On November 4, 2023, 35-year-old Ilunga Makabu (29-3, 25 KOs) and 33-year-old Noel Gevor (26-2, 11 KOs) fought for the vacant WBC cruiserweight title.
Makabu came in to the fight on a 1-fight losing streak with a 78% KO rate, and was fighting after a gap of 8 months and 9 days. Gevor was on a 3-fight win streak with a 39% KO rate, and fighting after a layoff of 1 year, 8 months, and 23 days.
Noel Gevor made easy work of Ilunga Makabu, stopping Makabu via TKO in the 3rd. Gevor improves his record to 27-2 (12 KOs), while Makabu adds a loss to his record at 29-4.
On February 26, 2023, the 35-year-old WBC cruiserweight world champion, Ilunga Makabu (29-2, 25 KOs), faced a 39-year-old Swedish boxer Badou Jack (27-3-3, 16 KOs), in a title defense fight.
Makabu came in to the fight on a 10-fight win streak with a 80% KO rate, and was fighting after a gap of 1 year and 28 days. Jack was on a 5-fight win streak with a 48% KO rate, and fighting after a layoff of 6 months and 6 days.
Badou Jack stopped the champion via TKO in the final round of the 12-round world-title fight, and is crowned the new WBC cruiserweight champion. Jack improves his record to 28-3-3 (17 KOs), while Makabu adds a loss to his record at 29-3.
On May 29, 2016, 28-year-old Ilunga Makabu (19-1, 18 KOs) and 33-year-old Tony Bellew (26-2-1, 16 KOs) fought for the vacant WBC cruiserweight title.
Makabu came in to the fight on a 19-fight win streak with a 90% KO rate, and was fighting after a gap of 1 year and 13 days. Bellew was on a 6-fight win streak with a 55% KO rate, and fighting after a layoff of 5 months and 17 days.
Tony Bellew made easy work of Ilunga Makabu, stopping Makabu via KO in the 3rd. Bellew improves his record to 27-2-1 (17 KOs), while Makabu adds a loss to his record at 19-2.
On June 20, 2008, a 20-year-old Ilunga Makabu (debutant) and Khayeni Hlungwane met in the ring.
Ilunga Makabu lost to Khayeni Hlungwane via TKO in the 1st round, making an unsuccessful professional debut.