List of world light-heavyweight boxing champions

Last updated

This is a chronological list of world light heavyweight boxing champions, as recognized by four of the better-known sanctioning organizations:

Contents

Championship recognition

1903–1910

The light-heavyweight division was created in 1903, the brainchild of Chicago journalist Lou Houseman who was also a boxing manager and promoter. He matched his own fighter Jack Root with Kid McCoy and announced the fight as being for the light-heavyweight championship of the world. The boxing press accepted the new weight division and Root was accepted as the inaugural world champion. Jack Root was defeated in his first title defense against George Gardner (boxer), who was considered the most thrilling fighter in the division, and the first undisputed Light - Heavyweight Champion of the World. During the 1980s, however, some boxing historians found records indicating that Joe Choynski won a twenty-round decision over Jimmy Ryan on August 18, 1899, in a fight billed as being for the light heavyweight championship. Choynski never seems to have made any claim to be the first light heavyweight champion.

1961–present

Championship awarding organizations

Reign BeganReign EndedChampionRecognition
World
1903-04-221903-07-04 Flag of the United States.svg Jack Root World
1903-07-041903-11-25 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg George Gardiner World
The light-heavyweight division was not recognized outside North America until the Gardiner-Fitzsimmons title fight of November 1903
1903-11-251905-12-20 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Bob Fitzsimmons World
1905-12-201905-12-20-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Philadelphia Jack O'Brien World
1913-02-171914-06-15 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Moha NYSAC
1914-04-141916-10-24 Flag of the United States.svg Jack Dillon World
1916-10-241920-10-12 Flag of the United States.svg Battling Levinsky World
1920-10-121922-09-24 Flag of France.svg Georges Carpentier World
1922-09-241923-03-17 Flag of France.svg Battling Siki World
1923-03-171925-05-30 Flag of Ireland.svg Mike McTigue World
1925-05-301926-07-16 Flag of the United States.svg Paul Berlenbach World
1926-07-161927-07-27-Vacated Canadian Red Ensign (1868-1921).svg Jack Delaney World
Delaney vacated the title to campaign in the heavyweight division.
1927-08-301927-12-12 Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Slattery NBA
1927-10-071929-07-18-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Tommy Loughran [1] NYSAC
1930-02-101930-06-25 Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Slattery NYSAC
1930-06-251933-03-10 Flag of the United States.svg Maxie Rosenbloom NYSAC
1932-03-181932-12-17-Stripped Flag of the United States.svg George Nichols NBA
Nichols was stripped of the title after losing a non-title bout to Lou Scozza.
Awarded the title1933-03-01 Flag of the United States.svg Joe Knight NBA
1933-03-011933-03-24 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Godwin NBA
1933-03-241934-11-16 Flag of the United States.svg Maxie Rosenbloom World
1934-11-161935-10-31 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Olin World
1935-10-311938-10-28-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg John Henry Lewis World
Lewis retired due to failing eyesight.
1938-11-291939-02-03 Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Jack Fox NYSAC
1939-02-031939-07-13 Flag of the United States.svg Melio Bettina NYSAC
1939-07-101942-06-20 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Len Harvey EBU
1939-07-131940-06-05-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Billy Conn NBA/NYSAC
1941-01-131941-05-22 Flag of Greece.svg Anton Christoforidis NBA
1941-05-221941-11-14 Flag of the United States.svg Gus Lesnevich NBA/NYSAC
1942-06-201946-05-14 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Freddie Mills EBU
1946-05-141948-07-26 Flag of the United States.svg Gus Lesnevich World
1948-07-261950-01-24 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Freddie Mills World
1950-01-241952-12-17 Flag of the United States.svg Joey Maxim World
1952-12-171960-10-?? Flag of the United States.svg Archie Moore World
Moore was stripped of the NBA title for inactivity but retained the NYSAC and EBU versions.
1960-10-??1962-02-09 Flag of the United States.svg Archie Moore NYSAC/EBU
Moore was stripped of the EBU and NYSAC titles for inactivity.
1961-02-071962-05-12 Flag of the United States.svg Harold Johnson NBA
1962-05-121963-06-01 Flag of the United States.svg Harold Johnson World
1963-06-011965-03-30 Flag of the United States.svg Willie Pastrano WBA/WBC
