List of world welterweight boxing champions

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Beginning with Mysterious Billy Smith to Harry Lewis, the welterweight world champions listed below are more widely recognized in the United States and are not as widely sanctioned as the boxers that follow. Beginning with boxer Pat Bradley, is a chronological widely recognized List of World Welterweight Boxing Champions, as recognized by four of the better-known sanctioning organizations:

Lists of Champions

World claimants

Date won Date lost Name
14 December 1892 26 July 1894 CanadaMysterious Billy Smith World claim
Continued to claim title after losing to Mike "Twin" Sullivan 1 November 1907 United StatesWilliam "Honey" Mellody World claim
1 November 1907 23 Jan 1908 United States Frank Mantell World claim
23 Jan 1908 March 1911-vacated United States Harry Lewis World claim

World/Undisputed

Date won Date lost Name
30 October 1888 10 July 1890 (died) United StatesPaddy Duffy World
17 February 1891 20 December 1897 (vacated) United StatesTommy Ryan def. Danny Needham World
25 August 1898 17 April 1900 CanadaMysterious Billy Smith World
17 April 1900 5 June 1900 United StatesMatty Matthews World
5 June 1900 13 August 1900 CanadaEddie Connolly World
13 August 1900 16 October 1900 United StatesRube Ferns World
16 October 1900 24 May 1901 United StatesMatty Matthews World
24 May 1901 18 December 1901 United StatesRube Ferns World
18 December 1901 16 October 1906 BarbadosBarbados Joe Walcott World
16 October 1906 23 April 1907 United StatesWilliam "Honey" Mellody World
23 April 1907 1908 (vacated) United StatesMike "Twin" Sullivan World
1 April 1912 1 January 1914 United StatesRay Bronson World
1 January 1914 24 January 1914 DenmarkWaldemar Holberg World
24 January 1914 21 March 1914 United KingdomTom McCormick World
21 March 1914 1 June 1915 United KingdomMatt Wells World
1 June 1915 22 June 1915 United StatesMike Glover World
22 June 1915 31 August 1915 United StatesJack Britton World
31 August 1915 24 April 1916
Ted Kid Lewis
World
24 April 1916 25 June 1917 United StatesJack Britton World
25 June 1917 17 March 1919
Ted Kid Lewis
World
17 March 1919 1 November 1922 United StatesJack Britton World/NYSAC/NBA
1 November 1922 20 May 1926 United StatesMickey Walker NBA/NYSAC
20 May 1926 3 June 1927 United StatesPete Latzo NBA/NYSAC
3 June 1927 25 July 1929 United StatesJoe Dundee NBA/NYSAC
25 July 1929 9 May 1930 United StatesJackie Fields NBA/NYSAC
9 May 1930 5 September 1930 United StatesJack Thompson NBA/NYSAC
5 September 1930 14 April 1931 United StatesTommy Freeman NBA/NYSAC
14 April 1931 23 October 1931 United StatesJack Thompson NBA/NYSAC
23 October 1931 28 January 1932 CanadaLou Brouillard NBA/NYSAC
28 January 1932 22 February 1933 United StatesJackie Fields NBA/NYSAC
22 February 1933 29 May 1933 United StatesYoung Corbett III NBA/NYSAC
29 May 1933 28 May 1934 CanadaJimmy McLarnin NBA/NYSAC
28 May 1934 17 September 1934 United StatesBarney Ross NBA/NYSAC
17 September 1934 28 May 1935 CanadaJimmy McLarnin NBA/NYSAC
28 May 1935 31 May 1938 United StatesBarney Ross NBA/NYSAC
31 May 1938 4 October 1940 United StatesHenry Armstrong NBA/NYSAC
4 October 1940 29 July 1941 United StatesFritzie Zivic NBA/NYSAC
29 July 1941 1 February 1946
Freddie 'Red' Cochrane
NBA/NYSAC
1 February 1946 1 February 1946 (vacated) United StatesMarty Servo NBA/NYSAC
20 December 1946 9 August 1950 (vacated) United StatesSugar Ray Robinson NBA/NYSAC
14 March 1951 18 May 1951 United StatesJohnny Bratton NBA
18 May 1951 29 August 1951 CubaKid Gavilán NBA/NYSAC
4 February 1952 20 October 1954 CubaKid Gavilán NBA/NYSAC
20 October 1954 1 April 1955 United StatesJohnny Saxton NBA/NYSAC
1 April 1955 10 June 1955 United StatesTony DeMarco NBA/NYSAC
10 June 1955 14 March 1956 United StatesCarmen Basilio NBA/NYSAC
14 March 1956 12 September 1956 United StatesJohnny Saxton NBA/NYSAC
12 September 1956 22 February 1957 (vacated) United StatesCarmen Basilio NBA/NYSAC
6 June 1958 5 December 1958 United StatesVirgil Akins NBA/NYSAC
5 December 1958 27 May 1960 United StatesDon Jordan NBA/NYSAC
27 May 1960 1 April 1961
Benny 'Kid' Paret
NBA/NYSAC
1 April 1961 30 September 1961 United States Virgin IslandsEmile Griffith NBA/NYSAC
30 September 1961 24 March 1962
Benny 'Kid' Paret
NBA/NYSAC
24 March 1962 21 March 1963 United States Virgin IslandsEmile Griffith NBA/NYSAC -- WBA/WBC
Title Splits into WBA and WBC Belts during Griffith's reign
21 March 1963 8 June 1963 CubaLuis Manuel Rodríguez WBA/WBC
8 June 1963 10 December 1965 (vacated) United States Virgin IslandsEmile Griffith WBA/WBC
28 November 1966 18 April 1969 United StatesCurtis Cokes WBA/WBC
18 April 1969 3 December 1970 MexicoJosé Nápoles WBA/WBC
3 December 1970 4 June 1971 United StatesBilly Backus WBA/WBC
4 June 1971 6 December 1975 MexicoJosé Nápoles WBA/WBC
16 September 1981 9 November 1982 (retires) United StatesSugar Ray Leonard WBA/WBC
Title Split into WBA, WBC, and IBF Belts
6 December 1985 27 September 1986 United StatesDonald Curry WBA/WBC/IBF
27 September 1986 22 August 1987 United KingdomLloyd Honeyghan WBA/WBC/IBF
13 December 2003 05 February 2005 United StatesCory Spinks WBA/WBC/IBF
05 February 2005 07 January 2006 United StatesZab Judah WBA/WBC/IBF
29 July 2023 Present United States Terence Crawford WBO/WBA (Super)/WBC/IBF

