| ANAND | Carlsen beat him to become world chess champion |
| FISCHER | Grandmaster who was the only US-born player to become World Chess Champion, Bobby ... |
| SPAKY | Fischer beat him to become the World Champion |
| BAER | Braddock beat him to become heavyweight champ |
| SONNY | Learning to box in prison. who went on to become world heavyweight champion in 1962? (5,6) |
| LISTON | Learning to box in prison. who went on to become world heavyweight champion in 1962? (5,6) |
| JOELOUIS | Who did Ezzard Charles defeat in 1950 to become world heavyweight boxing champion? (3,5) |
| SONNYLISTON | Boxer who defeated Floyd Patterson to become world heavyweight champion in 1962 (5,6) |
| XINTONG | Who recently became the first Asian to become World Snooker Champion? (4,7) |
| ZHAO | Who recently became the first Asian to become World Snooker Champion? (4,7) |
| CHAMP | Fret to become world-beater (5) |
| KAROLINAPLISKOVA | First female tennis player to become world No 1 while representing the Czech Republic, in 2017 |
| ARMSTRONG | Astronaut who commanded the space mission that enabled him to become the first person to walk on the moon (9) |
| LEVAR | Burton whose fans petitioned for him to become the host of "Jeopardy!" |
| DADOMARINO | Hawaiian boxer who beat England's Terry Allen in 1950 become World flyweight champion |
| REALTOR | Or later there's a way for him to become interested in property (7) |
| LEWIS | The French hope a poet becomes world champion (5,8) |
| HAMILTON | The French hope a poet becomes world champion (5,8) |
| GUKESH | World champion chess player who defeated Magnus Carlsen at the Norway Chess tournament.(First Name) (6) |
| MAGNUS | World Chess Champion Carlsen |
