Boxing hasn’t had many titleholders in their 40s.
One of them, Erislandy Lara, is in action this weekend against substitute Johan Gonzalez after his scheduled opponent, Janibek Alimkhanuly, failed a drugs test.
We all know the story of heavyweight George Foreman defeating Michael Moorer at 45 years old. It is a staple of Foreman’s story, and the crowning achievement of his remarkable, unlikely second career after his losses to Muhammad Ali and Jimmy Young and decade-long departure from the sport.
Bernard Hopkins is the oldest boxing beltholder in the history of the sport. Hopkins defeated Jean Pascal at 46 years old to win the WBC light heavyweight title and lineal championship. After losing his throne to Chad Dawson, Hopkins would break his own record by defeating Tavoris Cloud at the age of 48. Hopkins would hold a title until he was 49, a record.
Manny Pacquiao became a 40-year-old beltholder by beating Keith Thurman for a welterweight belt in 2019. He nearly became a 46-year-old titleholder this past July when he fought Mario Barrios to a majority draw. It seems likely Pacquiao will fight for a title again in the upcoming year.
Then there’s the 42-year-old Lara, who - until Tuesday - was approaching his second unification bout (he lost the first one to Jarrett Hurd at junior middleweight in 2018). The WBA 160lbs titlist's planned showdown with Janibek Alimkhanuly is off after his IBF and WBO counterpart tested positive for a banned substance. The good news is that Lara remains on Saturday's PBC pay-per-view show, now facing Johan Gonzalez in a less significant matchup. Still, Lara is the rare combination of talent and power, and boasts an efficient style that just may take him into his late 40s.
Vitali Klitschko regained the WBC heavyweight title when he was 37 years old and made his last defense at 41. Klitschko made three defenses of his belt in his 40s: against Tomasz Adamek, Derek Chisora and Manuel Charr. Younger brother Wladimir ruled the division during this time, but Wladimir’s bid to become a 40-year-old titleholder fell short when he lost to Tyson Fury at the age of 39, and he was 41 when he was knocked out by Anthony Joshua.
Artur Beterbiev barely makes the list. Beterbiev won his first light heavyweight title in 2017. He held it until February of this year – one month after his 40th birthday – when he lost a majority decision in a rematch with Dmitry Bivol.
Badou Jack won the WBC cruiserweight title, stopping Ilunga Makabu in 2023 at the age of 39. Career inactivity didn’t see him return to the ring until May, where he won a majority decision over Noel Mikaelyan. Jack is currently 42 years old and will rematch Mikaelyan on December 13 in Los Angeles.
Gennadiy Golovkin already had one world title when he turned 40 and then added another one day later by stopping Ryota Murata in April 2022. Golovkin only fought one more time, moving up to super middleweight and losing to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez later that year.
Sam Soliman, the awkward Australian middleweight, defeated Felix Sturm to win the IBF title in May 2014. At the time, he was 40. He’d lose the belt in his next fight to Jermain Taylor, but he kept fighting until he was 50, which was 2024.
WBA cruiserweight titleholder Guillermo Jones held his belt until he was 40.
Virgil Hill was 40 when he lost his WBA cruiserweight title to Jean-Marc Mormeck, and he went on to hold the WBA's secondary belt from ages 42-43.
Thulani Malinga won the WBC super middleweight title over Nigel Benn in 1996. Despite being dropped in the fight, Malinga would win a split decision to capture the belt at 40 years old. He’d lose it in his very next title defense, also by split decision, to Vincenzo Nardiello.
Cornelius Bundrage won the IBF junior middleweight title over Carlos Molina in October 2014. The rugged fighter from Detroit was 41 years old. He’d be stopped in his next fight, losing his title to Jermall Charlo the following year.
And now for a couple of fighters who had secondary titles:
Guillermo Rigondeaux won the vacant secondary WBA bantamweight title in 2020 over Liborio Solis at the age of 39; the primary title belonged to Naoya Inoue. Rigondeaux would fight John Riel Casimero over a year later, entering the ring at almost 41. Rigondeaux lost a boring split decision against Casimero and is often forgotten amongst 40-year-old titleholders, as he was then so far removed from his prime, when he was dominant and feared.
Nonito Donaire, at 42 years old, is a secondary titleholder. He defeated Andres Campos to win the vacant interim WBA bantamweight title in June; the primary beltholders have been Seiya Tsutsumi and Antonio Vargas. Donaire faces Tsutsumi for the primary title on December 17.