WBC

Date won Date lost Name
Separate WBA and WBC champions began when José Nápoles gives up WBA title[1]
8 December 1962 21 March 1963 United States Virgin Islands Emile Griffith WBC
21 March 1963 8 June 1963
Luis Manuel Rodriguez
WBC
8 June 1963 25 April 1966-Vacated United States Virgin Islands Emile Griffith WBC
24 August 1966 18 April 1969 United States Curtis Cokes WBC
18 April 1969 3 December 1970
José Napoles
WBC
3 December 1970 4 June 1971 United States Billy Backus WBC
4 June 1971 6 December 1975
José Napoles
WBC
6 December 1975 22 June 1976
John H Stracey
WBC
22 June 1976 14 January 1979 Mexico Carlos Palomino WBC
14 January 1979 30 November 1979 Puerto Rico Wilfred Benítez WBC
30 November 1979 20 June 1980 United States Sugar Ray Leonard WBC
20 June 1980 25 November 1980 Panama Roberto Durán WBC
25 November 1980 9 November 1982-Retired United States Sugar Ray Leonard WBC
13 August 1983 6 December 1985 United States Milton McCrory WBC
6 December 1985 27 September 1986 United States Donald Curry WBC
27 September 1986 28 October 1987 United Kingdom Lloyd Honeyghan WBC
28 October 1987 29 March 1988 Mexico Jorge Vaca WBC
29 March 1988 4 February 1989 United Kingdom Lloyd Honeyghan WBC
4 February 1989 19 August 1990 United States Marlon Starling WBC
19 August 1990 18 March 1991 United States Maurice Blocker WBC
18 March 1991 29 November 1991 Jamaica Simon Brown WBC
29 November 1991 6 March 1993
James McGirt
WBC
6 March 1993 12 April 1997 United States Pernell Whitaker WBC
12 April 1997 18 September 1999 United States Oscar De La Hoya WBC
18 September 1999 3 March 2000- Vacated Puerto Rico Félix Trinidad WBC
4 March 2000 17 June 2000 United States Oscar De La Hoya WBC
17 June 2000 26 January 2002 United States Shane Mosley WBC
26 January 2002 25 January 2003 United States Vernon Forrest WBC
25 January 2003 13 December 2003 Nicaragua Ricardo Mayorga WBC
13 December 2003 5 February 2005 United States Cory Spinks WBC
5 February 2005 7 January 2006 United States Zab Judah WBC
7 January 2006 4 November 2006
Carlos Manuel Baldomir
WBC
4 November 2006 6 June 2008- Retired United States Floyd Mayweather Jr. WBC
21 June 2008 16 April 2011 United States Andre Berto WBC
16 April 2011 17 September 2011 United States Victor Ortiz WBC
17 September 2011 12 September 2015- Retired United States Floyd Mayweather Jr. WBC
23 January 2016 4 March 2017
Danny García
WBC
4 March 2017 24 April 2018- Vacated United States Keith Thurman WBC
8 September 2018 28 September 2019 United States Shawn Porter WBC
28 September 2019 29 July 2023 United States Errol Spence Jr. WBC
29 July 2023 Present United States Terence Crawford WBC

