunn)
- 1990-1991: Tommy Gunn (lost to Union Cane)
- 1991-1995: Union Cane (WBC, The Ring & Lineal titles vacated; WBA title stripped)
- 1993-1997: Ivan Drago (WBA title stripped)
- 1996-2002: Mike Tyson (undisputed title vacated)
- 2003-2011: Mason Dixon (undisputed title vacated)
- 2012-2017: Danny Wheeler (lost WBC title to Adonis Creed; WBA and The Ring titles stripped)
- 2017-NOW: Adonis Creed (Current WBC champion)