| World Welterweight Champions | Cumulative | |||||||||||
| Nat. | Date | Champion | Defeated | Result | W | Days | Years | Notes | W | Days | Years | Rank |
| USA | 7/26/1894 | Tommy Ryan | Mysterious Billy Smith | W-20 | 4 | 1491 | 4.08 | 8 | ||||
| CAN | 8/25/1898 | Mysterious Billy Smith | Matty Matthews | W-25 | 5 | 600 | 1.64 | |||||
| USA | 4/17/1900 | Matty Matthews | Mysterious Billy Smith | KO-19 | 1 | 19 | 0.05 | |||||
| CAN | 5/6/1900 | Eddie Connolly | Matty Matthews | W-25 | 1 | 99 | 0.27 | |||||
| USA | 8/13/1900 | Rube Ferns | Eddie Connolly | KO-15 | 2 | 64 | 0.18 | |||||
| CAN | 10/16/1900 | Matty Matthews | Rube Ferns | W-15 | 2 | 220 | 0.60 | 3 | 239 | 0.65 | ||
| USA | 5/24/1901 | Rube Ferns | Matty Matthews | KO-10 | 3 | 208 | 0.57 | 5 | 272 | 0.75 | ||
| BAR | 12/18/1901 | Barbados Joe Walcott | Rube Ferns | KO-5 | 7 | 1763 | 4.83 | 4 | ||||
| USA | 10/16/1906 | Honey Mellody | Barbados Joe Walcott | W-15 | 3 | 189 | 0.52 | |||||
| USA | 4/23/1907 | Mike 'Twin' Sullivan | Honey Mellody | W-20 | 4 | 583 | 1.60 | |||||
| IRL | 11/26/1908 | Jimmy Gardner | Jimmy Clabby | W-15 | 4 | 706 | 1.93 | (1) | ||||
| USA | 11/2/1910 | Jimmy Clabby | Bob Bryant | KO-7 | 2 | 76 | 0.21 | |||||
| 1/17/1911 | Vacant | 1080 | 2.96 | |||||||||
| DEN | 1/1/1914 | Waldemar Holberg | Ray Bronson | W-20 | 1 | 23 | 0.06 | |||||
| IRL | 1/24/1914 | Tom McCormick | Waldemar Holberg | DQ-6 | 2 | 56 | 0.15 | |||||
| ENG | 3/21/1914 | Matt Wells | Tom McCormick | W-20 | 1 | 437 | 1.20 | |||||
| USA | 6/1/1915 | Mike Glover | Matt Wells | W-12 | 1 | 21 | 0.06 | |||||
| USA | 6/22/1915 | Jack Britton | Mike Glover | W-12 | 1 | 70 | 0.19 | |||||
| ENG | 8/31/1915 | Ted 'Kid' Lewis | Jack Britton | W-12 | 6 | 183 | 0.50 | |||||
| USA | 3/1/1916 | Jack Britton | Ted 'Kid' Lewis | W-20 | 5 | 481 | 1.32 | |||||
| ENG | 6/25/1917 | Ted 'Kid' Lewis | Jack Britton | W-20 | 3 | 630 | 1.73 | 9 | 813 | 2.23 | ||
| USA | 3/17/1919 | Jack Britton | Ted 'Kid' Lewis | KO-9 | 11 | 1325 | 3.63 | 17 | 1876 | 5.14 | 3 | |
| USA | 11/1/1922 | Mickey Walker | Jack Britton | W-15 | 5 | 1296 | 3.55 | 10 | ||||
| USA | 5/20/1926 | Pete Latzo | Mickey Walker | W-10 | 2 | 379 | 1.04 | |||||
| ITA | 6/3/1927 | Joe Dundee (Lazzaro) | Pete Latzo | W-15 | 2 | 783 | 2.15 | |||||
| USA | 7/25/1929 | Jackie Fields | Joe Dundee | DQ-2 | 1 | 288 | 0.79 | |||||
| USA | 5/9/1930 | Young Jack Thompson | Jackie Fields | W-15 | 1 | 119 | 0.33 | |||||
