History
The welterweight class was established during the early 1880s, with a weight limit of 142 pounds. That was later increased to 145 pounds and it became 147 pounds in 1920.
Although Paddy Duffy of Boston claimed the title in 1888, he never had a fight that genuinely established him as champion. After Duffy's death in 1890, Mysterious Billy Smith claimed the championship. His knockout of Danny Needham in 1892 is generally considered the first true welterweight championship 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
Paddy Duffy 1888-90 (Claimant)Mysterious Billy Smith 1892-94
Tommy Ryan 1894-98
Mysterious Billy Smith 1898-1900
Matty Matthews 1900
Eddie Connolly 1900
James (Rube) Ferns 1900
Matty Mathews 1900-01
James (Rube) Ferns 1901
Joe Walcott 1901-04
The Dixie Kid 1904-05
Honey Mellody 1906-07
Mike (Twin) Sullivan 1907-08
Harry Lewis 1908-11
Jimmy Gardner 1908
Jimmy Clabby 1910-11
Waldemar Holberg 1914
Tom Mccormick 1914
Matt Wells 1914-15
Mike Glover 1915
Jack Britton 1915
Ted (Kid) Lewis 1915-16
Jack Britton 1916-17
Ted (Kid) Lewis 1917-19
Jack Britton 1919-22
Mickey Walker 1922-26
Pete Latzo 1926-27
Joe Dundee 1927-29
Jackie Fields 1929-30
Young Jack Thompson 1930
Tommy Freeman 1930-31
Young Jack Thompson 1931
Lou Brouillard 1931-32
Jackie Fields 1932-33
Young Corbett Iii 1933
Jimmy Mclarnin 1933-34
Barney Ross 1934
Jimmy Mclarnin 1934-35
Barney Ross 1935-38
Henry Armstrong 1938-40
Fritzie Zivic 1940-41
Izzy Jannazzo (Md.) 1940-41
Freddie (Red) Cochrane 1941-46
Marty Servo 1946
Sugar Ray Robinson 1946-51
Johnny Bratton 1951
Kid Gavilan 1951-54
Johnny Saxton 1954-55
Tony Demarco 1955
Carmen Basilio 1955-56
Johnny Saxton 1956
Carmen Basilio 1956-57
Virgil Akins 1958
Don Jordan 1958-60
Benny (Kid) Paret 1960-61
Emile Griffith 1961
Benny (Kid) Paret 1961-62
Emile Griffith 1962-63
Luis Rodriguez 1963
Emile Griffith 1963-66
Charlie Shipes (CA) 1966-67
Curtis Cokes 1966-69
Jose Napoles 1969-70
Billy Backus 1970-71
Jose Napoles 1971-75
Hedgemon Lewis (NY) 1972-73
Angel Espada (WBA) 1975-76
John H. Stracey 1975-76
Carlos Palomino 1976-79
Pipino Cuevas (WBA) 1976-80
Wilfredo Benitez 1979
Sugar Ray Leonard 1979-80
Roberto Duran 1980
Thomas Hearns (WBA) 1980-81
Sugar Ray Leonard 1980-82
Donald Curry (WBA) 1983-85
Milton Mccrory (WBC) 1983-85
Donald Curry 1985-86
Lloyd Honeyghan 1986-87
Jorge Vaca (WBC) 1987-88
Lloyd Honeyghan (WBC) 1988-89
Mark Breland (WBA) 1987
Marlon Starling (WBA) 1987-88
Tomas Molinares (WBA) 1988-89
Simon Brown (IBF) 1988-91
Mark Breland (WBA) 1989-90
Marlon Starling (WBC) 1989-90
Aaron Davis (WBA) 1990-91
Maurice Blocker (WBC) 1990-91
Meldrick Taylor (WBA) 1991-92
Simon Brown (WBC) 1991
Maurice Blocker (IBF) 1991-93
Buddy Mcgirt (WBC) 1991-93
Crisanto Espana (WBA) 1992-94
Pernell Whitaker (WBC) 1993-97
Felix Trinidad (IBF) 1993-99
Ike Quartey (WBA) 1994-98
James Page (WBA) 1998-2000
Oscar De La Hoya (WBC) 1997-99
Felix Trinidad (WBC, IBF) 1999-2000
Oscar De La Hoya (WBC) 2000
Shane Mosley (WBC) 2000-02
Andrew Lewis (WBA) 2001-02
Vernon Forrest (IBF) 2001-02
Vernon Forrest (WBC) 2002-03
Richard Mayorga (WBA) 2002-
Richard Mayorga (WBC) 2003-
Michele Piccorillo (IBF) 2002-03
Cory Spinks (IBF) 2003-