# List of world light-heavyweight boxing champions

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

## 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.
* The International Boxing Union (IBU), formed in Paris in 1910. Changed name to European Boxing Union in 1946. It organised world title fights from 1913 to 1963 after which it was incorporated into the World Boxing Council (WBC).
* The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), formed originally in 1911, banned in 1917, and then reformed in 1920. It organized world title bouts until the early 1970s when it became a member of World Boxing Council (WBC).
* The National Boxing Association (NBA) formed in the USA in 1921.

### 1961–present
#### Championship awarding organizations

* The World Boxing Association (WBA), founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA); it changed its name in 1961 and allowed membership from outside the USA.
* The World Boxing Council (WBC), founded in 1963.
* The International Boxing Federation (IBF), founded in 1983.
* The World Boxing Organization (WBO), founded in 1988.
| Reign Began | Reign Ended | Champion | Recognition |
| World ||||
| 1903-04-22 | 1903-07-04 | Jack Root | World |
| 1903-07-04 | 1903-11-25 | George Gardiner | World |
| The light-heavyweight division was not recognized outside North America until the Gardiner-Fitzsimmons title fight of November 1903 ||||
| 1903-11-25 | 1905-12-20 | Bob Fitzsimmons | World |
| 1905-12-20 | 1905-12-20-Vacated | Philadelphia Jack O'Brien | World |
| 1913-02-17 | 1914-06-15 | Bob Moha | NYSAC |
| 1914-04-14 | 1916-10-24 | Jack Dillon | World |
| 1916-10-24 | 1920-10-12 | Battling Levinsky | World |
| 1920-10-12 | 1922-09-24 | Georges Carpentier | World |
| 1922-09-24 | 1923-03-17 | Battling Siki | World |
| 1923-03-17 | 1925-05-30 | Mike McTigue | World |
| 1925-05-30 | 1926-07-16 | Paul Berlenbach | World |
| 1926-07-16 | 1927-07-27-Vacated | Jack Delaney | World |
| Delaney vacated the title to campaign in the heavyweight division. ||||
| 1927-08-30 | 1927-12-12 | Jimmy Slattery | NBA |
| 1927-10-07 | 1929-07-18-Vacated | Tommy Loughran | NYSAC |
| 1930-02-10 | 1930-06-25 | Jimmy Slattery | NYSAC |
| 1930-06-25 | 1933-03-10 | Maxie Rosenbloom | NYSAC |
| 1932-03-18 | 1932-12-17-Stripped | George Nichols | NBA |
| Nichols was stripped of the title after losing a non-title bout to Lou Scozza. ||||
| Awarded the title | 1933-03-01 | Joe Knight | NBA |
| 1933-03-01 | 1933-03-24 | Bob Godwin | NBA |
| 1933-03-24 | 1934-11-16 | Maxie Rosenbloom | World |
| 1934-11-16 | 1935-10-31 | Bob Olin | World |
| 1935-10-31 | 1938-10-28-Vacated | John Henry Lewis | World |
| Lewis retired due to failing eyesight. ||||
| 1938-11-29 | 1939-02-03 | Tiger Jack Fox | NYSAC |
| 1939-02-03 | 1939-07-13 | Melio Bettina | NYSAC |
| 1939-07-10 | 1942-06-20 | Len Harvey | EBU |
| 1939-07-13 | 1940-06-05-Vacated | Billy Conn | NBA/NYSAC |
| 1941-01-13 | 1941-05-22 | Anton Christoforidis | NBA |
| 1941-05-22 | 1941-11-14 | Gus Lesnevich | NBA/NYSAC |
| 1942-06-20 | 1946-05-14 | Freddie Mills | EBU |
| 1946-05-14 | 1948-07-26 | Gus Lesnevich | World |
| 1948-07-26 | 1950-01-24 | Freddie Mills | World |
| 1950-01-24 | 1952-12-17 | Joey Maxim | World |
| 1952-12-17 | 1960-10-?? | Archie Moore | World |
| Moore was stripped of the NBA title for inactivity but retained the NYSAC and EBU versions. ||||
| 1960-10-?? | 1962-02-09 | Archie Moore | NYSAC/EBU |
| Moore was stripped of the EBU and NYSAC titles for inactivity. ||||
