Championship recognition
Public acclamation: 1884 to 1921 Champions were recognized by wide public acclamation. A featherweight champion was a boxer who had a notable win over another notable boxer and then went without defeat. Retirements from the ring periodically led to a "true" champion going unrecognized, or for several being recognized by the public for periods of time. Typically, public interest in having a single, "true" champion resulted in claimants to the featherweight title being matched with one another; the winner of that bout was subsequently deemed the champion, with the claim (and title lineage) of the defeated boxer largely forgotten.
Sanctioning bodies: 1921 to present The National Boxing Association (NBA) was formed in 1921 as the first organization aimed at regulating boxing on a national (and later global) level. The prominence of New York City as the epicenter of boxing would lead to a governmental entity, the powerful New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), joining the NBA in sanctioning bouts as "world championships." A third entity, with lesser public recognition inside the US, the European Boxing Union (EBU), would follow suit, with this triumvirate typically (but not always) recognizing the same boxers as world champions.
At its 1962 convention, the NBA's non-U.S. members exploited a membership rule and took control of the organization, rebranding it the World Boxing Association. The WBA was joined a year later by a combination of state and national boxing commissions (including the NYSAC and IBU) to form a separate sanctioning body, the World Boxing Council (WBC). Each organization would later have a spin-off competing sanctioning body emerge: the International Boxing Federation (IBF), which was formed by members of the United States Boxing Association in 1983; and the World Boxing Organization (WBO), which was formed in 1989. A fifth significant (but not as publicly accepted) body came in the form of the International Boxing Organization (IBO), in 1991. Today there are over a dozen sanctioning organizations, of varying degrees of public acceptance, sanctioning bouts as for a world championship and proclaiming their title winners "Champion of the World."
Reign beganReign endedChampionRecognitionWorld1889-03-311890-01-13Ike WeirWorldThe featherweight class was established in 1860 but did not achieve universal recognition until Weir won the title.1890-01-131890-09-02Torpedo Billy MurphyWorld1890-09-021892-vacatedYoung GriffoWorld1892-06-271896-11-27George DixonWorld1896-11-271897-03-24Frank ErneWorld1897-03-241897-10-24George DixonWorld1897-10-041898-09-26Solly SmithWorld1898-09-261898-11-11Dave SullivanWorld1898-11-111900-01-09George DixonWorld1899-05-291899-10-10Ben JordanBritish World TitleJordan and Santry were recognized as champion in Britain. When Terry McGovern defeated Santry in 1900 the title was reunified.1899-10-101900-02-01Eddie SantryBritish World Title1900-01-091901-11-28Terry McGovernWorld1901-11-281902-vacatedYoung Corbett IIWorldCorbett could not make weight and relinquished the title (although some sources say he continued to defend the title at a higher weight). Attell was recognized as the best man at the weight and thus was proclaimed champion.1904-02-011912-02-22Abe AttellWorld1912-02-221922-06-21-strippedJohnny KilbaneWorld (NYSAC)1922-08-151923-05-strippedJohnny DundeeWorld (NYSAC)1923-051923-06-02Johnny KilbaneWorld (NYSAC)1923-06-021923-07-26Eugène CriquiWorld (NYSAC)1923-07-261924-08-20-vacatedJohnny DundeeWorld (NYSAC)1925-01-021926-vacatedLouis Kid KaplanWorld (NYSAC)1927-09-121928-02-10Benny BassNBA (inaugural title)1927-10-241928-09-28Tony CanzoneriNYSAC/World1928-09-281929-09-23Andre RoutisWorld1929-09-231932-01-27-vacatedChristopher BattalinoWorld/NBABattalino was stripped of his NYSAC title on 8 January 1932, then of his NBA and The Ring titles on the 27th, both instances for missing weight in title