Beginning with Mysterious Billy Smith to Harry Lewis, the welterweight world champions listed below are more widely recognized in the United States and are not as widely sanctioned as the boxers that follow. Beginning with boxer Pat Bradley, is a chronological widely recognized List of World Welterweight Boxing Champions, as recognized by four of the better-known sanctioning organizations:
| Date won | Date lost | Name | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 December 1892 | 26 July 1894 |  Mysterious Billy Smith | World claim |
| Continued to claim title after losing to Mike "Twin" Sullivan | 1 November 1907 |  William "Honey" Mellody | World claim |
| 1 November 1907 | 23 Jan 1908 | Frank Mantell | World claim |
| 23 Jan 1908 | March 1911-vacated | Harry Lewis | World claim |
| Date won | Date lost | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 October 1888 | 10 July 1890 (died) | Paddy Duffy | World | |
| 17 February 1891 | 20 December 1897 (vacated) | World | ||
| 25 August 1898 | 17 April 1900 | Mysterious Billy Smith | World | |
| 17 April 1900 | 5 June 1900 | Matty Matthews | World | |
| 5 June 1900 | 13 August 1900 | Eddie Connolly | World | |
| 13 August 1900 | 16 October 1900 | Rube Ferns | World | |
| 16 October 1900 | 24 May 1901 | Matty Matthews | World | |
| 24 May 1901 | 18 December 1901 | Rube Ferns | World | |
| 18 December 1901 | 16 October 1906 |  Barbados Joe Walcott | World | |
| 16 October 1906 | 23 April 1907 | William "Honey" Mellody | World | |
| 23 April 1907 | 1908 (vacated) | Mike "Twin" Sullivan | World | |
| 1 April 1912 | 1 January 1914 | Ray Bronson | World | |
| 1 January 1914 | 24 January 1914 |  Waldemar Holberg | World | |
| 24 January 1914 | 21 March 1914 | Tom McCormick | World | |
| 21 March 1914 | 1 June 1915 | Matt Wells | World | |
| 1 June 1915 | 22 June 1915 | Mike Glover | World | |
| 22 June 1915 | 31 August 1915 | Jack Britton | World | |
| 31 August 1915 | 24 April 1916 | Ted Kid Lewis | World | |
| 24 April 1916 | 25 June 1917 | Jack Britton | World | |
| 25 June 1917 | 17 March 1919 | Ted Kid Lewis | World | |
| 17 March 1919 | 1 November 1922 | Jack Britton | World/NYSAC/NBA | |
| 1 November 1922 | 20 May 1926 | Mickey Walker | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 20 May 1926 | 3 June 1927 | Pete Latzo | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 3 June 1927 | 25 July 1929 | Joe Dundee | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 25 July 1929 | 9 May 1930 | Jackie Fields | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 9 May 1930 | 5 September 1930 | Jack Thompson | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 5 September 1930 | 14 April 1931 | Tommy Freeman | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 14 April 1931 | 23 October 1931 | Jack Thompson | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 23 October 1931 | 28 January 1932 | Lou Brouillard | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 28 January 1932 | 22 February 1933 | Jackie Fields | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 22 February 1933 | 29 May 1933 | Young Corbett III | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 29 May 1933 | 28 May 1934 | Jimmy McLarnin | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 28 May 1934 | 17 September 1934 | Barney Ross | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 17 September 1934 | 28 May 1935 | Jimmy McLarnin | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 28 May 1935 | 31 May 1938 | Barney Ross | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 31 May 1938 | 4 October 1940 | Henry Armstrong | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 4 October 1940 | 29 July 1941 | Fritzie Zivic | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 29 July 1941 | 1 February 1946 | Freddie 'Red' Cochrane | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 1 February 1946 | 1 February 1946 (vacated) | Marty Servo | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 20 December 1946 | 9 August 1950 (vacated) | Sugar Ray Robinson | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 14 March 1951 | 18 May 1951 | Johnny Bratton | NBA | |
