History
The junior lightweight class was one of the divisions established in 1920, when the Walker Law was passed to legalize and regulate boxing in New York State.
Johnny Dundee became the first champion by beating George KO Chaney in 1921. The title became inactive after champion Frankie Klick moved up to the lightweight division in 1934. Although Sandy Saddler claimed the title in 1949, there was no generally recognized junior lightweight champion until Harold Gomes beat Paul Jorgensen in a 1959 title fight.
The lists below include generally recognized champions, as well as champions of the National Boxing Association/World Boxing Association (NBA/WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Federation (IBF).
Some other champions recognized by New York (NY), Great Britain (GBR), Europe and the European Boxing Union (EBU) are also included, if they seemed to be genuine claimants and /or later won recognition from an international body.
Only those bouts are included in which the championship changed hands or the championships of two or more governing bodies was unified.
Champions
Johnny Dundee 1921-23Jack Bernstein 1923
Johnny Dundee 1923-24
Steve (Kid) Sullivan 1924-25
Mike Ballerino 1925
Tod Morgan 1925-29
Benny Bass 1929-31
Kid Chocolate 1931-33
Frankie Klick 1933-34
Sandy Saddler 1949-50 (Claimant)
Harold Gomes 1959-60
Gabriel (Flash) Elorde 1960-67
Yoshiaki Numata 1967
Hiroshi Kobayashi 1967-71
Rene Barrientos (WBC) 1969-70
Yoshiaki Numata (WBC) 1970-71
Alfredo Marcano 1971-72
Ricardo Arredondo (WBC) 1971-74
Ben Villaflor 1972-73
Kuniaki Shibata 1973
Ben Villaflor 1973-76
Kuniaki Shibata (WBC) 1974-75
Alfredo Escalera (WBC) 1975-78
Samuel Serrano 1976-80
Alexis Arguello (WBC) 1978-80
Yasutsune Uehara 1980-81
Rafael Limon (WBC) 1980-81
Cornelius Boza-Edwards (WBC) 1981
Samuel Serrano 1981-83
Rolando Navarrete (WBC) 1981-82
Rafael Limon (WBC) 1982
Bobby Chacon (WBC) 1982-83
Roger Mayweather 1983-84
Hector Camacho (WBC) 1983-84
Rocky Lockridge 1984-85
Hwan-Kil Yuh (IBF) 1984-85
Julio Cesar Chavez (WBC) 1984-87
Lester Ellis (IBF) 1985
Wilfredo Gomez 1985-86
Barry Michael (IBF) 1985-87
Alfredo Layne 1986
Brian Mitchell 1986-91
Rocky Lockridge (IBF) 1987-88
Azumah Nelson (WBC) 1988-94
Tony Lopez (IBF) 1988-89
Juan Molina (IBF) 1989-90
Tony Lopez (IBF) 1990-91
Joey Gamache (WBA) 1991
Brian Mitchell (IBF) 1991
Genaro Hernandez (WBA) 1991-95
James Leija (WBC) 1994
Juan Molina (IBF) 1991-95
Gabriel Ruelas (WBC) 1994-95
Eddie Hopson (IBF) 1995
Tracy Patterson (IBF) 1995
Azumah Nelson (WBC) 1995-97
Choi Yong-Soo (WBA) 1995-98
Arturo Gatti (IBF) 1995-98
Genaro Hernandez (WBC) 1997-98
Floyd Mayweather Jr. (WBC) 1998-2002
Takanori Hatakeyama (WBA) 1998-99
Roberto Garcia (IBF) 1998-99
Lavka Sim (WBA) 1999
Diego Corrales (IBF) 1999-2001
Baek Jong-Kwon (WBA) 1999-2000
Joel Casamayor (WBA) 2000-02
Steve Forbes (IBF) 2001-02
Acelino Freitas (WBA) 2002-
Sirmonkol Singmanassuk (WBC) 2002-03
Jesus Chavez (WBC) 2003-
Carlos Hernandez (IBF) 2003-
Erik Morales (WBC/IBF) 2004-