List of British lightweight boxing champions is a table showing the boxers who have won the British lightweight title. The title had been sanctioned by the National Sporting Club from 1909–1929 where they awarded the Lord Lonsdale Challenge Belt until its later replacement by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) since.
A champion may retire or voluntarily relinquish the title in order to fight for a higher-ranked championship. Where the date on which a champion relinquished the title is unclear, the date of the last BBBoC sanctioned fight is shown.
r–Champion relinquished title.
s–Champion stripped of title. NameDuration of reignDefences Jack Goldswain23 April 1908 – 23 November 19082 Freddie Welsh8 November 1909 – 27 February 19111 Matt Wells 27 February 1911 – 11 November 19121 Freddie Welsh11 November 1912 – 16 December 1912r1 Bob Marriott23 June 1919r0 Ernie Rice11 April 1921 – 18 September 19222 Seaman Nobby Hall18 September 1922 – 17 May 19230 Harry Mason17 May 1923 – 21 November 1923r1 Ernie Izzard24 November 1924 – 22 June 19252 Harry Mason22 June 1925 – 11 February 1926r1 Sam Steward 17 September 1928 – 2 May 19291 Fred Webster2 May 1929 – 21 May 19301 Al Foreman21 May 1930 – 15 March 1932r2 Johnny Cuthbert11 August 1932 – 18 January 19341 Harry Mizler18 January 1934 – 29 October 19342 Jack Kid Berg29 October 1934 – 24 April 19361 Jimmy Walsh 24 April 1936 – 23 June 19382 Dave Crowley23 June 1938 – 15 December 19381 Eric Boon15 December 1938 – 12 August 19443 Ronnie James12 August 1944 – 6 June 1947r1948 Boxing News Annual, War Facts Press, p. 140 Billy Thompson16 October 1947 – 28 August 19513 Tommy McGovern28 August 1951 – 25 July 19521 Frank Johnson25 July 1952r0 Joe Lucy29 September 1953 – 26 April 1955 1 Frank Johnson26 April 1955 – 13 April 19561 Joe Lucy13 April 1956 – 9 April 1957 2 Dave Charnley9 April 1957 – January 1965r2 Maurice Cullen8 April 1965 – 19 February 19684 Ken Buchanan19 February 1968 – 12 May 1970r1 Willie Reilly1 February 1972r0 Jim Watt3 May 1972 – 29 January 19731 Ken Buchanan29 January 1973 – September 1974r0 Jim Watt27 January 1975 – 21 February 1977r1 Charlie Nash28 February 1979 – July 1979r0 Ray Cattouse24 March 1980 – 12 October 19822 George Feeney12 October 1982 – 10 February 1984r2 Tony Willis16 May 1985 – 24 September 19873 Alex Dickson24 September 1987 – 24 February 19881 Steve Boyle24 February 1988 – 1 November 1988r1 Carl Crook14 November 1990 – 28 October 19925 Billy Schwer28 October 1992 – 24 February 19931 Paul Burke24 February 1993 – 10 November 19931 Billy Schwer10 November 1993 – 16 February 1994r1 Michael Ayers17 February 1995 – August 1997r4 Wayne Rigby10 January 1998 – 17 October 19982 Bobby Vanzie17 October 1998 – 17 July 2003 5 Graham Earl17 July 2003 – 19 June 2005r3 Lee Meager 12 May 2006 – 8 December 20061 Jonathan Thaxton8 December 2006 – 5 October 2007r2 John Murray11 July 2008 – 7 May 2010r4 Gavin Rees6 November 2010r0 Anthony Crolla12 February 2011 – 21 April 20122 Derry Mathews21 April 2012 – 7 July 20121 Gavin Rees7 July 2012r0 Martin Gethin18 January 2013 – 10 May 20141 Derry Mathews10 May 2014r0 Terry Flanagan26 July 2014r0 Scott Cardle30 May 2015 – 15 April 20172 Robbie Barrett15 April 2017 – 7 October 20170 Lewis Ritson7 October 2017 – 16 June 2018r3 Joe Cordina20 April 2019 – February 2020r1 James Tennyson1 August 2020r0 Maxi Hughes19 March 2021r0 Gavin Gwynne15 April 2022r2 Sam Noakes10 February 2024r1 Louie O'Doherty4 October 2025 – present0
See also List of British heavyweight boxing champions List of British cruiserweight boxing champions List of British light-heavyweight boxing champions List of British super-middleweight boxing champions List of British middleweight boxing champions List of British light-middleweight boxing champions List of British welterweight boxing champions List of British light-welterweight boxing champions List of British super-featherweight boxing champions List of British featherweight boxing champions List of British super-bantamweight boxing champions List of British bantamweight boxing champions List of British super-flyweight boxing champions List of British flyweight boxing champions List of British world boxing champions
References
Sources boxrec Ken Buchanan - Lightweight Champion of the World - Ken Buchanan site with detailed bio, statistics, full fights and more Maurice Golesworthy, Encyclopaedia of Boxing (Eighth Edition) (1988), Robert Hale Limited,