| USA | 9/5/1930 | Tommy Freeman | Young Jack Thompson | W-15 | 1 | 221 | 0.61 | |||||
| USA | 4/14/1931 | Young Jack Thompson | Tommy Freeman | KO-12 | 1 | 192 | 0.53 | 2 | 311 | 0.85 | ||
| CAN | 10/23/1931 | Lou Brouillard | Young Jack Thompson | W-15 | 1 | 97 | 0.27 | |||||
| USA | 1/28/1932 | Jackie Fields | Lou Brouillard | W-10 | 1 | 391 | 1.07 | 2 | 679 | 1.86 | ||
| ITA | 2/22/1933 | Young Corbett III | Jackie Fields | W-10 | 1 | 96 | 0.26 | |||||
| IRL | 5/29/1933 | Jimmy McLarnin | Young Corbett III | KO-1 | 1 | 364 | 1.00 | |||||
| USA | 5/28/1934 | Barney Ross | Jimmy McLarnin | W-15 | 1 | 112 | 0.31 | |||||
| IRL | 9/17/1934 | Jimmy McLarnin | Barney Ross | W-15 | 1 | 253 | 0.69 | 2 | 617 | 1.69 | ||
| USA | 5/28/1935 | Barney Ross | Jimmy McLarnin | W-15 | 3 | 1099 | 3.01 | 4 | 1211 | 3.32 | 12 | |
| USA | 5/31/1938 | Henry Armstrong | Barney Ross | W-15 | 20 | 857 | 2.35 | |||||
| USA | 10/4/1940 | Fritzie Zivic | Henry Armstrong | W-15 | 2 | 298 | 0.82 | |||||
| 7/29/1941 | Vacant | 1648 | 4.52 | (2) | ||||||||
| USA | 2/1/1946 | Marty Servo | Freddie Cochrane | KO-4 | 1 | 226 | 0.62 | |||||
| 9/15/1946 | Vacant | 96 | 0.26 | |||||||||
| USA | 12/20/1946 | Sugar Ray Robinson | Tommy Bell | W-15 | 6 | 1545 | 4.23 | 6 | ||||
| USA | 3/14/1951 | Johnny Bratton | Charlie Fusari | W-15 | 1 | 65 | 0.18 | |||||
| CUB | 5/18/1951 | Kid Gavilan | Johnny Bratton | W-15 | 8 | 1251 | 3.43 | 11 | ||||
| USA | 10/20/1954 | Johnny Saxton | Kid Gavilan | W-15 | 1 | 163 | 0.45 | |||||
| USA | 4/1/1955 | Tony DeMarco | Johnny Saxton | KO-14 | 1 | 70 | 0.19 | |||||
| USA | 6/10/1955 | Carmen Basilio | Tony DeMarco | KO-12 | 2 | 278 | 0.76 | |||||
| USA | 3/14/1956 | Johnny Saxton | Carmen Basilio | W-15 | 1 | 182 | 0.50 | 2 | 345 | 0.95 | ||
| USA | 9/12/1956 | Carmen Basilio | Johnny Saxton | KO-9 | 2 | 376 | 1.03 | 4 | 654 | 1.79 | ||
| 9/23/1957 | Vacant | 255 | 0.70 | |||||||||
| USA | 6/5/1958 | Virgil Akins | Vince Martinez | KO-4 | 1 | 183 | 0.50 | |||||
| USA | 12/5/1958 | Don Jordan | Virgil Akins | W-15 | 3 | 539 | 1.48 | |||||
| CUB | 5/27/1960 | Benny 'Kid' Paret | Don Jordan | W-15 | 2 | 309 | 0.85 | |||||
| VIR | 4/1/1961 | Emile Griffith | Benny 'Kid' Paret | KO-13 | 2 | 182 | 0.50 | |||||
| CUB | 9/30/1961 | Benny 'Kid' Paret | Emile Griffith | W-15 | 1 | 175 | 0.48 | 3 | 484 | 1.33 | ||
| VIR | 3/24/1962 | Emile Griffith | Benny 'Kid' Paret | KO-12 | 3 | 362 | 0.99 | |||||
