Last week, we sadly lost former two-division world champion Nino Benvenuti at the age of 87.

At the time of his passing, the The Ring's 1968 Fighter of the Year was the second oldest living former world champion. It got us thinking about who the current oldest living former world champions are.

So, with the help of renowned boxing historian Bob Yalen, The Ring have listed the oldest 10 living world champions along with their many accolades.

Little was born just outside New Orleans, in a city called Picayune, in Mississippi. He made his debut at 20 and won a regional title before over a decade into his career, he lost to Kim Ki-Soo (SD 15) for the WBA/ WBC junior middleweight titles in Seoul, South Korea, in October 1967. A year later, he looked like he'd become world champion when he ventured to Italy and appeared to stop Kim's conqueror, Sandro Mazzinghi, only for their contest to be declared a no contest. However, Mazzinghi was subsequently stripped of his titles and Little was matched with Stanley Hayward. The two American's met in Las Vegas in March 1969. Little bested his compatriot by 15-round unanimous decision. Little (51-6, 31 knockouts and 1 no contest) went on to make two defenses before losing to Carmelo Bossi (UD 15).

Fuji hails from Hawaii and is a third generation Japanese/ Hawaiian. He later served in the Marines before embarking on a boxing career in Japan but also fought in Hawaii. He won Japanese and OPBF titles at junior welterweight. He levelled up by knocking out Sandro Lopopolo in two-rounds to claim The Ring/ WBA and WBC titles. After one defense, he was stopped in 10-rounds by the impressive Nicoline Locche (RTD 10). Fujii (34-3-1, 29 KOs) fought four more times before retiring.

The Filipino turned professional at just 13 and made an inauspicious start to his career dropping a four-round decision to Laureano Llarenas in 1955. He later won national titles at featherweight and welterweight. His crowning moment came when he knocked out Raymundo Torres in one-round to become WBA 140-pound titleholder. However, his reign lasted just three-months and he was outpointed by Eddie Perkins (UD 15) for his WBA title and also the vacant Ring and inaugural WBC title. Interestingly, in the last but one fight of Cruz (29-12-3, 12 KOs) career, he was knocked out by Fujjii.

The Italian represented his country at the 1964 Olympics but was injured and had to pull out. Later that year, he turned professional and was surprisingly beaten by Franco Colella (TKO 5) and later on against Massimo Consolati (TKO 10). He gained revenge over both in rematches. He would never lose again, claiming Italian and European titles at junior middleweight. In 1970, Acari beat Pedro Adigue Jr. (PTS 15). The master boxer made nine successful defenses before vacating and moving to welterweight but was never able to secure a shot at the 147-pound title. He retired with a record of (70-2-1, 38 KOs).

Backus, who is the nephew of former two-division champion Carmen Basilio, comes from Canastota, New York. Backus went (8-7-3) in his first 18 fights. After taking some time off, he reeled off seven consecutive wins. Though his form remained patchy, Backus was able to win the New York state title in 1970. In the fall of that year, he received an unlikely shot at Ring/ WBA and WBC welterweight champion Jose Napoles and stunningly stopped the Cuban-born Mexican resident in four-rounds on cuts. In a rematch, Napoles regained his titles in eight-rounds. Backus (48-20-5, 22 KOs) fought on for several more years before bowing out after losing to WBA welterweight boss Pipino Cuevas (RTD 1).

The Cuban initially fought at home before Fidel Castro banned professional boxing. Legra went on to fight in Mexico but settled in Spain. In the late 1960s, a veteran of over 100 fights, he won the European featherweight title. Legra then annexed the WBC 126-pound title from Howard Winstone (TKO 5) in Wales in 1968. He lost the title in his first defense to Johnny Famechon (UD 15). Unperturbed, over the next few years he regained the European title and worked his way back up the mountain and became a two-time champion when he went to Mexico and beat WBC ruler Clemente Sanchez (TKO 10). He again lost his championship in his maiden defense, this time against Eder Jofre (MD 15) in Brazil. After a few more fights he retired with a record of (129-11-4, 49 KOs).

Harada made his debut at 16, just over two-and-a-half years later, he stunned Thai legend Pone Kingpetch (KO 11) to pick up the Ring/ WBA flyweight title in the fall of 1962 but lost a direct rematch in Thailand via 15-round majority decision. Harada resurfaced at bantamweight and after going 13-1 in his new weight, he upset previously unbeaten Eder Jofre (SD 15) to become Ring, WBA and WBC bantamweight kingpin. He made four defenses which included a rematch win over Jofre (UD 15). After dropping the titles to Lionel Rose (UD 15), he headed to featherweight in an attempt to add a third weight class to his resume. Harada (56-7, 23 KOs) was unlucky not to get given the nod against Johnny Famechon (PTS 15) and was stopped in the penultimate round in a rematch.

Wajima, unlike others on this list, made his professional debut at the more advanced age of 25. After initially winning the Japanese title, he claimed the WBA/ WBC junior middleweight titles by beating Carmelo Bossi (SD 15). Six defenses followed before he was unseated by Oscar Albarado (KO 15) while ahead on points. In a direct rematch, Wajjima regained his belts with a 15-round unanimous decision. Wajjima (31-6-1, 25 KOs) then lost and regained his belts in a two fight series with Yuh Jae-Doo (L TKO 7/ KO 15) but yielded the titles to Jose Duran (KO 15) and was unable to take them back when he met Eddie Gazo (TKO 11).

The Panamanian won his countries national featherweight title within two-years of turning professional but it was at lightweight that he came into his own and beat the excellent Carlos Ortiz (MD 15) for the WBC title. However, he lost twice to Ortiz (UD 15/ UD 15). "El Tigre Colonense" stuck at it and made the most of an opportunity that came he way beating Mando Ramos (TKO 9) to regain his old WBC belt. Laguna (65-9, 37 KOs) lost the title in his second defense to Ken Buchanan (SD 15) and then in one final attempt against the gifted Scot in a rematch.

Barrientos had his head turned after watching the legendary Flash Elorde beat Harold Gomes in 1960. Five-years later and with just a handful of professional fights under his belt he met his idol and lost a 12-round decision. Galvanized by the experience he dusted himself down and went on to hold Hiroshi Kobayashi to a draw over 15-rounds, in Japan, for the WBA/ WBC titles. In a second attempt, he bested Ruben Navarro (UD 15) for the WBC title. Barrientos (39-7-2, 14 KOs) was edged out by Yoshiaki Numata (SD 15) and by the same result in a rematch.