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North America
World Heavyweight Championship
(May 4, 1905 - June 14, 1957)
World Heavyweight Championship
(May 4, 1905 - June 14, 1957)
| Won By: | Date: | Event: | Location: | Reign: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georg Hackenschmidt | May 4, 1905 | -- | -- | 1065 days |
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In 1901, Hackenschmidt won several tournaments in Europe to declare a world champion. These tournaments were in Paris, France, Hamburg, Germany, St. Petersburg, Russia, Elberfield, Germany and Berlin, Germany. In November of 1901, in Vienna, Austria, Hackenschmidt won a tournament to be recognized as world champion in Europe. On September 4, 1902, he defeated Tom Cannon for the European Greco-Roman Championship. He solidified his status after defeating Ahmed Madrali in London, England on January 30, 1904. Then on May 4, 1905, Hackenschmidt defeated American Heavyweight Champion Tom Jenksins in a non-title match to be recognized as the North American World Heavyweight Champion.
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| Frank Gotch | Apr 3, 1908 | -- | -- | 1595 days |
| ** Title Vacated ** | Aug 15, 1912 | -- | -- | |
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Gotch retires as champion in August of 1912. In 1914, Gotch declares that Americus and Fred Beell should wrestle to determine a new champion.
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| Americus | Mar 13, 1914 | -- | -- | 55 days |
| Stanislaus Zbyszko | May 7, 1914 | -- | -- | 131 days |
| ** Title Vacated ** | Sep 15, 1914 | -- | -- | |
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Zbyszko vacates the title before October of 1914, after leaving the United States to compete in Europe and Asia.
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| Charlie Cutler | Feb 15, 1915 | -- | -- | 140 days |
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Cutler, the reigning American Heavyweight Champion, is billed as world champion and recognized in Omaha, Des Moines, Chicago and New York.
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| Joe Stecher | Jul 5, 1915 | -- | -- | 644 days |
| Earl Caddock | Apr 9, 1917 | -- | -- | 1026 days |
| Joe Stecher | Jan 30, 1920 | -- | -- | 318 days |
| "The Strangler" | Dec 13, 1920 | -- | -- | 144 days |
| Stanislaus Zbyszko | May 6, 1921 | -- | -- | 301 days |
| "The Strangler" | Mar 3, 1922 | -- | -- | 1042 days |
| Wayne Munn | Jan 8, 1925 | -- | -- | 97 days |
| Stanislaus Zbyszko | Apr 15, 1925 | -- | -- | 45 days |
| Joe Stecher | May 30, 1925 | -- | -- | 997 days |
| "The Strangler" | Feb 21, 1928 | -- | -- | 318 days |
| Gus Sonnenberg | Jan 4, 1929 | -- | -- | 705 days |
| Ed Don George | Dec 10, 1930 | -- | -- | 125 days |
| "The Strangler" | Apr 14, 1931 | -- | -- | 678 days |
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Lewis loses the A.W.A. Boston World Heavyweight title by disqualification to Henri Deglane on May 4, 1931 in Montreal, PQ, however he is still recognized as World Champion in Chicago. After losing the N.Y.S.A.C. World Championship to Jim Browning on February 20, 1933, recognition as World Champion becomes disputed.
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| Danno O'Mahoney | Jun 27, 1935 | -- | -- | 249 days |
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O'Mahoney defeated Jim Londos to win the N.Y.S.A.C. and N.B/W.A. World titles. On July 30, 1935, he defeated Ed Don George in Boston, MA to win the A.W.A. Boston title and to be recognized as the undisputed World Champion.
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| Dick Shikat | Mar 2, 1936 | -- | -- | 54 days |
| Ali Baba | Apr 25, 1936 | -- | -- | 48 days |
| Dave Levin | Jun 12, 1936 | -- | -- | 108 days |
| Dean Detton | Sep 28, 1936 | -- | -- | 261 days |
| Bronko Nagurski | Jun 16, 1937 | -- | -- | 520 days |
| Jim Londos | Nov 18, 1938 | -- | -- | 2766 days |
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Londos retires as champion in 1946. With over 6 other World Champions in various organizations, world champion recognition is abandoned.
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| Lou Thesz | May 21, 1952 | -- | -- | 1394 days |
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Thesz defeated Bill Longson on July 20, 1948 for the N.B/W.A. title. He is awarded the N.W.A. title after Orville Brown is unable to compete in a unification match on November 27, 1949. Thesz defeated A.W.A. Champion Gorgeous George in a non-title match on July 27, 1950. After defeating Baron Michele Leone on May 21, 1952 for the California World title, Thesz is recognized as the Undisputed World Champion.
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| Whipper Bill Watson | Mar 15, 1956 | -- | -- | 239 days |
| Lou Thesz | Nov 9, 1956 | -- | -- | 217 days |
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On June 14, 1957, Thesz loses to Edouard Carpentier via forfeit when Thesz is unable to continue the match due to a back injury. Thesz defeated Carpentier in a rematch by disqualification on July 24, 1957. Soon after, the Montreal promotion withdraws from the N.W.A. and Carpentier is stripped of the title and it is returned to Thesz. However, promotions in Omaha, Boston, Georgia and Los Angeles still recognized Carpentier as champion and the recognition of the undisputed World Champion is abandoned.
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