| 1961-02-07 | 1962-05-12 | Harold Johnson | NBA |
| 1962-05-12 | 1963-06-01 | Harold Johnson | World |
| 1963-06-01 | 1965-03-30 | Willie Pastrano | WBA/WBC |
| 1965-03-30 | 1966-12-16 | José Louis Torres | WBA/WBC |
| 1966-12-16 | 1968-05-24 | Dick Tiger | WBA/WBC |
| Title Split into WBA and WBC Belts |
| WBC ||||
| Title inaugurated |
| 1963-06-01 | 1965-03-30 | Willie Pastrano | WBC |
| 1965-05-30 | 1966-12-16 | José Louis Torres | WBC |
| 1966-12-16 | 1968-05-24 | Dick Tiger | WBC |
| 1968-05-24 | 1974-06-17-Vacated | Bob Foster | WBC |
| 1974-10-01 | 1977-05-21-Stripped | John Conteh | WBC |
| 1977-05-21 | 1978-01-07 | Miguel Angel Cuello | WBC |
| 1978-01-07 | 1978-12-02 | Mate Parlov | WBC |
| 1978-12-02 | 1979-04-22 | Marvin Johnson | WBC |
| 1979-04-22 | 1981-12-19 | Matthew Saad Muhammad | WBC |
| 1981-12-19 | 1983-03-18 | Dwight Muhammad Qawi | WBC |
| 1983-03-18 | 1985-06-06-Vacated | Michael Spinks | WBC |
| 1985-12-10 | 1986-04-30 | JB Williamson | WBC |
| 1986-04-30 | 1987-03-07 | Dennis Andries | WBC |
| 1987-03-07 | 1987-Vacated | Thomas Hearns | WBC |
| 1987-11-27 | 1988-11-07 | Donny Lalonde | WBC |
| 1988-11-07 | 1989-Vacated | Sugar Ray Leonard | WBC |
| 1989-02-21 | 1989-06-24 | Dennis Andries | WBC |
| 1989-06-24 | 1990-07-28 | Jeff Harding | WBC |
| 1990-07-28 | 1991-09-11 | Dennis Andries | WBC |
| 1991-09-11 | 1994-07-23 | Jeff Harding | WBC |
| 1994-07-23 | 1995-06-16 | Mike McCallum | WBC |
| 1995-06-16 | 1997-03-Vacated | Fabrice Tiozzo | WBC |
| 1997-03 | 1997-03-21 | Roy Jones Jr. | WBC |
| 1997-03-21 | 1997-08-07 | Montell Griffin | WBC |
| 1997-08-07 | 2003-03-01-Vacated | Roy Jones Jr. | WBC |
| 1998-03-21 | 2000-04-15 | Graciano Rocchigiani | WBC (Restored Champion) |
| 2003-04-23 | 2003-11-08 | Antonio Tarver | WBC |
| 2003-11-08 | 2004-05-15 | Roy Jones Jr. | WBC |
| 2004-05-15 | 2004-12-Stripped | Antonio Tarver | WBC |
| 2005-05-21 | 2007-02-03 | Tomasz Adamek | WBC |
| 2007-02-03 | 2008-07-11-Stripped | Chad Dawson | WBC |
| 2008-07-11 | 2009-06-19 | Adrian Diaconu | WBC |
| 2009-06-19 | 2011-05-21 | Jean Pascal | WBC |
| 2011-05-21 | 2012-04-28 | Bernard Hopkins | WBC |
| 2012-04-28 | 2013-06-08 | Chad Dawson | WBC |
| 2013-06-08 | 2018-12-01 | Adonis Stevenson | WBC |
| 2018-12-01 | 2019-10-18 | Oleksandr Gvozdyk | WBC |
| 2019-10-18 | 2025-02-22 | Artur Beterbiev | WBC |
| 2025-02-22 | Present | Dmitry Bivol | WBC |
| WBA ||||
| Title inaugurated |
| 1963-06-01 | 1965-03-30 | Willie Pastrano | WBA |
| 1965-03-30 | 1966-12-16 | José Louis Torres | WBA |
| 1966-12-16 | 1968-05-24 | Dick Tiger | WBA |
| 1968-05-24 | 1970-12-09-Stripped | Bob Foster | WBA |
| 1971-02-27 | 1972-04-07 | Vicente Rondon | WBA |
| 1972-04-07 | 1974-09-16-Vacated | Bob Foster | WBA |
| 1974-12-07 | 1978-09-15 | Victor Galindez | WBA |
| 1978-09-15 | 1979-04-14 | Mike Rossman | WBA |
| 1979-04-14 | 1979-11-30 | Victor Galindez | WBA |
| 1979-11-30 | 1980-03-31 | Marvin Johnson | WBA |
| 1980-03-31 | 1981-07-18 | Eddie Mustafa Muhammad | WBA |
| 1981-07-18 | 1985-09-21-Vacated | Michael Spinks | WBA |
| 1986-02-09 | 1987-05-23 | Marvin Johnson | WBA |
| 1987-05-23 | 1987-09-05 | Leslie Stewart | WBA |
| 1987-09-05 | 1991-06-03 | Virgil Hill | WBA |
| 1991-06-03 | 1992-03-20 | Thomas Hearns | WBA |
| 1992-03-20 | 1992-Vacated | Iran Barkley | WBA |
| 1992-09-29 | 1997-06-13 | Virgil Hill | WBA |
| 1997-06-13 | 1997-07-01-Vacated | Dariusz Michalczewski | WBA |
| 1997-09-20 | 1998-07-18 | Lou Del Valle | WBA |
| 1998-07-18 | 2004-05-15 | Roy Jones Jr. | WBA Super Champion |
