The Lineal Welterweight Champs The following list gives credit to "The Man Who Beat The Man." As always, ludicrous decisions of "sanctioning bodies" are ignored. Explore our On-Line Boxing Encyclopedia for more info. Comments can be sent to the Editors.Ciao!

• Paddy Duffy (1888-1890, died 7/19/1890)
• "Mysterious" Billy Smith (1892-1894)
• Tommy Ryan (1894-1898, vacates title)
• "Mysterious" Billy Smith (1898-1900)
• William "Matty" Matthews(1900)
• Eddie Connolly (1900)
• James "Rube" Ferns (1900)
• William "Matty" Matthews (1900-1901)
• James "Rube" Ferns (1901)
• Joe Walcott (1901-1904)
• Dixie Kid (1904, outgrows division)
• Billy "Honey" Mellody (1906-1907)
• Mike "Twin" Sullivan (1907-1908, vacates title)

  1908-1914 -- A mad scramble for the welterweight title followed Sullivan's reign. Among the claimants were Frank Mantell, Harry Lewis, Jimmy Gardner, Jimmy Clabby, Perry "Kid" Graves and future champs Jack Britton and Ted "Kid" Lewis.

• Waldemar Holberg (1914)
• Tom McCormick (1914)
• Matt Wells (1914-1915)
• Mike Glover (1915)
• Jack Britton (1915)
• Ted "Kid" Lewis (1915-1916)
• Jack Britton (1916-1917)
• Ted "Kid' Lewis (1917-1919)
• Jack Britton (1919-1922)
• Mickey Walker (1922-1926)
• Pete Latzo (1926-1927)
• Joe Dundee (1927-1929)
• Jackie Fields (1929-1930)
• "Young" Jack Thompson (1930)
• Tommy Freeman (1930-1931)
• "Young" Jack Thompson (1931)
• Lou Brouillard (1931-1932)
• Jackie Fields (1932-1933)
• Young Corbett III (1933)
• Jimmy McLarnin (1933-1934)
• Barney Ross (1934)
• Jimmy McLarnin (1934-1935)
• Barney Ross (1935-1938)
• Henry Armstrong (1938-1940)
• Fritzie Zivic (1940-1941)
• Freddie "Red" Cochrane (1941-1946)
• Marty Servo (1946, vacates title)
• "Sugar" Ray Robinson (1946; vacates crown 1950)
• Kid Gavilan (1951-1954)
• Johnny Saxton (1954-1955)
• Tony DeMarco (1955)
• Carmen Basilio (1955-1956)
• Johnny Saxton (1956)
• Carmen Basilio (1956-1957, relinquishes crown)
• Virgil Akins (1958)
• Don Jordan (1958-1960)
• Benny "Kid" Paret (1960-1961)
• Emile Griffith (1961)
• Benny "Kid" Paret (1961-1962)
• Emile Griffith (1962-1963)
  
• Luis Manuel Rodriguez (1963)
• Emile Griffith (1963-1966, vacates title)
• Curtis Cokes (1966-1969)
• Jose "Mantequilla" Napoles (1969-1970)
• Billy Backus (1970-1971)
• Jose "Mantequilla" Napoles (1971-1975)
• John H. Stracey(1975-1976)
• Carlos Palomino (1976-1979)
• Wilfred Benitez(1979)
• "Sugar" Ray Leonard(1979-1980)
• Roberto Duran (1980)
• "Sugar" Ray Leonard (1980-1982, vacated title )
• Donald Curry (1985-1986)
• Lloyd Honeyghan (1986-1987)
• Jorge Vaca (1987-1988)
• Lloyd Honeyghan (1988-1989)
• Marlon Starling (1989-1990)
• Maurice Blocker (1990-1991)
• Simon Brown (1991)
• James "Buddy" McGirt (1991-1993)
• Pernell Whitaker (1993-1997)
• Oscar De La Hoya (1997-1999)
• Felix Trinidad, Jr. (1999-2000, vacates title)
• "Sugar" Shane Mosley (2000-2002)
• Vernon Forrest (2002-2003)
• Ricardo Mayorga
• Cory Spinks (2003 to date)