| 18 May 1951 | 29 August 1951 |  Kid Gavilán | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 4 February 1952 | 20 October 1954 | Kid Gavilán | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 20 October 1954 | 1 April 1955 | Johnny Saxton | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 1 April 1955 | 10 June 1955 | Tony DeMarco | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 10 June 1955 | 14 March 1956 | Carmen Basilio | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 14 March 1956 | 12 September 1956 | Johnny Saxton | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 12 September 1956 | 22 February 1957 (vacated) | Carmen Basilio | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 6 June 1958 | 5 December 1958 | Virgil Akins | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 5 December 1958 | 27 May 1960 | Don Jordan | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 27 May 1960 | 1 April 1961 | Benny 'Kid' Paret | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 1 April 1961 | 30 September 1961 | Emile Griffith | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 30 September 1961 | 24 March 1962 | Benny 'Kid' Paret | NBA/NYSAC | |
| 24 March 1962 | 21 March 1963 | Emile Griffith | NBA/NYSAC—WBA/WBC | |
| Title Splits into WBA and WBC Belts during Griffith's reign | ||||
| 21 March 1963 | 8 June 1963 | Luis Manuel Rodríguez | WBA/WBC | |
| 8 June 1963 | 10 December 1965 (vacated) | Emile Griffith | WBA/WBC | |
| 28 November 1966 | 18 April 1969 | Curtis Cokes | WBA/WBC | |
| 18 April 1969 | 3 December 1970 |  José Nápoles | WBA/WBC | |
| 3 December 1970 | 4 June 1971 | Billy Backus | WBA/WBC | |
| 4 June 1971 | 6 December 1975 | José Nápoles | WBA/WBC | |
| 16 September 1981 | 9 November 1982 (retires) | Sugar Ray Leonard | WBA/WBC | |
| Title Split into WBA, WBC, and IBF Belts | ||||
| 6 December 1985 | 27 September 1986 | Donald Curry | WBA/WBC/IBF | |
| 27 September 1986 | 22 August 1987 | Lloyd Honeyghan | WBA/WBC/IBF | |
| 13 December 2003 | 5 February 2005 | Cory Spinks | WBA/WBC/IBF | |
| 5 February 2005 | 7 January 2006 | Zab Judah | WBA/WBC/IBF | |
| 29 July 2023 | Present | Terence Crawford | WBO/WBA (Super)/WBC/IBF | |
| Date won | Date lost | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Separate WBA and WBC champions began when José Nápoles gives up WBA title[1] | ||||
| 8 December 1962 | 21 March 1963 | Emile Griffith | WBC | |
| 21 March 1963 | 8 June 1963 | Luis Manuel Rodriguez | WBC | |
| 8 June 1963 | 25 April 1966-Vacated | Emile Griffith | WBC | |
| 24 August 1966 | 18 April 1969 | Curtis Cokes | WBC | |
| 18 April 1969 | 3 December 1970 | José Napoles | WBC | |
| 3 December 1970 | 4 June 1971 | Billy Backus | WBC | |
| 4 June 1971 | 6 December 1975 | José Napoles | WBC | |
| 6 December 1975 | 22 June 1976 | John H Stracey | WBC | |
| 22 June 1976 | 14 January 1979 | Carlos Palomino | WBC | |
| 14 January 1979 | 30 November 1979 | Wilfred Benítez | WBC | |
| 30 November 1979 | 20 June 1980 | Sugar Ray Leonard | WBC | |
| 20 June 1980 | 25 November 1980 |  Roberto Durán | WBC | |
| 25 November 1980 | 9 November 1982-Retired | Sugar Ray Leonard | WBC | |
| 13 August 1983 | 6 December 1985 | Milton McCrory | WBC | |
| 6 December 1985 | 27 September 1986 | Donald Curry | WBC | |
| 27 September 1986 | 28 October 1987 | Lloyd Honeyghan | WBC | |
| 28 October 1987 | 29 March 1988 | Jorge Vaca | WBC | |
| 29 March 1988 | 4 February 1989 | Lloyd Honeyghan | WBC | |
| 4 February 1989 | 19 August 1990 | Marlon Starling | WBC | |
| 19 August 1990 | 18 March 1991 | Maurice Blocker | WBC | |
| 18 March 1991 | 29 November 1991 |  Simon Brown | WBC | |
| 29 November 1991 | 6 March 1993 | James McGirt | WBC | |
| 6 March 1993 | 12 April 1997 | Pernell Whitaker | WBC | |