| 2001-12-22 | 2003-03-08 | Bruno Girard | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2003-03-08 | 2003-10-10 | Mehdi Sahnoune | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2003-10-10 | 2004-03-20 | Silvio Branco | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2004-03-20 | 2006-10-19-Retired | Fabrice Tiozzo | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2004-05-15 | 2004-12-Stripped | Antonio Tarver | WBA Super Champion |
| 2006-10-19 | 2007-04-28 | Silvio Branco | WBA |
| 2007-04-28 | 2007-12-16 | Stipe Drvis | WBA |
| 2007-12-16 | 2008-03-25-Retired | Danny Green | WBA |
| 2008-07-03 | 2009-06-20 | Hugo Garay | WBA |
| 2009-06-20 | 2010-01-29 | Gabriel Campillo | WBA |
| 2010-01-29 | 2014-04-19 | Beibut Shumenov | WBA Super Champion |
| 2013-12-14 | 2016-10-01 | Juergen Braehmer | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2014-04-19 | 2014-11-08 | Bernard Hopkins | WBA Super Champion |
| 2014-11-08 | 2016-11-19 | Sergey Kovalev | WBA Super Champion |
| 2016-10-01 | Present | Nathan Cleverly | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2016-11-19 | 2017-09-21-Vacated | Andre Ward | WBA Super Champion |
| 2017-09-23 | 2024-10-12 | Dmitry Bivol | WBA Super Champion |
| 2024-08-03 | 2025-02-01 | David Morrell | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2024-10-12 | 2025-02-22 | Artur Beterbiev | WBA Super Champion |
| 2025-02-01 | Present | David Benavidez | WBA Regular Champion |
| 2025-02-22 | Present | Dmitry Bivol | WBA Super Champion |
| IBF ||||
| Title inaugurated |
| 1984-02-25 | 1985-09-21-Vacated | Michael Spinks | IBF |
| 1985-12-21 | 1986-09-06 | Slobodan Kačar | IBF |
| 1986-09-06 | 1987-10-29 | Bobby Czyz | IBF |
| 1987-10-29 | 1993-03-20 | Charles Williams | IBF |
| 1993-03-20 | 1996-11-23 | Henry Maske | IBF |
| 1996-11-23 | 1997-06-13 | Virgil Hill | IBF |
| 1997-06-13 | 1997-06-16-Vacated | Dariusz Michalczewski | IBF |
| 1997-07-19 | 1998-02-06 | William Guthrie | IBF |
| 1998-02-06 | 1999-06-05 | Reggie Johnson | IBF |
| 1999-06-05 | 2003-03-01-Vacated | Roy Jones Jr. | IBF |
| 2003-04-26 | 2003-11-08-Stripped | Antonio Tarver | IBF |
| 2004-02-06 | 2004-12-Vacated | Glen Johnson | IBF |
| 2005-03-04 | 2008-04-12 | Clinton Woods | IBF |
| 2008-04-12 | 2008-10-11 | Antonio Tarver | IBF |
| 2008-10-11 | 2009-05-27-Vacated | Chad Dawson | IBF |
| 2009-08-28 | 2013-03-09 | Tavoris Cloud | IBF |
| 2013-03-09 | 2014-11-08 | Bernard Hopkins | IBF |
| 2014-11-08 | 2016-11-19 | Sergey Kovalev | IBF |
| 2016-11-19 | 2017-09-21-Vacated | Andre Ward | IBF |
| 2017-11-11 | 2025-02-22 | Artur Beterbiev | IBF |
| 2025-02-22 | Present | Dmitry Bivol | IBF |
| WBO ||||
| Title inaugurated |
| 1988-12-03 | 1990-12-15-Vacated | Michael Moorer | WBO |
| 1991-05-09 | 1994-09-10 | Leeonzer Barber | WBO |
| 1994-09-10 | 2003-10-18 | Dariusz Michalczewski | WBO |
| 2003-10-18 | 2004-01-17 | Julio César González | WBO |
| 2004-01-17 | 2009-11-Vacated | Zsolt Erdei | WBO |
| 2009-11-13 | 2011-05-19-Stripped | Jürgen Brähmer | WBO |
| 2011-05-19 | 2013-08-17 | Nathan Cleverly | WBO |
| 2013-08-17 | 2016-11-19 | Sergey Kovalev | WBO |
| 2016-11-19 | 2017-09-21-Vacated | Andre Ward | WBO |
| 2017-11-25 | 2018-08-04 | Sergey Kovalev | WBO |
| 2018-08-04 | 2019-02-02 | Eleider Álvarez | WBO |
| 2019-02-02 | 2019-11-02 | Sergey Kovalev | WBO |
| 2019-11-02 | 2019-12-17 Vacated | Canelo Álvarez | WBO |
| 2021-04-10 | 2022-06-18 | Joe Smith Jr. | WBO |
| 2022-06-18 | 2025-02-22 | Artur Beterbiev | WBO |
| 2025-02-22 | Present | Dmitry Bivol | WBO |