Pre-Crucible
Even before the World Championship was staged at the Crucible, no player in the modern game successfully defended his first world title. Of all first-time world champions, only Joe Davis, his brother Fred and John Pulman retained their title at the next World Championship, Joe in 1928, Fred in 1949 and Pulman during his first challenge match in 1964. Additionally, Ray Reardon, Alex Higgins and John Spencer won the World Championship before it was moved to the Crucible, but they all failed to retain the title after winning it at the Crucible for the first time.
| Year | Defending Champion | Progress | Result | Opponent | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | John Spencer | Semi-finals | 33–37 | Ray Reardon | |
| 1971 | Ray Reardon | Semi-finals | 15–34 | John Spencer | |
| 1973 | Alex Higgins | Semi-finals | 9–23 | Eddie Charlton |
Read more about this topic: Crucible Curse