Jimmy Barry (1894-1899, retires undefeated in career)

“Terrible” Terry McGovern (1899, relinquishes title)

Harry Harris (1901, never defends)

Harry Forbes (1901-1903)

Frankie Neil (1903-1904)

Joe Bowker (1904-1905, vacated title)

Jimmy Walsh (1905-1909)

“Fighting” Jimmy Reagan (1909)

Monte Attell (1909-1911 — lineage?)

Johnny Coulon (1911-1914)

Kid Williams (1914-1917)

Pete “Kid” Herman (1917-20)

Joe Lynch (1920-21)

Pete “Kid” Herman (1921)

Johnny Buff (1921-1922)

Joe Lynch (1922-1924)

Abe Goldstein (1924)

Eddie “Cannonball” Martin (1924-1925)

Charley Phil Rosenberg (1925-1927, Rosenberg unable to make weight, suspended)

Rosenberg failed to make weight in a title defense with Bushy Graham. Rosenberg won the non-title fight, but he and Graham were suspended for having a secret agreement between them. The title was then claimed by Teddy Baldock, Charles “Bud” Taylor (NBA 1927-1928, vacates), 1924 Gold-medal Winner Willie Smith and Bushy Graham. Smith outgrew the division in 1928; Graham gave up his claim in 1929. “Panama” Al Brown copped the vacant crown in 1929

“Panamá” Al Brown (1929-1935)

Baltasar Sangchili (1935-1936)

Tony Marino (1936)

Sixto Escobar (1936-1937)

Harry Jeffra (1937-1938)

Sixto Escobar (1938-1939, vacates title)

Lou Salica (1940-1942)

Manuel Ortiz (1942-1947)

Harold Dade (1947)

Manuel Ortiz (1947-1950)

Vic Toweel (1950-1952)

Jimmy Carruthers (1952-1954, retires undefeated)

Robert Cohen (1954-1956)

Mario D’agata (1956-1957)

Alphonse Halimi (1957-1959)

Jose Becerra (1959-1960, retires)

Eder Jofre (1961-1965)

Masahiko “Fighting” Harada (1965-1968)

Lionel Rose (1968-1969)

Ruben Olivares (1969-1970)

Jesus “Chucho” Castillo (1970-1971)

Ruben Olivares (1971-1972)

Rafael Herrera (1972)

Enrique Pinder (1972-1973)

Romeo Anaya (1973)

Arnold Taylor (1973-1974)

Soo-Hwan Hong (1974-1975)

Alfonso Zamora (1975-1977)

Jorge Luján (1977-1980)

Julian Solis (1980)

Jeff Chandler (1980-1984)

Richard Sandoval (1984-1986)

Jose “Gaby” Canizales (1986)

Bernardo Piñango (1986-1987, relinquishes title)

These 126 pound Featherweight Champions Punch Like Heavweights

Torpedo Billy Murphy (1890-1891)

Young Griffo (1891 moves up in weight)

George Dixon (1891-1897)

Solly Smith (1897-1898)

Dave Sullivan (1898)

George Dixon (1898-1900)

Terry McGovern (1900-1901)

Young Corbett II (1901-1902, vacates title)

Abe Attell (1903-1912)

Johnny Kilbane (1912-1923)

Eugene Criqui (1923)

Johnny Dundee (1923 through August 1924, gave up title)

Louis “Kid” Kaplan (1925, resigned title Jul 1926)

Tony Canzoneri (1928)

Andre Routis (1928-1929)

Bat Battalino (1929- Mar. 1932, relinquishes title)

1932-1937: Featherweight boxing title claimants include Tommy Paul, Kid Chocolate (resigned NBA boxing title 1934), Freddie Miller, Baby Arizmendi, Mike Belloise, and Petey Sarron

Henry Armstrong (1937-1938, vacates title)

Joey Archibald (1939-1940)

Harry Jeffra (1940-1941)

Joey Archibald (1941)

Albert “Chalky” Wright (1941-1942)

Willie Pep (1942-1948)

Joseph “Sandy” Saddler (1948-1949)

