Following the name of the champion(s): Indicates the number of times the competitor has held that title at that point.
[...]
Indicates a gap in the listing where title changes are not known.
<
Title was held or changed hands no later than this. In these cases, it is known that a competitor held the title at a certain time but not when he/she won it.
@
Order uncertain. Different titleholders may be known for the same year, for example, but it is not known who held the title before whom.
#
Unofficial or disputable claims. These are usually matches that certainly took place, but where there is doubt that the competitor shown should be recognized as a true title holder. These listings are also italicized.
Defeats Young Jacob Hyams; wins the world title on 87-06-17.
Harry Webster
1896-12-07
London, ENG
Defeats Owen Sweeney for the 138lb title.
Johnny Hughes
1897-05-31
London, ENG
Defeats Jim Curran for 134lb title; later claims 138lb title.
Pat Daly
1901-02-11
London, ENG
Tom Dixon
1900-10-01
London, ENG
Defeats Jim Barry for the 134lb title.
Bill Chester
1901-03-04
London, ENG
Defeats Bill Wood for the 132lb title.
Jabez White
1902-04-21
London, ENG
Bob Russell
1902-04-28
London, ENG
Defeats George Cunningham for the 9st 6lb (132lb) title.
Joe Fletcher
1905-05-01
London, ENG
Fletcher and Young Joseph fight for the 134lb title to a draw on 05-05-01 and both claim the title; Fletcher still/again claims the title as of 08-03-30.
Seaman Arthur Hayes
1908-03-16
London, ENG
Defeats Boss Edwards for the 132lb title.
Dick Lee
1908-11-23
London, ENG
Jack Goldswain
1906-01-29
London, ENG
Defeats Fred Bucklund for the 10st (140lb) title.
Johnny Summers
1908-11-23
London, ENG
Defeats Goldswain to claim the title; Goldswain continues to keep the belt but moves up to the welterweight class by 10-03.
Freddie Welsh (Frederick H. Thomas)
1909-11-08
London, ENG
Defeats Summers for the title.
Matt Wells
1911-02-27
London, ENG
Freddie Welsh [2]
1912-11-11
London, ENG
Vacant in 13; mainly competes in USA and CAN for the rest of his career.
Bob Marriott
1919-06-23
London, ENG
Defeats Johnny Summers for the vacant title; retires in 21-02.
Ernie Rice
1921-04-11
London, ENG
Defeats Ben Callicott.
Seaman Nobby Hall
1922-09-18
Liverpool, Merseyside, ENG
Harry Mason
1923-05-17
London, ENG
Vacant in 24.
Ernie Izzard
1924-11-24
London, ENG
Defeas Jack Kirk.
Harry Mason [2]
1925-06-22
London, ENG
Vacates in 26-04 upon moving up to the welterweight class.
Sam Steward
1928-09-17
London, ENG
Defeats Ernie Rice.
Fred Webster
1929-05-02
London, ENG
Al Foreman
1930-05-21
London, ENG
Vacates in 32-03.
Johnny Cuthbert
1932-08-11
Glasgow, SCT
Defeats Jim Hunter.
Harry Mizler
1934-01-18
London, ENG
Kid Berg
1934-10-29
London, ENG
Jimmy Walsh
1936-04-24
Liverpool, Merseyside, ENG
Dave Crowley
1938-06-23
Liverpool, Merseyside, ENG
Eric Boon
1938-12-15
London, ENG
Ronnie James
1944-08-12
Cardiff, WEL
Stripped in 47 for not making the weight limit.
Billy Thompson
1947-10-16
Liverpool, Merseyside, ENG
Defeats Stan Hawthorne.
Tommy McGovern
1951-08-28
London, ENG
Frank Johnson
1952-07-25
Manchester, Lancashire, ENG
Vacates in 53.
Joe Lucy
1953-09-29
London, ENG
Defeats Tommy McGovern.
Frank Johnson [2]
1955-04-26
London, ENG
Joe Lucy [2]
1956-04-13
Manchester, Lancashire, ENG
Dave Charnley
1957-04-09
London, ENG
Vacates in 65-01.
Maurice Cullen
1965-04-08
Liverpool, Merseyside, ENG
Defeats Dave Coventry.
Ken Buchanan
1968-02-19
London, ENG
Wins WBA World Title on 70-09-26.
Willie Reilly
1972-02-01
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, ENG
Defeats Jim Watt; retires in 72.
