Deontay Wilder is climbing the list of heavyweight titleholders with the most successful defenses.
His one-punch knockout of Luis Ortiz on Saturday was the 10th successful defense of his title, which equals Muhammad Ali for No. 5 on the all-time list in a single reign.
Joe Louis, with 25 (or 26 if you accept a ruling by the New York State Athletic Commission), tops the list.
Here is the Top 10 (number of successful defenses in a single reign):
1. Joe Louis – 25*
2. Larry Holmes – 19
3. Wladimir Klitschko – 18
4. Tommy Burns – 11
5T. Muhammad Ali – 10
Deontay Wilder – 10
7T. Joe Frazier – 9
Lennox Lewis – 9
Vitali Klitschko – 9
10. Jack Johnson – 8
Wilder, who has had only one reign as titleholder, also moved up a notch on the list of total successful defenses. Here’s that Top 10:
1. Joe Louis – 25*
2. Wladimir Klitschko – 23
3. Muhammad Ali – 19
4. Larry Holmes – 19
5T. Lennox Lewis – 13
Vitali Klitschko – 13
7. Deontay Wilder – 10
8T. Mike Tyson – 9
Joe Frazier – 9
10. Evander Holyfield – 7
*- A 26th fight during Louis’ reign, against Johnny Davis in 1944, was supposed to be one in a series of exhibitions but the New York State Athletic Commission declared that Louis’ title was at stake.