Willie Pep (1949-1950)

Joseph “Sandy” Saddler (1950-1957, retires 1/21/57)

Hogan “Kid” Bassey (1957-1959)

Davey Moore (1959-1963)

Ultiminio “Sugar” Ramos (1963-1964)

Vicente Saldivar (1964 retires October 14, 1967)

Johnny Famechon (1969-1970)

Vicente Saldivar (1970)

Kuniaki Shibata (1970-1972)

Clemente Sanchez (1972)

Jose Legra (1972-1973)

Eder Jofre [1973-1974, fizzles out]

Alexis Arguello (1975-1977, moves up to Junior Lightweight)

Danny “Little Red” Lopez (1979-1980)

Salvador Sanchez (1980-1982, killed in car accident)

Eusebio Pedroza (1983-1986)

Barry McGuigan (1986)

Stevie Cruz (1986-1987)

Antonio Esparragoza (1987-1991)

Yong-Kyun Park (1991-1993)

Eloy Rojas (1993-1996)

Wilfredo Vazquez (1996-1998)

Naseem Hamed (1998 – 2001)

Marco Antonio Barerra (2001-2003)

Manny Pacquiao (2003-2005)

The Lightweight Division is Born at the End of the 19th Century

Jack McAuliffe (1886-1893; Retired undefeated)

George “Kid” Lavigne (1896-1899)

Frank Erne (1899-1902)

Joe Gans (1902-1904; Vacated title)

Jimmy Britt (1904-1905)

Battling Nelson (1905-1906)

Joe Gans (1906-1908)

Battling Nelson (1908-1910)

Ad Wolgast (1910-1912)

Willie Ritchie (1912-1914)

Freddie Welsh (1914-1917)

Benny Leonard (1917 to 1/15/1925; Retired)

Jimmy Goodrich (1925)

Rocky Kansas (1925-1926)

Sammy Mandell (1926-1930)

Al Singer (1930)

Tony Canzoneri (1930-1933)

Barney Ross (1933; Relinquished title)

Tony Canzoneri (1935-1936)

Lou Ambers (1936-1938)

Henry Armstrong (1938-1939)

Lou Ambers (1939-1940)

Lew Jenkins (1940-1941)

Sammy Angott (1941-1942; Vacated title November 13)

1942-1947: After Angott retired, the lightweight boxing title was claimed by Beau Jack, Bob Montgomery, Angott , upon his return, and Juan Zurita. Williams kayoed Zurita in 1945 and Montgomery in 1947 to unify the lightweight boxing crown

Ike Williams (1947-1951)

Jimmy Carter (1951-1952)

Lauro Salas (1952)

Jimmy Carter (1952-1954)

Paddy De Marco (1954)

Jimmy Carter (1954-1955)

Wallace “Bud” Smith (1955-1956)

Joe Brown (1956-1962)

Carlos Ortiz (1962-1965)

Ismael Laguna (1965)

Carlos Ortiz (1965-1968)

Carlos Teo Cruz (1968-1969)

Mando Ramos (1969-1970)

Ismael Laguna (1970)

Ken Buchanan (1970-1972)

Roberto Duran (1972-1979; Vacated title)

Alexis Arguello (1981-1982)

Julio Cesar Chavez (1987-1989; Vacated title)

Pernell Whitaker (1992; Vacated title)

Floyd Mayweather Jr. (2002-2004; From first Castillo win)

Jose Luis Castillo (2004-2005; From Lazcano when they were clearly #1 and #2 in class)

Diego Corrales (2005-06)

Joel Casamayor (2006-08)

Juan Manuel Marquez (2008-12; Vacated title)

147 Pound Boxing Champions Combine Power and Speed

Paddy Duffy (1888-1890; died 7/10/1890, not 7/19/1890)

“Mysterious” Billy Smith (1892-1894)

Tommy Ryan (1894-1898; Vacated title)

“Mysterious” Billy Smith (1898-1900)

William “Matty” Matthews(1900)

Eddie Connolly (1900)

James “Rube” Ferns (1900)

William “Matty” Matthews (1900-1901)

James “Rube” Ferns (1901)

Joe Walcott (1901-1904)

Dixie Kid (1904; Outgrew division)

Billy “Honey” Mellody (1906-1907)

Mike “Twin” Sullivan (1907-1908; Vacated title)

1908-1914 — A mad scramble for the welterweight boxing title followed Sullivan’s reign. Among the claimants were Frank Mantell, Harry Lewis, Jimmy Gardner, Jimmy Clabby, Perry “Kid” Graves and future boxing champs Jack Britton and Ted “Kid” Lewis.