| CUB | 3/21/1963 | Luis Rodriguez | Emile Griffith | W-15 | 1 | 79 | 0.22 | |||||
| VIR | 6/8/1963 | Emile Griffith | Luis Rodriguez | W-15 | 5 | 1052 | 2.88 | 10 | 1596 | 4.37 | 5 | |
| 4/25/1966 | Vacant | 121 | 0.33 | |||||||||
| USA | 8/24/1966 | Curtis Cokes | Manuel Gonzalez | W-15 | 6 | 968 | 2.65 | |||||
| CUB | 4/18/1969 | Jose Napoles | Curtis Cokes | KO-13 | 4 | 594 | 1.63 | |||||
| USA | 12/3/1970 | Billy Backus | Jose Napoles | KO-4 | 1 | 183 | 0.50 | |||||
| CUB | 6/4/1971 | Jose Napoles | Billy Backus | KO-8 | 11 | 1646 | 4.51 | 15 | 2240 | 6.14 | 1 | |
| ENG | 12/6/1975 | John H. Stracey | Jose Napoles | KO-6 | 2 | 199 | 0.55 | |||||
| MEX | 6/22/1976 | Carlos Palomino | John H. Stracey | KO-12 | 8 | 936 | 2.56 | |||||
| PRI | 1/14/1979 | Wilfredo Benitez | Carlos Palomino | W-15 | 2 | 320 | 0.88 | |||||
| USA | 11/30/1979 | Sugar Ray Leonard | Wilfredo Benitez | KO-15 | 2 | 203 | 0.56 | |||||
| PAN | 6/20/1980 | Roberto Duran | Sugar Ray Leonard | W-15 | 1 | 158 | 0.43 | |||||
| USA | 11/25/1980 | Sugar Ray Leonard | Roberto Duran | KO-8 | 4 | 844 | 2.31 | 6 | 1047 | 2.87 | 13 | |
| 3/19/1983 | Vacant | 147 | 0.40 | |||||||||
| USA | 8/13/1983 | Milton McCrory | Colin Jones | W-12 | 6 | 846 | 2.32 | |||||
| USA | 12/6/1985 | Donald Curry | Milton McCrory | KO-2 | 1 | 295 | 0.81 | |||||
| JAM | 9/27/1986 | Lloyd Honeyghan | Donald Curry | KO-6 | 4 | 396 | 1.08 | |||||
| MEX | 10/28/1987 | Jorge Vaca | Lloyd Honeyghan | W-8 | 1 | 153 | 0.42 | |||||
| JAM | 3/29/1988 | Lloyd Honeyghan | Jorge Vaca | KO-3 | 2 | 312 | 0.85 | 6 | 708 | 1.94 | ||
| USA | 2/4/1989 | Marlon Starling | Lloyd Honeyghan | KO-9 | 2 | 561 | 1.54 | |||||
| USA | 8/19/1990 | Maurice Blocker | Marlon Starling | W-12 | 1 | 211 | 0.58 | |||||
| JAM | 3/18/1991 | Simon Brown | Maurice Blocker | KO-10 | 1 | 256 | 0.70 | |||||
| USA | 11/29/1991 | Buddy McGirt | Simon Brown | W-12 | 3 | 463 | 1.27 | |||||
| USA | 3/6/1993 | Pernell Whitaker | Buddy McGirt | W-12 | 9 | 1498 | 4.10 | 7 | ||||
| USA | 4/12/1997 | Oscar De La Hoya | Pernell Whitaker | W-12 | 8 | 889 | 2.44 | |||||
| PRI | 9/18/1999 | Felix Trinidad | Oscar De La Hoya | W-12 | 1 | 273 | 0.75 | |||||
| USA | 6/17/2000 | Shane Mosley | Oscar De La Hoya | W-12 | 4 | 588 | 1.61 | |||||
| USA | 1/26/2002 | Vernon Forrest | Shane Mosley | W-12 | 2 | 364 | 1.00 | |||||