bouts.1932-05-261933-01-13Tommy PaulNBA1932-10-131934-02-19-strippedKid ChocolateNYSAC1933-01-131936-05-11Freddie MillerNBA1934-08-301936-05-19-strippedBaby ArizmendiNYSAC1936-05-111937-10-29Petey SarronNBA1936-05-191937-08-10-strippedMike BelloiseNYSAC1937-10-291938-09-12-vacatedHenry ArmstrongWorld1938-10-171940-05-20Joey ArchibaldNYSAC/World/NYSACArchibald won the vacant NBA title on 29 October 1939 by defeating Leo Rodak, but was then stripped of this title on 29 March 1940.1940-05-011941-07-01Petey ScalzoNBA1940-05-201941-05-12Harry JeffraNYSAC1941-05-121941-09-11Joey ArchibaldNYSAC1941-07-011941-11-18Richie LemosNBA1941-09-111942-11-20Chalky WrightNYSAC1941-11-181943-01-18Jackie WilsonNBA1942-11-201946-06-27Willie PepNYSAC1943-01-181943-08-16Jackie CalluraNBA1943-08-161944-03-10Phil TerranovaNBA1944-03-101946-06-07Sal BartoloNBABartolo lost a unification bout with NYSAC champion Willie Pep on 7 June 1946.1946-06-071948-10-29Willie PepWorld1948-10-291949-02-11Sandy SaddlerWorld1949-02-111950-09-08Willie PepWorld1950-09-081957-01-21-vacatedSandy SaddlerWorld/NYSACSaddler was stripped of his NBA title on 16 January 1957. A few days later, he retired.1957-06-241959-03-18Hogan BasseyWorld1959-03-181963-03-21Davey MooreWorld1963-03-211964-09-26Sugar RamosWBA/WBC1964-09-261967-10-14-vacatedVicente SaldivarWBA/WBCWBCTitle inaugurated1963-03-211964-09-26Sugar RamosWBC1964-09-261967-10-retiredVicente SaldivarWBC1968-01-231968-07-24Howard WinstoneWBC1968-07-241969-01-21José LegráWBC1969-01-211970-05-09Johnny FamechonWBC1970-05-091970-12-11Vicente SaldivarWBC1970-12-111972-05-19Kuniaki ShibataWBC1972-05-191972-12-16-strippedClemente SanchezWBC1972-12-161973-05-05José LegráWBC1973-05-051974-06-17-strippedEder JofreWBC1974-09-071975-06-20Bobby ChaconWBC1975-06-201975-09-20Rubén OlivaresWBC1975-09-201976-11-06David KoteiWBC1976-11-061980-02-02Danny LopezWBC1980-02-021982-07-21-diedSalvador SánchezWBC1982-09-151984-03-31Juan LaPorteWBC1984-03-311984-12-08Wilfredo GómezWBC1984-12-081987-08-29-vacatedAzumah NelsonWBC1988-03-071989-04-08-vacatedJeff FenechWBC1990-06-021991-11-13Marcos VillasanaWBC1991-11-131993-04-28Paul HodkinsonWBC1993-04-281993-12-04Gregorio VargasWBC1993-12-041995-01-07Kevin KelleyWBC1995-01-071995-09-23Alejandro Martín GonzálezWBC1995-09-231995-12-11Manuel MedinaWBC1995-12-111999-05-15Luisito EspinosaWBC1999-05-151999-10-22Cesar SotoWBC1999-10-222000-vacatedNaseem HamedWBC2000-04-142001-02-17Guty Espadas JrWBC2001-02-172002-06-22-stripped*Erik MoralesWBC*Morales lost to Marco Antonio Barrera, who declined the title.2002-11-162003-05-03-vacatedErik MoralesWBC2004-04-102006-01-29In-Jin ChiWBC2006-01-292006-07-30Takashi KoshimotoWBC2006-07-302006-12-17Rudy LopezWBC2006-12-172007-07-retiredIn-Jin ChiWBC2007-07-212008-08-13-vacatedJorge LinaresWBC2008-08-132009-03-12Óscar LariosWBC2009-03-122009-07-14Takahiro AohWBC2009-07-142010-08-25-strippedElio RojasWBC2010-11-262011-04-08Hozumi HasegawaWBC2011-04-082012-09-12Jhonny GonzálezWBC2012-09-122013-05-04Daniel Ponce de LeónWBC2013-05-042013-08-24Abner MaresWBC2013-08-242015-03-28Jhonny GonzálezWBC2015-03-282022-01-22Gary Russell, Jr.WBC2022-01-222022-07-09Mark MagsayoWBC2022-07-092024-10-18 (champion in recess)Rey VargasWBC2024-10-182025-02-01Brandon FigueroaWBC2025-02-012025-12-12-vacatedStephen FultonWBC2026-01-31PresentBruce CarringtonWBCWBATitle inaugurated1963-03-211964-09-26Sugar RamosWBA1964-09-261967-10-retiredVicente SaldivarWBA1968-03-281968-09-27Raul RojasWBA1968-09-271971-09-02Shozo SaijoWBA1971-09-021972-08-19Antonio GomezWBA1972-08-191974-02-16-retiredErnesto MarcelWBA1974-07-091974-11-23Rubén OlivaresWBA1974-11-231976-06-19-vacatedAlexis ArgüelloWBA1977-01-151977-12-17Rafael OrtegaWBA1977-12-171978-04-15Cecilio LastraWBA1978-04-151985-06-08Eusebio PedrozaWBA1985-06-081986-06-23Barry McGuiganWBA1986-06-231987-03-06Steve CruzWBA1987-03-061991-03-30Antonio EsparragozaWBA1991-03-301993-12-04Yong-Kyun ParkWBA1993-12-041996-05-18Eloy