Waldemar Holberg (1914)

Tom McCormick (1914)

Matt Wells (1914-1915)

Mike Glover (1915)

Jack Britton (1915)

Ted “Kid” Lewis (1915-1916)

Jack Britton (1916-1917)

Ted “Kid’ Lewis (1917-1919)

Jack Britton (1919-1922)

Mickey Walker (1922-1926)

Pete Latzo (1926-1927)

Joe Dundee (1927-1929)

Jackie Fields (1929-1930)

“Young” Jack Thompson (1930)

Tommy Freeman (1930-1931)

“Young” Jack Thompson (1931)

Lou Brouillard (1931-1932)

Jackie Fields (1932-1933)

Young Corbett III (1933)

Jimmy McLarnin (1933-1934)

Barney Ross (1934)

Jimmy McLarnin (1934-1935)

Barney Ross (1935-1938)

Henry Armstrong (1938-1940)

Fritzie Zivic (1940-1941)

Freddie “Red” Cochrane (1941-1946)

Marty Servo (1946; Vacated title)

“Sugar” Ray Robinson (1946; Vacated crown 1950)

Kid Gavilan (1951-1954)

Johnny Saxton (1954-1955)

Tony DeMarco (1955)

Carmen Basilio (1955-1956)

Johnny Saxton (1956)

Carmen Basilio (1956-1957; Relinquished crown)

Virgil Akins (1958)

Don Jordan (1958-1960)

Benny “Kid” Paret (1960-1961)

Emile Griffith (1961)

Benny “Kid” Paret (1961-1962)

Emile Griffith (1962-1963)

Luis Manuel Rodriguez (1963)

Emile Griffith (1963-1966; Vacated title)

Curtis Cokes (1966-1969)

Jose “Mantequilla” Napoles (1969-1970)

Billy Backus (1970-1971)

Jose “Mantequilla” Napoles (1971-1975)

John H. Stracey(1975-1976)

Carlos Palomino (1976-1979)

Wilfred Benitez(1979)

“Sugar” Ray Leonard(1979-1980)

Roberto Duran (1980)

“Sugar” Ray Leonard (1980-1982; Vacated title )

Milton McCrory (1983-1985)

Donald Curry (1985-1986)

Lloyd Honeyghan (1986-1987)

Jorge Vaca (1987-1988)

Lloyd Honeyghan (1988-1989)

Marlon Starling (1989-1990)

Maurice Blocker (1990-1991)

Simon Brown (1991)

James “Buddy” McGirt (1991-1993)

Pernell Whitaker (1993-1997)

Oscar De La Hoya (1997-1999)

Felix Trinidad, Jr. (1999-2000; Vacated title)

“Sugar” Shane Mosley (2000-2002)

Vernon Forrest (2002-2003)

Ricardo Mayorga (2003)

Cory Spinks (2003-2005)

Zab Judah (2005-2006)

Carlos Baldomir (2006)

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (2006-2008; Retired from weight class)

“Sugar” Shane Mosley (2009-2010)

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (2010-Present)

The Middleweight Division  – Historically Boxing’s Flagship

“Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey (1884-1891)

Bob Fitzsimmons (1891, Fitz vacated the title 1895)

Tommy Ryan (1898-1906, vacated title)

Stanley Ketchel (1907-1908)

Billy Papke (1908)

Stanley Ketchel (1908, Ketchel was shot and killed, October 15, 1910)

After Ketchel was murdered, the Middleweight Boxing title was “re-claimed” by Billy Papke. Papke lost to “Cyclone” Johnny Thompson, but the title was also claimed by Hugo Kelly, Frank Klaus, and Eddie McGoorty. Klaus beat Georges Carpentier and Papke to re-establish the lineage.