Jim Watt
1972-05-03
Solihull, W. Midlands, ENG
Defeats Tony Riley.
Ken Buchanan [2]
1973-01-29
Glasgow, SCT
Vacates in 74-09.
Jim Watt [2]
1975-01-27
Glasgow, SCT
Defeats Johnny Cheshire; vacates in 77(?).
Charlie Nash
1979-02-28
Derry, NIR
Defeats Johnny Claydon; wins EBU European Title on 79-06-27; vacates British Title in 79-07.
Ray Cattouse
1980-03-24
Glasgow, SCT
Defeats Dave McCabe.
George Feeney
1982-10-12
London, ENG
Retrires in 84.
Tony Willis
1985-05-16
Birmingham, W. Midlands, ENG
Defeats Ian McLeod.
Alex Dickson
1987-09-24
Glasgow, SCT
Steve Boyle
1988-02-24
Glasgow, SCT
Wins WBC International Title on 89-01-30.
Carl Crook
1990-11-14
Sheffield, S. Yorkshire, ENG
Defeats Tony Richards.
Billy Schwer
1992-10-28
London, ENG
Paul Burke
1993-02-24
London, ENG
Billy Schwer [2]
1993-11-10
Watford, Hertfordshire, ENG
Loses his bid for IBF world title on 95-01-28.
Michael Ayers
1995-02-17
Crawley, Sussex, ENG
Defeats Paul Burke; vacates in 97-08.
Wayne Rigby
1998-01-10
London, ENG
Defeats Tanveer Ahmed.
Bobby Vanzie
1998-10-17
Manchester, Lancashire, ENG
Graham Earl
2003-07-17
London, ENG
Vacant in 04.
Graham Earl [2]
2004-06-05
London, ENG
Defeats Bobby Vanzie; vacates in 06-05.
Lee Meager
2006-05-12
London, ENG
Defeats Dave Stewart.
Jonathan Thaxton
2006-12-08
Dagenham, Essex, ENG
Vacant in 08.
John Murray
2008-07-11
Altrincham, Cheshire, ENG
Defeats Lee Meager; stripped of the title on 09-06-12 for not making the weight for the scheduled title defense.
John Murray [2]
2008-07-11
Wigan, Lancashire, ENG
Defeats Jon Thaxton; vacates on 10-11-06 to focus on defendping EBU European Title.
Gavin Rees
2010-11-06
Newport, WEL
Defeats John Watson; vacates in 10 (or 11-01?).
Anthony Crolla
2011-02-12
Liverpool, Merseyside, ENG
Defeats John Watson.
Derry Mathews
2012-04-21
Oldham, Lancashire, ENG
Gavin Rees [2]
2012-07-07
Sheffield, S. Yorkshire, ENG
Vacates in 12 (or 13-01?).
Martin Gethin
2013-01-18
Walsall, W. Midlands, ENG
Defeats Ben Murphy.
Derry Mathews
2014-05-10
Liverpool, Merseyside, ENG
Defeats Martin Gethin; vacates in 14-07.
Terry Flanagan
2014-07-26
Manchester, Lancashire, ENG
Defeats Martin Gethin; wins WBO World Title on 15-07-11.
Scott Cardle
2015-05-30
London, ENG
Defeats Craig Evans.
Robbie Barrett
2017-04-15
Glasgow, SCT
Lewis Ritson
2017-10-07
Manchester, Lancashire, ENG
Vacates in 19-03 upon moving up to the super lightweight class.
Joe Cordina
2019-04-20
London, ENG
Defeats Andy Townend; vacates in 19-12 upon moving down to the super featherweight class.
James Tennyson
2020-08-01
Brentwood, Essex, ENG
Defeats Gavin Gwynne; vacates on 20-10-14.
Maxi Hughes
2021-03-19
Bolton, Lancashire, ENG
Defeats Paul Hyland Jr.; also holds WBC International Title; wins IBO World Title on 21-09-04.
Gavin Gwynne
2022-04-15
London, ENG
Defeats Luke Willis; also holds Commonwealth Title; loses in a non-title match on 24-03-08.
Sam Noakes
2024-02-10
Hackney Wick, Middlesex, ENG, GBR
Defeats Lewis Sylvester to win the vacant WBO International and British titles; also holds WBC International Silver and Commonwealth titles; also wins EBU European Title on 24-04-20.