| 12 April 1997 | 18 September 1999 | Oscar De La Hoya | WBC | |
| 18 September 1999 | 3 March 2000- Vacated | Félix Trinidad | WBC | |
| 4 March 2000 | 17 June 2000 | Oscar De La Hoya | WBC | |
| 17 June 2000 | 26 January 2002 | Shane Mosley | WBC | |
| 26 January 2002 | 25 January 2003 | Vernon Forrest | WBC | |
| 25 January 2003 | 13 December 2003 |  Ricardo Mayorga | WBC | |
| 13 December 2003 | 5 February 2005 | Cory Spinks | WBC | |
| 5 February 2005 | 7 January 2006 | Zab Judah | WBC | |
| 7 January 2006 | 4 November 2006 |  Carlos Manuel Baldomir | WBC | |
| 4 November 2006 | 6 June 2008- Retired | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | WBC | |
| 21 June 2008 | 16 April 2011 | Andre Berto | WBC | |
| 16 April 2011 | 17 September 2011 | Victor Ortiz | WBC | |
| 17 September 2011 | 12 September 2015- Retired | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | WBC | |
| 23 January 2016 | 4 March 2017 | Danny García | WBC | |
| 4 March 2017 | 24 April 2018- Vacated | Keith Thurman | WBC | |
| 8 September 2018 | 28 September 2019 | Shawn Porter | WBC | |
| 28 September 2019 | 29 July 2023 | WBC | ||
| 29 July 2023 | 18 June 2024-Stripped | Terence Crawford | WBC | |
| 18 June 2024 | Present | Mario Barrios | WBC | |
| Date won | Date lost | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 December 1962 | 21 March 1963 | Emile Griffith | WBA | |
| 21 March 1963 | 8 June 1963 | Luis Manuel Rodriguez | WBA | |
| 8 June 1963 | 25 April 1966-Vacated | Emile Griffith | WBA | |
| 24 August 1966 | 18 April 1969 | Curtis Cokes | WBA | |
| 18 April 1969 | 3 December 1970 | Jose Napoles | WBA | |
| 3 December 1970 | 4 June 1971 | Billy Backus | WBA | |
| 4 June 1971 | 1975-Stripped | Jose Napoles | WBA | |
| 28 June 1975 | 17 July 1976 | Ángel Espada | WBA | |
| 17 July 1976 | 2 August 1980 | Pipino Cuevas | WBA | |
| 2 August 1980 | 16 September 1981 | Thomas Hearns | WBA | |
| 16 September 1981 | 9 November 1982-Retired | Sugar Ray Leonard | WBA | |
| 13 February 1983 | 27 September 1986 | Donald Curry | WBA | |
| 27 September 1986 | 1987-Vacated | Lloyd Honeyghan | WBA | |
| 6 February 1987 | 22 August 1987 | Mark Breland | WBA | |
| 22 August 1987 | 29 July 1988 | Marlon Starling | WBA | |
| 29 July 1988 | 12 December 1988-Vacated |  Tomas Molinares | WBA | |
| 4 February 1989 | 8 July 1990 | Mark Breland | WBA | |
| 8 July 1990 | 19 January 1991 | Aaron Davis | WBA | |
| 19 January 1991 | 31 October 1992 | Meldrick Taylor | WBA | |
| 31 October 1992 | 4 June 1994 | Crisanto España | WBA | |
| 4 June 1994 | 17 October 1997-Vacated |  Ike Quartey | WBA | |
| 10 October 1998 | 2000-Stripped | James Page | WBA | |
| 17 February 2001 | 30 March 2002 |  Andrew Lewis | WBA | |
| 30 March 2002 | 13 December 2003 | Ricardo Mayorga | WBA Super Champion | |
| 12 September 2003 | 2 April 2005 | Jose Antonio Rivera | WBA Regular Champion | |
| 13 December 2003 | 5 February 2005 | Cory Spinks | WBA Super Champion | |
| 5 February 2005 | 7 January 2006-Stripped | Zab Judah | WBA Super Champion | |
| 2 April 2005 | 13 May 2006 | Luis Collazo | WBA Regular Champion | |
| 13 May 2006 | 31 August 2006-Vacated | Ricky Hatton | WBA | |
| 2 December 2006 | 26 July 2008 | Miguel Cotto | WBA | |
| 26 July 2008 | 24 January 2009 | Antonio Margarito | WBA Super Champion | |
| 3 October 2008 | 10 April 2009 |  Yuriy Nuzhnenko | WBA Regular Champion | |
| 24 January 2009 | 22 May 2010-Stripped | Shane Mosley | WBA Super Champion | |
| 10 April 2009 | 29 April 2012 | Vyacheslav Senchenko | WBA Regular Champion | |
| 29 April 2012 | 22 June 2013 | Paul Malignaggi | WBA | |
| 22 June 2013 | 14 December 2013 | Adrien Broner | WBA | |
| 14 December 2013 | 3 May 2014 | Marcos Maidana | WBA | |
| 3 May 2014 | 11 January 2016-Retired | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | WBA Super Champion | |
| February 2015 | 7 November 2016 | Keith Thurman | WBA Regular Champion | |
