World Champions: Notable Brothers & Sisters in Sports

Have you heard about the Weaver brothers? The Weaver brothers are composed of four fighting brothers – Mike, Floyd, Lloyd and Troy. Mike, the oldest among the four, became WBA world heavyweight champion from 1980 to 1982. Floyd, Lloyd and Troy were actually known as the fighting triplets – the only fighting triplets in boxing history.  None of the three became a world champion though.

Klitschko Brothers

Vitali Klitschko

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Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine who was born in 1971 is the current World Boxing Council world heavyweight champion.

Wladimir Klitschko

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Wladimir Klitschko, the younger brother of Vitali who was born in 1976, is the current IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine world heavyweight champion.

Williams Sisters

Serena Williams

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Serena Jameka Williams is the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open singles champion. This prolific athlete has won 23 Grand Slam titles. Serena Williams of the USA who was born in 1981 has been ranked number 1 in the world by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) on four separate occasions.

Venus Williams

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Venus Ebony Starr Williams is the older sister of Serena. Venus was born in 1980 and was ranked number one in the world by the WTA on three separate occasions. Venus has won 19 Grand Slam titles and the reigning US Open, Wimbledon and Australian Open doubles champion.

Venus and Serena met in the final of the 2001 US Open. It was the first Grand Slam final contested by two sisters in the open era. The sisters have met in 8 Grand Slam finals with Serena having the edge winning 6 of those. In addition, between the 2002 French Open and the 2003 Australian Open, Venus and Serena met in all four Grand Slam finals, the first time in the open era that the same two players had contested four consecutive Grand Slam finals.

Webber Sisters

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Cora Webber

Dora Webber and Cora Webber of California, USA who were born in 1958, were the only set of twins who actively participated in women’s boxing tournaments.

Cora Webber was a karate fighter before she became a boxer. She was the International World Boxing Federation world Lightweight champion. She lost the title in 1998.

Dora Webber

Dora Webber, the lighter of the twins, was IFBA Jr. Middleweight world champion. She lost the IFBA belt in February 1998 in a ten round decision to Gina Guidi.

Spinks Brothers

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Michael Spinks

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Michael Spinks is the former world lightweight and heavyweight champion of the world. He was the first reigning light-heavyweight champion to win the heavyweight title. Michael Spinks of the USA, a middleweight gold medalist at the 1976 summer Olympics, is the younger brother of former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks.  He is the uncle of Cory Spinks, the current IBF junior welterweight champion.

Leon Spinks

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Leon Spinks who was born in 1953 is the older brother of Michael Spinks and the father of Cory Spinks. Like his younger brother, he was also an Olympic gold medalist in the light heavyweight category during the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He briefly held the WBA and WBC world heavyweight title when he defeated Muhammad Ali and lost it shortly on their rematch.

Peñalosa Brothers

Gerry Peñalosa

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Geronimo “Gerry” Peñalosa, a very good defensive boxer and counter-puncher, of the Philippines is the former WBC super flyweight champion of the world. He was also the WBO super bantamweight world champion. He has never been knocked down in his entire boxing career.

Dodie Boy Peñalosa

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Diosdado “Dodie Boy” Peñalosa, a polio victim, is the older brother of Gerry Peñalosa. He is from San Carlos City, Philippines and was the IBF world champion in the light flyweight and flyweight divisions.

Saenkham Brothers

Kaokor Galaxy and Khaosai Galaxy or the Saenkham Brothers became the only twins to ever be world champions in 1998.

Khaosai Galaxy

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Khaosai Galaxy of Thailand, who was born in 1959, is the former WBA super flyweight world champion. This Thai star boxer defended his belt 19 times in seven years from 1984 to1991 winning 16 of his title fights by knockouts. Khaosai is regarded by many as one of the greatest boxing champions of all time.

Kaokor Galaxy

Nirote Saenkham, most popularly known as Kaokor Galaxy, is the twin brother Khaosai Galaxy. He started as a kickboxer like his twin brother and switched to boxing and was twice world champion in his own right.

Morales Brothers

Erik Morales

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Erik Morales of Mexico who is a former seven-time world champion is the older brother of another world champion – Diego Morales. He held the WBC and WBO Super Bantamweight, WBC Featherweight, WBC Super Featherweight, WBC International Super Featherweight and the IBF Junior Lightweight titles.

Diego Morales

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Diego Morales, who was born in 1979, is the younger brother of “El Terrible” Erik Morales. Diego is the former WBO Super Flyweight world champion.

Marquez Brothers

Juan Manuel Marquez

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Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico who was born in 1973 held many championship belts. He is the current WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine Lightweight world champion. He held IBF, WBA and WBO Featherweight belt and the WBC Super Featherweight title.

Rafael Marquez

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Rafael Marquez, the younger brother of Juan Manuel, was born in 1975. Like his older brother, he also became a world champion. He held the championship belt of IBF/IBO Bantamweight and the WBC Super Bantamweight title.

See also

Remarkable Heavyweight Boxing Champions: From Rags-to-Riches-to Rags

 

Seven Wonders of Boxing: Greatest Boxers (Based on Championship Titles Held)

 

Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao: The Greatest Asian Boxer

 

All-Time Greatest Filipino Professional Boxers

 

Stunning Boxing Trivia about Heavyweight Champions