| ANTHONYDIRRELL | Two-time WBC 12st champion, who never successfully defend his title. (7,7) |
| RICHIEWOODHALL | Former 12st world champion. (6,8) |
| BUATSI | Joshua - former WBO 12st 7lbs interim champ. (6) |
| PAUL | Smith (12st challenger to Ward or Jake (YouTuber turned boxer)? (4) |
| KATJASEIZINGER | German skier who in 1998 became the first woman to successfully defend an Olympic alpine title (5,9) |
| NATHANSHOTDOGS | What Joey Chestnut consumed sixty-three of-pausing to subdue a protester in a Darth Vader mask-to defend his competitive-eating title (July, 2022) |
| CHARLTONHESTON | For his title role, he won the Oscar for BestActor |
| LEGRA | Jose ....., former two-time WBC world featherweight champion (5) |
| FROCH | Carl ..... , two-time WBC world champion (5) |
| GAILDEVERS | The second female athlete to successfully defend a 100m Olympic title |
| LIZZYYARNOLD | The first British athlete to successfully defend a Winter Olympic title (5,7) |
| CHOPRA | Indian javelin star set to defend his Asian Games title. (Last name) (6) |
| REPEAT | Successfully defend a title |
| DUELLIST | He has a second helping to defend his honour (8) |
| PATRIOT | One who defends his freedom, Patrick, to engage in a disturbance (7) |
| JOELOUIS | Which world heavyweight champion boxer successfully defended his title 25 times? (3,5) |
| KOSTYATSZYU | IBF light-welterweight champion who lost his title to Ricky Hatton in 2005 (6,5) |
| AOYAMA | The last ever 250cc World Champion, who took his title 15 years ago this November. (6) |
| VINDICATE | Successfully defend finale to ITV show (9) |
| SOPHISM | Thus political leader defends his specious argument (7) |