| 7 November 2016 | 20 July 2019 | Keith Thurman | WBA Super Champion | |
| 7 November 2016 | 18 February 2017 | David Avanesyan | WBA Regular Champion | |
| 18 February 2017 | 3 October 2017-Vacated | Lamont Peterson | WBA Regular Champion | |
| 27 January 2018 | 15 July 2018 | Lucas Matthysse | WBA Regular Champion | |
| 15 July 2018 | 20 July 2019 | Manny Pacquiao | WBA Regular Champion | |
| 20 July 2019 | 29 January 2021-Stripped | Manny Pacquiao | WBA Super Champion | |
| 6 September 2020 | 29 January 2021-Elevated | Yordenis Ugás | WBA Regular Champion | |
| 29 January 2021 | 16 April 2022 | Yordenis Ugás | WBA Super Champion | |
| 30 October 2021 | 16 April 2022 | Radzhab Butaev | WBA Regular Champion | |
| 16 April 2022 | Present | Eimantas Stanionis | WBA Regular Champion | |
| 16 April 2022 | 29 July 2023 | Errol Spence Jr. | WBA Super Champion | |
| 29 July 2023 | Present | Terence Crawford | WBA Super Champion |
| Date won | Date lost | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title inaugurated | ||||
| 4 February 1984 | 27 September 1986 | Donald Curry | IBF | |
| 27 September 1986 | 28 October 1987-Stripped |  Lloyd Honeyghan | IBF | |
| 23 April 1988 | 4 October 1991-Vacated | Simon Brown | IBF | |
| 4 October 1991 | 19 June 1993 | Maurice Blocker | IBF | |
| 19 June 1993 | 3 March 2000-Vacated | Félix Trinidad | IBF | |
| 12 May 2001 | 12 December 2001-Vacated | Vernon Forrest | IBF | |
| 13 April 2002 | 22 March 2003 |  Michele Piccirillo | IBF | |
| 22 March 2003 | 5 February 2005 | Cory Spinks | IBF | |
| 5 February 2005 | 8 April 2006 | Zab Judah | IBF | |
| 8 April 2006 | 20 June 2006-Vacated | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | IBF | |
| 28 October 2006 | 12 April 2008 | Kermit Cintron | IBF | |
| 12 April 2008 | July 2008-Stripped | Antonio Margarito | IBF | |
| 2 August 2008 | 16 April 2009-Vacated | Joshua Clottey | IBF | |
| 1 August 2009 | 11 December 2009 |  Isaac Hlatshwayo | IBF | |
| 11 December 2009 | 3 September 2011 | Dejan Zavec | IBF | |
| 3 September 2011 | 8 November 2011-Vacated | Andre Berto | IBF | |
| 9 June 2012 | 20 October 2012 | Randall Bailey | IBF | |
| 20 October 2012 | 7 December 2013 | Devon Alexander | IBF | |
| 7 December 2013 | 16 August 2014 | Shawn Porter | IBF | |
| 16 August 2014 | 27 May 2017 | Kell Brook | IBF | |
| 27 May 2017 | 29 July 2023 | Errol Spence Jr. | IBF | |
| 29 July 2023 | 9 November 2023-Stripped | Terence Crawford | IBF | |
| 9 November 2023 | Present | Jaron Ennis | IBF | |
| Date won | Date lost | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title inaugurated | ||||
| 6 May 1989 | 15 December 1989-Vacated | Genaro Leon | WBO | |
| 15 December 1989 | 12 February 1993 | Manning Galloway | WBO | |
| 12 February 1993 | 16 October 1993-Vacated | Gert Bo Jacobsen | WBO | |
| 16 October 1993 | 13 April 1996 |  Eamonn Loughran | WBO | |
| 13 April 1996 | 6 October 1996-Vacated | José Luis López | WBO | |
| 22 February 1997 | 1997-Vacated |  Michael Loewe | WBO | |
| 14 February 1998 | 6 May 2000 | Ahmed Kotiev | WBO | |
| 6 May 2000 | 16 March 2002-Vacated | Daniel Santos | WBO | |
| 16 March 2002 | 14 July 2007 | Antonio Margarito | WBO | |
| 14 July 2007 | 9 February 2008 | Paul Williams | WBO | |
| 9 February 2008 | 7 June 2008 | Carlos Quintana | WBO | |
| 7 June 2008 | 12 November 2008-Vacated | Paul Williams | WBO | |
| 21 February 2009 | 14 November 2009 | Miguel Cotto | WBO | |
| 14 November 2009 | 9 June 2012 | Manny Pacquiao | WBO | |
| 9 June 2012 | 12 April 2014 | Timothy Bradley | WBO | |
| 12 April 2014 | 2 May 2015 | Manny Pacquiao | WBO | |
| 2 May 2015 | 6 July 2015-Stripped | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | WBO | |
| 6 July 2015 | 9 February 2016-Vacated | Timothy Bradley | WBO | |
| 5 March 2016 | 5 November 2016 | Jessie Vargas | WBO | |
| 5 November 2016 | 2 July 2017 | Manny Pacquiao | WBO | |
| 2 July 2017 | 6 June 2018 |  Jeff Horn | WBO | |
| 9 June 2018 | Present | Terence Crawford | WBO | |