| KASPAROV | Azerbaijani chess master who became world champion in 1985 by defeating Anatoli Karpov (born in 1963 |
| SONNYLISTON | Boxer who became world champion in 1962 by beating Floyd Patterson |
| ALAINPROST | French Formula One driver who was world champion in 1985, 1986, 1989 and 1993 |
| TAYLOR | Dennis ......, snooker's world champion in 1985 (6) |
| RIDDICKBOWE | American heavyweight boxer who became the undisputed world champion by defeating Evander Holyfield in 1992: 2 wds. |
| LENNOXLEWIS | British-Canadian heavyweight boxer who became the undisputed world champion by defeating Evander Holyfield in 1999: 2 wds. |
| LASER | Sailing class in which Tauranga's Tom Saunders became world champion in 2021 (5) |
| BARRYMCGUIGAN | Irish boxer who became W.B.A. world featherweight champion in 1985 (5,8) |
| OLEKSANDRUSYK | Ukrainian heavyweight boxer who became the undisputed world cahmpion by defeating Tyson Fury in May of this year: 2 wds. |
| WILLIAMS | Formula One motor racing team for whom Nigel Mansell drove when he became world champion in 1992 (8) |
| DEACONBLUE | Rock group formed in Glasgow in 1985 by Ricky Ross (6,4) |
| BILLIARDS | Game at which Mike Russell became world champion in 2002 (9) |
| ERASURE | Pop duo formed in 1985 by singer Andy Bell and keyboardist Vince Clarke (7) |
| COMICRELIEF | Charity founded in 1985 by Richard Curtis and Lenny Henry (5,6) |
| ENEMY | Public ___, US hip hop group formed in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav (5) |
| TETRIS | Series of puzzle video games created in 1985 by a Soviet software engineer (6) |
| TAL | Mikhail, Latvian who became world chess champion in 1960 (3) |
| NAVRATILOVA | Czech-born tennis player who became world no. 1 in 1978 (7,11) |
| MARTINA | Czech-born tennis player who became world no. 1 in 1978 (7,11) |
| DOWNES | Terry ......, English boxer nicknamed the 'Paddington Express' who became world middleweight champion in 1961 (6) |