RojasWBA1996-05-181997-11-08-strippedWilfredo VazquezWBA1998-04-031998-07-10-strippedFreddie NorwoodWBA1998-10-031999-05-29Antonio CermenoWBA1999-05-292000-09-09Freddie NorwoodWBA2000-09-092003-11-01Derrick GainerWBA2003-11-012005-strippedJuan Manuel MárquezWBA Super Champion2003-11-012013-12-06Chris JohnWBA Super Champion2009-07-232011-06-11-strippedYuriorkis GamboaWBA Unified Champion2010-12-042011-10-14Jonathan Victor BarrosWBA Regular Champion2011-10-142012-08-07-vacatedCelestino CaballeroWBA Regular Champion2012-12-082015-06-12-strippedNicholas WaltersWBA Super Champion2013-12-062014-05-31Simpiwe VetyekaWBA Super Champion2014-05-312014-10-18Nonito DonaireWBA Super Champion2015-02-212016-12-10Jesus CuellarWBA Regular Champion2015-08-292016-07-30Leo Santa CruzWBA Super Champion2016-07-302017-01-28Carl FramptonWBA Super Champion2016-12-102018-06-09-vacatedAbner MaresWBA Regular Champion2017-01-282022-12-12-vacatedLeo Santa CruzWBA Super Champion2019-01-262021-07-21Xu CanWBA Regular Champion2021-07-212023-02-18 Leigh WoodWBA Regular Champion/WBA2023-02-182023-05-26Mauricio LaraWBA2023-05-262023-10-17-vacatedLeigh WoodWBA2024-03-022024-06-01Raymond FordWBA2024-06-012026-02-07Nick BallWBA2026-02-07PresentBrandon FigueroaWBA IBF Title inaugurated1984-03-041985-11-29Min-Keun OhIBF1985-11-291986-08-30Ki-Young ChungIBF1986-08-301988-01-23Antonio RiveraIBF1988-01-231988-08-04Calvin GroveIBF1988-08-041990-07-08-vacatedJorge PáezIBF1991-06-031991-08-12Troy DorseyIBF1991-08-121993-02-26Manuel MedinaIBF1993-02-261997-02-08Tom JohnsonIBF1997-02-081997-07-19-vacatedNaseem HamedIBF1997-12-131998-04-24Hector LizarragaIBF1998-04-241999-11-13Manuel MedinaIBF1999-11-132000-12-16Paul IngleIBF2000-12-162001-04-06Mbulelo BotileIBF2001-04-062001-11-16Frank ToledoIBF2001-11-162002-04-27Manuel MedinaIBF2002-04-272002-11-vacatedJohnny TapiaIBF2003-02-012005-05-07-strippedJuan Manuel MárquezIBF2006-01-202006-05-13Valdemir PereiraIBF2006-05-132006-09-02Eric AikenIBF2006-09-022006-11-04Robert GuerreroIBF2006-11-042006-11-10-strippedOrlando SalidoIBF2007-02-232008-06-23-vacatedRobert GuerreroIBF2008-10-232010-05-15Cristobal CruzIBF2010-05-152010-09-11-strippedOrlando SalidoIBF2010-09-112011-03-26-strippedYuriorkis GamboaIBF2011-07-292013-03-01Billy DibIBF2013-03-012015-05-30Evgeny GradovichIBF2015-05-302018-05-19-strippedLee SelbyIBF2018-05-192021-01-21-vacatedJosh WarringtonIBF2021-08-072021-11-13Kid Galahad (boxer)IBF2021-11-132022-03-26Kiko MartinezIBF2022-03-262022-12-10Josh WarringtonIBF2022-12-102024-08-10Luis Alberto LopezIBF2024-08-10PresentAngelo LeoIBFWBOTitle inaugurated1989-01-281989-11-11Maurizio SteccaWBO1989-11-111990-04-07Louie EspinozaWBO1990-04-071990-07-08-vacatedJorge PáezWBO1991-01-261992-05-16Maurizio SteccaWBO1992-05-161992-09-26Colin McMillanWBO1992-09-261993-01-retiredRubén Darío PalacioWBO1993-04-171995-09-30Steve RobinsonWBO1995-09-302000-09-20-vacatedNaseem HamedWBO2001-01-272001-06-16Istvan KovacsWBO2001-06-162002-10-19Julio Pablo ChacónWBO2002-10-192003-07-23Scott HarrisonWBO2003-07-232003-11-29Manuel MedinaWBO2003-11-292006-06-23-vacatedScott HarrisonWBO2006-12-062007-04-01-vacatedJuan Manuel MárquezWBO2007-07-142010-01-23Steven LuevanoWBO2010-01-232011-04-16Juan Manuel LopezWBO2011-04-162013-01-19Orlando SalidoWBO2013-01-192013-06-14-strippedMikey GarcíaWBO2013-10-122014-02-28-strippedOrlando SalidoWBO2014-06-212015-11-7-vacatedVasyl LomachenkoWBO2016-07-232019-08-02-vacatedÓscar ValdezWBO2019-10-262020-07-09-vacatedShakur StevensonWBO2020-10-092023-02-10-vacatedEmanuel NavarreteWBO2023-04-012023-12-09Robeisy RamírezWBO2023-12-09PresentRafael EspinozaWBO
See also List of current boxing champions List of current female world boxing champions List of undisputed boxing champions List of WBA world champions List of WBC world champions List of IBF world champions List of WBO world champions List of The Ring world champions List of NYSAC world champions List of British world boxing champions
References