THE CYBER BOXING ZONE presents The Featherweight Champions The following list gives credit to "The Man Who Beat The Man." We are continually adding biographies and full records, so check back Comments can be sent to The Research Staff. Ciao! Torpedo Billy Murphy (1890-1891) Young Griffo (1891 moves up in weight) George Dixon (1891-1897) Solly Smith (1897-1898) Dave Sullivan (1898) George Dixon (1898-1900) Terry McGovern (1900-1901) Young Corbett II (1901-1902, vacates title) Abe Attell (1903-1912) Johnny Kilbane (1912-1923) Eugene Criqui (1923) Johnny Dundee (1923 through August 1924, gave up title) Louis "Kid" Kaplan (1925, resigned title Jul 1926) Tony Canzoneri(1928) Andre Routis (1928-1929) Bat Battalino (1929- Mar. 1932, relinquishes title) 1932-1937: title claimants include Tommy Paul, Kid Chocolate (resigned NBA title 1934), Freddie Miller, Baby Arizmendi, Mike Belloise, and Petey Sarron Henry Armstrong (1937-1938, vacates title) Joey Archibald (1939-1940) Harry Jeffra (1940-1941) Joey Archibald (1941) Albert "Chalky" Wright (1941-1942) Willie Pep (1942-1948) Joseph "Sandy" Saddler (1948-1949) Willie Pep (1949-1950) Joseph "Sandy" Saddler (1950-1957, retires 1/21/57) Hogan "Kid" Bassey (1957-1959) Davey Moore (1959-1963) Ultiminio "Sugar" Ramos (1963-1964) Vicente Saldivar (1964 retires October 14, 1967) Johnny Famechon (1969-1970) Vicente Saldivar (1970) Kuniaki Shibata (1970-1972) Clemente Sanchez (1972) Jose Legra (1972-1973) Eder Jofre [1973-1974, fizzles out] Alexis Arguello (1975-1977, moves up to Junior Lightweight) Danny "Little Red" Lopez (1979-1980) Salvador Sanchez (1980-1982, killed in car accident) Eusebio Pedroza (1983-1986) Barry McGuigan (1986) Stevie Cruz (1986-1987) Antonio Esparragoza (1987-1991) Yong-Kyun Park (1991-1993) Eloy Rojas (1993-1996) Wilfredo Vazquez (1996-1998) Naseem Hamed (1998 - 2001) Marco Antonio Barerra (2001-2003) Manny Pacquiao (2003-2005) The Junior Lightweight Champions The Junior Lightweight Division was created in 1920 by the New York State Legislature (the "Walker Law"). The following list gives credit to "The Man Who Beat The Man." As always, ludicrous decisions of "sanctioning bodies" are ignored. We are continually adding biographies and to our complete set of records, so check back. Explore our On-Line Boxing Encyclopedia for more info. Comments can be sent to the Editors.Ciao! Johnny Dundee, the Scotch Wop (1921-1923) Jack Bernstein (1923) Johnny Dundee, the Scotch Wop (1923-1924) Steve (Kid) Sullivan (1924-1925) Mike Ballerino (1925) Tod Morgan (1925-1929) Benny Bass (1929-1931) Kid Chocolate, the Cuban Bon Bon (1931-1933) Frankie Klick (1933, Klick moved up to Junior welter in 1934, title fell vacant) Sandy Saddler (1949-1957) Harold Gomes (1959-1960) Gabriel "Flash" Elorde (1960-1967) Yoshiaki Numata (1967) Hiroshi Kobayashi (1967-1971) Alfredo Marcano (1971-1972) Ben Villaflor (1972-1973) Kuniaki Shibata (1973) Ben Villaflor (1973-1976) Samuel Serrano (1976--1980) Yasutsune "Guts" Uehara (1980-1981) Samuel Serrano (1981-1983) Roger Mayweather (1983-1984) Rocky Lockridge (1984-1985) Wilfredo "Bazooka" Gomez (1985-1986) Alfredo Layne (1986) Brian Mitchell (1986-1991, retired) Azumah Nelson {gained recognition by Cyber Boxing Zone, 1996} Genaro Hernandez 1997-1998) Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (1998-2001, moved to Lightweight) Manny Pacquiao (2008, defeated Juan Manuel Marquez as clear #1 vs #2; vacated title) THE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING CHAMPIONS The following list gives credit to "The Man Who Beat The Man." We will be adding biographies and full records soon, so check back. Comments can be sent to the Research Staff. Pictured at left is Bob Foster with Mike DeLisa at the 1996 Inductions for the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Ciao! Jack Root (1903) George Gardner (1903) Bob Fitzsimmons (1903-1905) Philadelphia Jack O'Brien (1905; Never defended) O'Brien never defended the title and it became moribund. Several claimed the title, including Bob Fitzsimmons and NY "commission" champion, Bob Moha. Jack Dillon became the "man" with his wins over Hugo Kelly, Levinsky , and Moha. Jack Dillon (1914-1916) Battling Levinsky (1916-1920) Georges Carpentier (1920-1922) Battling Siki (1922-1923) Mike McTigue (1923-1925) Paul