| NIC | 1/25/2003 | Ricardo Mayorga | Vernon Forrest | KO-3 | 2 | 322 | 0.88 | |||||
| USA | 12/13/2003 | Cory Spinks | Ricardo Mayorga | W-12 | 3 | 420 | 1.15 | |||||
| USA | 2/5/2005 | Zab Judah | Cory Spinks | KO-9 | 3 | 336 | 0.92 | |||||
| ARG | 1/7/2006 | Carlos Baldomir | Zab Judah | W-12 | 2 | 301 | 0.82 | |||||
| USA | 11/4/2006 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | Carlos Baldomir | W-12 | 2 | 580 | 1.59 | |||||
| 6/6/2008 | Vacant | 50 | 0.14 | |||||||||
| MEX | 7/26/2008 | Antonio Margarito | Miguel Angel Cotto | KO-11 | 1 | 182 | 0.50 | |||||
| USA | 1/24/2009 | Shane Mosley | Antonio Margarito | KO-9 | 1 | 462 | 1.27 | 5 | 1050 | 2.88 | 14 | |
| USA | 5/1/2010 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | Shane Mosley | W-12 | 2 | 735 | 2.01 | |||||
| 5/5/2012 | Vacant | 35 | 0.10 | |||||||||
| PHI | 6/9/2012 | Manny Pacquiao | Timothy Bradley | W-12 | 1 | 182 | 0.50 | (3) | ||||
| MEX | 12/8/2012 | Juan Manuel Marquez | Manny Pacquiao | KO-6 | 1 | 308 | 0.84 | |||||
| USA | 10/12/2013 | Timothy Bradley | Juan Manuel Marquez | W-12 | 1 | 182 | 0.50 | |||||
| PHI | 4/12/2014 | Manny Pacquiao | Timothy Bradley | W-12 | 2 | 385 | 1.05 | |||||
| USA | 5/2/2015 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | Manny Pacquiao | W-12 | 2 | 134 | 0.37 | 6 | 1449 | 3.97 | 9 | |
| 9/13/2015 | Vacant | 209 | 0.57 | |||||||||
| PHI | 4/9/2016 | Manny Pacquiao | Timothy Bradley | W-12 | 2 | 449 | 1.23 | 5 | 1016 | 2.78 | 15 | |
| AUS | 7/2/2017 | Jeff Horn | Manny Pacquiao | W-12 | 2 | 342 | 0.94 | (4) | ||||
| USA | 6/9/2018 | Terence Crawford | Jeff Horn | KO-9 | 8 | 2170 | 5.95 | 2 | ||||
| 5/18/2024 | ||||||||||||
| Notes | ||||||||||||
| (1) | Sullivan relinquished the title in October 1908. Clabby was recognized champion when he defeated Australian champion Bryant, having drawn with Gardner. | |||||||||||
| (2) | On 7/29/41, Freddie Cochrane "defeated" Zivic in a bout fixed by the mob. He lost all four of his non-title fights in 1942 and 1945, and his only "defense" in 1946. | |||||||||||
| (3) | The ringside judges incredibly scored a victory for Bradley, leading to public outrage and an unprecedented video review by the WBO, where all five judges found Pacquiao the victor. | |||||||||||
| (4) | This highly controversial unanimous decision was confirmed by a WBO review, where 3 of 5 judges found for Horn, who also won 7 of 12 rounds on combined scorecards. | |||||||||||