Frank Klaus (1913)

George Chip (1913-1914)

Al McCoy (1914-1917)

Mike O’Dowd (1917-1920)

Johnny Wilson (1920-1923)

Harry Greb (1923-1926)

Tiger Flowers (1926)

Mickey Walker (1926-1931, vacated title to campaign as heavyweight)

1931-1941: Middleweight Boxing Title claimants during this era included William “Gorilla” Jones, Marcel Thil, Ben Jeby, Lou Brouillard, Vince Dundee, Teddy Yarosz, Eddie “Babe” Risko, Freddie Steele, Fred Apostoli, Al Hostak, “Solly” Krieger, “Ceferino” Garcia, Ken Overlin, Tony Zale and Billy Soose!

Tony Zale (1941-1947)

Rocky Graziano (1947-1948)

Tony Zale (1948)

Marcel Cerdan (1948-1949)

Jake LaMotta (1949-1951)

“Sugar” Ray Robinson (1951)

Randy Turpin (1951)

“Sugar” Ray Robinson (1951-1952)

Carl “Bobo” Olson (1952-1955)

“Sugar” Ray Robinson (1955-1957)

Gene Fullmer (1957)

“Sugar” Ray Robinson (1957)

Carmen Basilio (1957-1958)

“Sugar” Ray Robinson (1958-1960)

Paul Pender (1960-1961)

Terry Downes (1961-1962)

Paul Pender (1962-1963, retired)

Dick Tiger (1963)

Joey Giardello (1963-1965)

Dick Tiger (1965-1966)

Emile Griffith (1966-1967)

Nino Benvenuti (1967)

Emile Griffith (1967)

Nino Benvenuti (1968-1970)

Carlos Monzon (1970-1977, retired)

Rodrigo Valdez (1977-1978)

Hugo Corro (1978-1979)

Vito Antuofermo (1979-1980)

Alan Minter (1980)

Marvin Hagler (1980-1987)

“Sugar” Ray Leonard (1987, vacated title)

Michael Nunn (1989-1991)

James Toney (1991-1993, vacated title)

Bernard Hopkins (2001- 2005)

Jermain Taylor (2005-2007)

Kelly Pavlik (2007-2010)

Sergio Martinez (2010-Present)

The Light Heavyweight Division Debuts in 1903

Jack Root (1903)

George Gardner (1903)

Bob Fitzsimmons (1903-1905)

Philadelphia Jack O’Brien (1905; Never defended)

O’Brien never defended the title and it became stagnant. Several claimed this boxing title, including Bob Fitzsimmons and NY “commission” champion, Bob Moha. Jack Dillon became the “man” with his wins over Hugo Kelly, Levinsky , and Moha.

Jack Dillon (1914-1916)

Battling Levinsky (1916-1920)

Georges Carpentier (1920-1922)

Battling Siki (1922-1923)

Mike McTigue (1923-1925)

Paul Berlenbach (1925-1926)

Jack Delaney (1926-1927; Never defended)

Tommy Loughran (1927; Vacated title 1929)

The New York Commission named Jimmy Slattery as Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion following his victory over Lou Scozza in Feb. 1930. Maxie Rosenbloom beat Slattery and was generally recognized as champ by all but the NBA, who named George Nichols in March 1932. Nichols lost to Lou Scozza, and Rosenbloom defeated Scozza in July 1932 for the undisputed title.

Maxie Rosenbloom (1932-1934)

Bob Olin (1934-1935)

John Henry Lewis (1935-Jun 1939; Retired)

Tiger Jack Fox won the NYS version, then lost to Melio Bettina. The NBA then agreed with the NYS Commission that they would recognize the winner of Bettina and Billy Conn as undisputed champion. Conn won.

