It is unrelated to the International Boxing Union, based in Europe, which operated until the Second World War.

Although the IBU has sanctioned title matches and "world champions" from countries such as Barbados, Guyana, Germany, and Hungary, they often lack widespread recognition as the best fighters in their class.

One notable former IBU Heavyweight Champion was Shannon Briggs, who had his title stripped in 2003 after refusing to face quality opponents.

[1] Briggs went on to win the WBO title a few years later, after defeating Sergei Liakhovich in November 2006.

Another notable former IBU World Heavyweight Champion is "Fast" Eddie Chambers who captured the title in 2005.