1965-03-301966-12-16 Flag of the United States.svg José Louis Torres WBA/WBC
1966-12-161968-05-24 Flag of Nigeria.svg Dick Tiger WBA/WBC
Title Split into WBA and WBC Belts
WBC
Title inaugurated
1963-06-011965-03-30 Flag of the United States.svg Willie Pastrano WBC
1965-05-301966-12-16 Flag of the United States.svg José Louis Torres WBC
1966-12-161968-05-24 Flag of Nigeria.svg Dick Tiger WBC
1968-05-241974-06-17-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Bob Foster WBC
1974-10-011977-05-21-Stripped Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Conteh WBC
1977-05-211978-01-07 Flag of Argentina.svg Miguel Angel Cuello WBC
1978-01-071978-12-02 Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Mate Parlov WBC
1978-12-021979-04-22 Flag of the United States.svg Marvin Johnson WBC
1979-04-221981-12-19 Flag of the United States.svg Matthew Saad Muhammad WBC
1981-12-191983-03-18 Flag of the United States.svg Dwight Muhammad Qawi WBC
1983-03-181985-06-06-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Michael Spinks WBC
1985-12-101986-04-30 Flag of the United States.svg JB Williamson WBC
1986-04-301987-03-07 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dennis Andries WBC
1987-03-071987-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Thomas Hearns WBC
1987-11-271988-11-07 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Donny Lalonde WBC
1988-11-071989-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Sugar Ray Leonard WBC
1989-02-211989-06-24 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dennis Andries WBC
1989-06-241990-07-28 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jeff Harding WBC
1990-07-281991-09-11 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dennis Andries WBC
1991-09-111994-07-23 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jeff Harding WBC
1994-07-231995-06-16 Flag of Jamaica.svg Mike McCallum WBC
1995-06-161997-03-Vacated Flag of France.svg Fabrice Tiozzo WBC
1997-031997-03-21 Flag of the United States.svg Roy Jones Jr. WBC
1997-03-211997-08-07 Flag of the United States.svg Montell Griffin WBC
1997-08-072003-03-01-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Roy Jones Jr. WBC
1998-03-212000-04-15 Flag of Germany.svg Graciano Rocchigiani WBC (Restored Champion)
2003-04-232003-11-08 Flag of the United States.svg Antonio Tarver WBC
2003-11-082004-05-15 Flag of the United States.svg Roy Jones Jr. WBC
2004-05-152004-12-Stripped Flag of the United States.svg Antonio Tarver WBC
2005-05-212007-02-03 Flag of Poland.svg Tomasz Adamek WBC
2007-02-032008-07-11-Stripped Flag of the United States.svg Chad Dawson WBC
2008-07-112009-06-19 Flag of Romania.svg Adrian Diaconu WBC
2009-06-192011-05-21 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jean Pascal WBC
2011-05-212012-04-28 Flag of the United States.svg Bernard Hopkins WBC
2012-04-282013-06-08 Flag of the United States.svg Chad Dawson WBC
2013-06-082018-12-01 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Adonis Stevenson WBC
2018-12-012019-10-18 Flag of Ukraine.svg Oleksandr Gvozdyk WBC
2019-10-182025-02-22 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Artur Beterbiev WBC
2025-02-22Present Flag of Russia.svg Dmitry Bivol WBC
WBA
Title inaugurated
1963-06-011965-03-30 Flag of the United States.svg Willie Pastrano WBA
1965-03-301966-12-16 Flag of the United States.svg José Louis Torres WBA
1966-12-161968-05-24 Flag of Nigeria.svg Dick Tiger WBA
1968-05-241970-12-09-Stripped Flag of the United States.svg Bob Foster WBA
1971-02-271972-04-07 Flag of Venezuela.svg Vicente Rondon WBA
1972-04-071974-09-16-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Bob Foster WBA
1974-12-071978-09-15 Flag of Argentina.svg Victor Galindez WBA
1978-09-151979-04-14 Flag of the United States.svg Mike Rossman WBA
1979-04-141979-11-30 Flag of Argentina.svg Victor Galindez WBA
1979-11-301980-03-31 Flag of the United States.svg Marvin Johnson WBA
1980-03-311981-07-18 Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Mustafa Muhammad WBA
1981-07-181985-09-21-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Michael Spinks WBA
1986-02-091987-05-23 Flag of the United States.svg Marvin Johnson WBA
1987-05-231987-09-05 Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Leslie Stewart WBA
1987-09-051991-06-03 Flag of the United States.svg Virgil Hill WBA
1991-06-031992-03-20 Flag of the United States.svg Thomas Hearns WBA
1992-03-201992-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Iran Barkley WBA
1992-09-291997-06-13 Flag of the United States.svg Virgil Hill WBA
1997-06-131997-07-01-Vacated Flag of Poland.svg Dariusz Michalczewski WBA
1997-09-201998-07-18 Flag of the United States.svg Lou Del Valle WBA