WBA

Date won Date lost Name
8 December 1962 21 March 1963 United States Virgin IslandsEmile Griffith WBA
21 March 1963 8 June 1963
Luis Manuel Rodriguez
WBA
8 June 1963 25 April 1966-Vacated United States Virgin Islands Emile Griffith WBA
24 August 1966 18 April 1969 United States Curtis Cokes WBA
18 April 1969 3 December 1970
Jose Napoles
WBA
3 December 1970 4 June 1971 United States Billy Backus WBA
4 June 1971 1975-Stripped
Jose Napoles
WBA
28 June 1975 17 July 1976 Puerto Rico Ángel Espada WBA
17 July 1976 2 August 1980
Pipino Cuevas
WBA
2 August 1980 16 September 1981 United States Thomas Hearns WBA
16 September 1981 9 November 1982-Retired United States Sugar Ray Leonard WBA
13 February 1983 27 September 1986 United States Donald Curry WBA
27 September 1986 1987-Vacated United Kingdom Lloyd Honeyghan WBA
6 February 1987 22 August 1987 United States Mark Breland WBA
22 August 1987 29 July 1988 United States Marlon Starling WBA
29 July 1988 12 December 1988-Vacated Colombia Tomas Molinares WBA
4 February 1989 8 July 1990 United States Mark Breland WBA
8 July 1990 19 January 1991 United States Aaron Davis WBA
19 January 1991 31 October 1992 United States Meldrick Taylor WBA
31 October 1992 4 June 1994 Venezuela Crisanto España WBA
4 June 1994 17 October 1997-Vacated Ghana Ike Quartey WBA
10 October 1998 2000-Stripped United States James Page WBA
17 February 2001 30 March 2002
Andrew Lewis
WBA
30 March 2002 13 December 2003 Nicaragua Ricardo Mayorga WBA Super Champion
12 September 2003 2 April 2005
Jose Antonio Rivera
WBA Regular Champion
13 December 2003 5 February 2005 United States Cory Spinks WBA Super Champion
5 February 2005 7 January 2006-Stripped United States Zab Judah WBA Super Champion
2 April 2005 13 May 2006 United States Luis Collazo WBA Regular Champion
13 May 2006 31 August 2006-Vacated United Kingdom Ricky Hatton WBA
2 December 2006 26 July 2008 Puerto Rico Miguel Cotto WBA
26 July 2008 24 January 2009 Mexico Antonio Margarito WBA Super Champion
3 October 2008 10 April 2009 Ukraine Yuriy Nuzhnenko WBA Regular Champion
24 January 2009 22 May 2010-Stripped United States Shane Mosley WBA Super Champion
10 April 2009 29 April 2012 Ukraine Vyacheslav Senchenko WBA Regular Champion
29 April 2012 22 June 2013
Paul Malignaggi
WBA
22 June 2013 14 December 2013 United States Adrien Broner WBA
14 December 2013 3 May 2014 Argentina Marcos Maidana WBA
3 May 2014 11 January 2016-Retired United States Floyd Mayweather Jr. WBA Super Champion
February 2015 7 November 2016 United States Keith Thurman WBA Regular Champion
7 November 2016 20 July 2019 United States Keith Thurman WBA Super Champion
7 November 2016 18 February 2017 Russia David Avanesyan WBA Regular Champion
18 February 2017 3 October 2017-Vacated United States Lamont Peterson WBA Regular Champion
27 January 2018 15 July 2018 Argentina Lucas Matthysse WBA Regular Champion
15 July 2018 20 July 2019 Philippines Manny Pacquiao WBA Regular Champion
20 July 2019 29 January 2021-Stripped Philippines Manny Pacquiao WBA Super Champion
6 September 2020 29 January 2021-Elevated Cuba Yordenis Ugás WBA Regular Champion
29 January 2021 16 April 2022 Cuba Yordenis Ugás WBA Super Champion
30 October 2021 16 April 2022 Russia Radzhab Butaev WBA Regular Champion
16 April 2022 Present Lithuania Eimantas Stanionis WBA Regular Champion
16 April 2022 29 July 2023 United States Errol Spence Jr. WBA Super Champion
29 July 2023 Present United States Terence Crawford WBA Super Champion

