1.   He was a thug when he came off the streets with explosive fists to become the youngest heavyweight champ ever.

2.   Husband John used to be a professional boxer ... and has beaten former heavyweight champ Joe Bugner on more than one occasion.

3.   Husband John used to be a professional boxer... and has beaten former heavyweight champ Joe Bugner on more than one occasion.

4.   Although Moore defended his title four times in the next two and a half years, it was heavyweight champ Rocky Marciano he angled for.

5.   And his name will come up again every time a heavyweight champ tastes his first defeat.

6.   As heavyweight champ, Larry Holmes once took a tuneup bout against journeyman Renaldo Snipes.

7.   As his comeback opponent, Tyson chose former International Boxing Federation heavyweight champ Francois Botha.

8.   As was another heavyweight champ, French Canadian Tommy Burns, as one reader pointed out.

9.   Bearers will include former heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield, among others. . . .

10.   Braverman returned the favor early this year when he was looking for an opponent for King-promoted Oliver McCall, the newly crowned WBC heavyweight champ.