1998-07-182004-05-15 Flag of the United States.svg Roy Jones Jr. WBA Super Champion
2001-12-222003-03-08 Flag of France.svg Bruno Girard WBA Regular Champion
2003-03-082003-10-10 Flag of France.svg Mehdi Sahnoune WBA Regular Champion
2003-10-102004-03-20 Flag of Italy.svg Silvio Branco WBA Regular Champion
2004-03-202006-10-19-Retired Flag of France.svg Fabrice Tiozzo WBA Regular Champion
2004-05-152004-12-Stripped Flag of the United States.svg Antonio Tarver WBA Super Champion
2006-10-192007-04-28 Flag of Italy.svg Silvio Branco WBA
2007-04-282007-12-16 Flag of Croatia.svg Stipe Drvis WBA
2007-12-162008-03-25-Retired Flag of Australia (converted).svg Danny Green WBA
2008-07-032009-06-20 Flag of Argentina.svg Hugo Garay WBA
2009-06-202010-01-29 Flag of Spain.svg Gabriel Campillo WBA
2010-01-292014-04-19 Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Beibut Shumenov WBA Super Champion
2013-12-142016-10-01 Flag of Germany.svg Juergen Braehmer WBA Regular Champion
2014-04-192014-11-08 Flag of the United States.svg Bernard Hopkins WBA Super Champion
2014-11-082016-11-19 Flag of Russia.svg Sergey Kovalev WBA Super Champion
2016-10-01Present Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Nathan Cleverly WBA Regular Champion
2016-11-192017-09-21-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Andre Ward WBA Super Champion
2017-09-232024-10-12 Flag of Russia.svg Dmitry Bivol WBA Super Champion
2024-08-032025-02-01 Flag of Cuba.svg David Morrell WBA Regular Champion
2024-10-122025-02-22 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Artur Beterbiev WBA Super Champion
2025-02-01Present Flag of the United States.svg David Benavidez WBA Regular Champion
2025-02-22Present Flag of Russia.svg Dmitry Bivol WBA Super Champion
IBF
Title inaugurated
1984-02-251985-09-21-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Michael Spinks IBF
1985-12-211986-09-06 Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Slobodan Kačar IBF
1986-09-061987-10-29 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Czyz IBF
1987-10-291993-03-20 Flag of the United States.svg Charles Williams IBF
1993-03-201996-11-23 Flag of Germany.svg Henry Maske IBF
1996-11-231997-06-13 Flag of the United States.svg Virgil Hill IBF
1997-06-131997-06-16-Vacated Flag of Poland.svg Dariusz Michalczewski IBF
1997-07-191998-02-06 Flag of the United States.svg William Guthrie IBF
1998-02-061999-06-05 Flag of the United States.svg Reggie Johnson IBF
1999-06-052003-03-01-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Roy Jones Jr. IBF
2003-04-262003-11-08-Stripped Flag of the United States.svg Antonio Tarver IBF
2004-02-062004-12-Vacated Flag of Jamaica.svg Glen Johnson IBF
2005-03-042008-04-12 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Clinton Woods IBF
2008-04-122008-10-11 Flag of the United States.svg Antonio Tarver IBF
2008-10-112009-05-27-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Chad Dawson IBF
2009-08-282013-03-09 Flag of the United States.svg Tavoris Cloud IBF
2013-03-092014-11-08 Flag of the United States.svg Bernard Hopkins IBF
2014-11-082016-11-19 Flag of Russia.svg Sergey Kovalev IBF
2016-11-192017-09-21-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Andre Ward IBF
2017-11-112025-02-22 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Artur Beterbiev IBF
2025-02-22Present Flag of Russia.svg Dmitry Bivol IBF
WBO
Title inaugurated
1988-12-031990-12-15-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Michael Moorer WBO
1991-05-091994-09-10 Flag of the United States.svg Leeonzer Barber WBO
1994-09-102003-10-18 Flag of Poland.svg Dariusz Michalczewski WBO
2003-10-182004-01-17 Flag of Mexico.svg Julio César González WBO
2004-01-172009-11-Vacated Flag of Hungary.svg Zsolt Erdei WBO
2009-11-132011-05-19-Stripped Flag of Germany.svg Jürgen Brähmer WBO
2011-05-192013-08-17 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Nathan Cleverly WBO
2013-08-172016-11-19 Flag of Russia.svg Sergey Kovalev WBO
2016-11-192017-09-21-Vacated Flag of the United States.svg Andre Ward WBO
2017-11-252018-08-04 Flag of Russia.svg Sergey Kovalev WBO
2018-08-042019-02-02 Flag of Colombia.svg Eleider Álvarez WBO
2019-02-022019-11-02 Flag of Russia.svg Sergey Kovalev WBO
2019-11-022019-12-17 Vacated Flag of Mexico.svg Canelo Álvarez WBO
2021-04-102022-06-18 Flag of the United States.svg Joe Smith Jr. WBO
2022-06-182025-02-22 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Artur Beterbiev WBO
2025-02-22Present Flag of Russia.svg Dmitry Bivol WBO

See also

References

  1. ↑ Nat Fleischer, Sam Andre, An Illustrated History of Boxing (Citadel Press, 2002) pp195-196
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