IBF

Date won Date lost Name
Title inaugurated
4 February 1984 27 September 1986 United States Donald Curry IBF
27 September 1986 28 October 1987-Stripped United Kingdom Lloyd Honeyghan IBF
23 April 1988 4 October 1991-Vacated United States Simon Brown IBF
4 October 1991 19 June 1993 United States Maurice Blocker IBF
19 June 1993 3 March 2000-Vacated Puerto Rico Félix Trinidad IBF
12 May 2001 12 December 2001-Vacated United States Vernon Forrest IBF
13 April 2002 22 March 2003 Italy Michele Piccirillo IBF
22 March 2003 5 February 2005 United States Cory Spinks IBF
5 February 2005 8 April 2006 United States Zab Judah IBF
8 April 2006 20 June 2006-Vacated United States Floyd Mayweather Jr. IBF
28 October 2006 12 April 2008
Kermit Cintron
IBF
12 April 2008 July 2008-Stripped Mexico Antonio Margarito IBF
2 August 2008 16 April 2009-Vacated Ghana Joshua Clottey IBF
1 August 2009 11 December 2009 South Africa Isaac Hlatshwayo IBF
11 December 2009 3 September 2011
Dejan Zavec
IBF
3 September 2011 8 November 2011-Vacated United States Andre Berto IBF
9 June 2012 20 October 2012 United States Randall Bailey IBF
20 October 2012 7 December 2013 United States Devon Alexander IBF
7 December 2013 16 August 2014 United States Shawn Porter IBF
16 August 2014 27 May 2017 United Kingdom Kell Brook IBF
27 May 2017 29 July 2023 United States Errol Spence Jr. IBF
29 July 2023 Present United States Terence Crawford IBF

WBO

Date won Date lost Name
Title inaugurated
6 May 1989 15 December 1989-Vacated
Genaro Leon
WBO
15 December 1989 12 February 1993 United States Manning Galloway WBO
12 February 1993 16 October 1993-Vacated Denmark Gert Bo Jacobsen WBO
16 October 1993 13 April 1996 Republic of Ireland Eamonn Loughran WBO
13 April 1996 6 October 1996-Vacated Mexico José Luis López WBO
22 February 1997 1997-Vacated
Michael Loewe
WBO
14 February 1998 6 May 2000 Russia Ahmed Kotiev WBO
6 May 2000 16 March 2002-Vacated Puerto Rico Daniel Santos WBO
16 March 2002 14 July 2007 Mexico Antonio Margarito WBO
14 July 2007 9 February 2008 United States Paul Williams WBO
9 February 2008 7 June 2008 Puerto Rico Carlos Quintana WBO
7 June 2008 12 November 2008-Vacated United States Paul Williams WBO
21 February 2009 14 November 2009 Puerto Rico Miguel Cotto WBO
14 November 2009 9 June 2012 Philippines Manny Pacquiao WBO
9 June 2012 12 April 2014 United States Timothy Bradley WBO
12 April 2014 2 May 2015 Philippines Manny Pacquiao WBO
2 May 2015 6 July 2015-Stripped United States Floyd Mayweather Jr. WBO
6 July 2015 9 February 2016-Vacated United States Timothy Bradley WBO
5 March 2016 5 November 2016 United States Jessie Vargas WBO
5 November 2016 2 July 2017 Philippines Manny Pacquiao WBO
2 July 2017 6 June 2018 Australia Jeff Horn WBO
9 June 2018 Present United States Terence Crawford WBO

See also

References

External links