Billy Conn (1939; Vacated title May 1941)

Gus Lesnevich (1941-1948)

Freddie Mills (1948-1950)

Joey Maxim (1950-1952)

Archie Moore (1952-1962)

Moore is stripped by various boxing organizations and ultimately gives up the title. Harold Johnson beat Doug Jones for the undisputed title.

• Harold Johnson (1962-1963)
• Willie Pastrano (1963-1965)

Jose Torres (1965-1966)

Dick Tiger (1966-1968)

Bob Foster (1968; Retired September 16 1974)

Claimants following Foster’s retirement included John Conteh, Victor Galindez, Miguel Angel Cuello, Mate Parlov, Marvin Johnson, Mike Rossman, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, and Dwight Braxton, who then changed his name to Dwight Qawi (1981-1983). Michael Spinks defeated Eddie Mustafa in July 1981 for the WBA boxing title, Braxton defeated Matthew Saad, for the WBC title in December 1981. Qawi lost a 15-round decision to Spinks in Mar. 1983 for the undisputed title

Michael Spinks (1983-September 1985; Vacated title)

Virgil Hill (1996 – 1997)

Dariusz Michalczewski (1997-2003)

Julio Cesar Gonzalez (2003-2004)

Zsolt Erdei (2004-2009; Vacated title)

Jean Pascal (2010-2011)

Bernard Hopkins (2011-2012)

Chad Dawson (2012-Present)

“Kings of the Boxing Ring”

Champion                          Nickname                                Reign

John L. Sullivan                The Boston Strong Boy            1885-1892

James J. Corbett                Gentleman Jim                        1892-1897

Bob Fitzsimmons               Ruby Robert                             1897-1899

James J. Jeffries                The Boilermaker                      1899-1905, retired

Marvin Hart                        The Fightin’ Kentuckian          1905-1906

Tommy Burns                    The Little Giant of Hanover     1906-1908

Jack Johnson                     Lil’ Arthur                                 1908-1915

Jess Willard                        The Pottawatomie Giant         1915-1919

Jack Dempsey                    The Manassa Mauler               1919-1926

Gene Tunney                    The Fighting Marine                1926-1928, retired

Max Schmeling                 The Black Uhlan of the Rhine       1930-1932

Jack Sharkey                      The Boston Gob                      1932-1933

Primo Carnera                   The Ambling Alp                     1933-1934

Max Baer The                    “Livermore Larruper”                1934-1935

James J. Braddock             The Cinderella Man                1935-1937

Joe Louis                           The Brown Bomber                  1937-1949, retired

Ezzard Charles                   The Cincinnatti Cobra             1949-1951

“Jersey” Joe Walcott          Jersey Joe                                1951-1952

Rocky Marciano                 The Brockton Blockbuster        1952-1956, retired

Floyd Patterson                  The Rabbit                              1956-1959

Ingemar Johansson            Ingo                                         1959-1960

Floyd Patterson                  The Rabbit                              1960-1962

Charles “Sonny” Liston      The Black Bear                        1962-1964

Cassius Clay                       The Louisville Lip                    1964-1970, retires

Joe Frazier                         Smokin Joe                              1970-1973

George Foreman               Big George                              1973-1974

Muhammad Ali                  The Greatest                            1974-1978

Leon Spinks                       Neon Leon                               1978

Muhammad Ali                  The Greatest                            1978-1979, retires 6/79

Larry Holmes                      The Easton Assasin                  1980-1985

Michael Spinks                  The Spinks Jinx                       1985-1988

Mike Tyson                        Iron Mike                                  1988-1990

James “Buster” Douglas     Buster                                      1990

Evander Holyfield              The Real Deal                         1990-1992

Riddick Bowe                     Big Daddy                                1992-1993

Evander Holyfield              The Real Deal                         1993-1994

Michael Moorer                 Double M                                 1994

George Foreman               Big George                              1994-1997

Shannon Briggs                 The Cannon                            1997-1998

Lennox Lewis                     The Lion                                  1998-2001

Hasim Rahman                  The Rock                                 2001

Lennox Lewis                     The Lion                                  2001-2004, retired

Wladimir Klitschko             Dr. Steelhammer                     (2009-Present); from his win over Chagaev