Berlenbach (1925-1926) Jack Delaney (1926-1927; Never defended) Tommy Loughran (1927; Vacated title 1929) The New York Commission named Jimmy Slattery as Champ following his victory over Lou Scozza in Feb. 1930. Maxie Rosenbloom beat Slattery and was generally recognized as champ by all but the NBA, who named George Nichols in Mar. 1932. Nichols lost to Lou Scozza, and Rosenbloom defeated Scozza in July 1932 for the undisputed title. Maxie Rosenbloom (1932-1934) Bob Olin (1934-1935) John Henry Lewis (1935-Jun 1939; Retired) Tiger Jack Fox won the NYS version, then lost to Melio Bettina. The NBA then agreed with the NYS Commission that they would recognize the winner of Bettina and Billy Conn as undisputed champion. Conn won. Billy Conn (1939; Vacated title May 1941) Gus Lesnevich (1941-1948) Freddie Mills (1948-1950) Joey Maxim (1950-1952) Archie Moore (1952-1962) Moore is stripped by various organizations and ultimately gives up the title. Harold Johnson beat Doug Jones for the unndisputed title. Harold Johnson (1962-1963) Willie Pastrano (1963-1965) Jose Torres (1965-1966) Dick Tiger (1966-1968) Bob Foster (1968; Retired September 16 1974) Claimants following Foster's retirement included John Conteh, Victor Galindez, Miguel Angel Cuello, Mate Parlov, Marvin Johnson, Mike Rossman, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, and Dwight Braxton, who then changed his name to Dwight Qawi (1981-1983). Michael Spinks defeated Eddie Mustafa in July 1981 for the WBA title, Braxton defeated Matthew Saad, for the WBC title in December 1981. Qawi lost a 15-round decision to Spinks in Mar. 1983 for the undisputed title Michael Spinks (1983-September 1985; Vacated title) Virgil Hill (1996 - 1997) Dariusz Michalczewski (1997-2003) Julio Cesar Gonzalez (2003-2004) Zsolt Erdei (2004-2009; Vacated title) Jean Pascal (2010-2011) Bernard Hopkins (2011-2012) Chad Dawson (2012-Present) Jack Root (Janos Ruthaly) BORN May 26 1876; Fryhelge, Bohemia, Czechoslovakian Republic DIED June 10 1963; Los Angeles, California HEIGHT 5-10 WEIGHT 155-172 lbs MANAGER Lou Houseman Root was a good boxer and a good hitter; Lou Houseman, Root's manager and promoter, created the Light Heavyweight division in 1903 and Jack won the first bout for the Light Heavyweight Championship of the World During World War I, Jack served as a lieutenant in the United States Army and also was the boxing instructor at the Arcadian Balloon School. Afterwards, he became the President and boxing manager for the famous Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles; He resigned that position in February, 1926 to work in the theatrical business Nat Fleischer ranked Root as the #5 All-Time Light Heavyweight; Charley Rose ranked him as the #9 All-Time Light Heavyweight; Root was elected to the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1961 Root-Gardner 1903 Fight Video Clip (Press the button at the top of the screen to return) 1897 Nov 12 Charles Upton Chicago, Il KO 4 Dec 24 Pat Brastand Chicago, Il KO 3 1898 Jan 8 Charles Withey Chicago, Il KO 2 -Some sources report "Young Charlie White" Jan 15 George Hipp Chicago, Il KO 1 Jan 29 Mike Carrall Chicago, Il TK 1 Feb 7 Billy Philleth Chicago, Il KO 1 Feb 12 Charles Withey Chicago, Il KO 3 Feb 22 George Ryan Milwaukee, Wi NC 1 -Police intervened Feb 26 Mike Carroll Chicago, Il W 6 Mar 12 Jack Hammond Chicago, Il W 6 Mar 26 Jack Moffatt Chicago, Il W 6 -Some sources report 2/26/98 May 14 Jack Moffatt Chicago, Il W 6 May 31 Tom Casey Chicago, Il KO 1 Jul 22 Tom Lansing New York, NY TK 6 -Some sources report "W 6" Aug 5 Jim Watts New York, NY TK 2 Aug 19 Jack Murphy Philadelphia, Pa KO 2 Oct 29 Pete Manning Chicago, Il W 4 Nov 15 Tom Lansing Chicago, Il KO 5 -Lansing died 1/21/99 Dec 30 "Australian" Jim Ryan Chicago, Il W 6 1899 Jan 21 Harry Peppers Chicago, Il W 6 Feb 16 Billy Stift Davenport, Ia WF 7 Apr 29 Dick Moore Chicago, Il KO 2 May 15 "Australian" Jim Ryan Louisville, Ky D 20 -Some sources report "W 20" Jun 7 Tom Burke Chicago, Il KO 7 Jun 21 Jack Gorman Chicago, Il KO 2 Jul 7 Fred Grant Chicago, Il KO 3 Aug 12 John Banks Chicago, Il KO 1 Aug 21 Tom Casey Chicago, Il KO 1 Sep 23 Billy Stift Chicago, Il W 6 Oct 3 Frank Craig Chicago, Il W 6 Oct 15 Frank Craig Chicago, Il W 6 Oct 18 Frank Steiner Racine, Wi KO 3 Nov 15 Alec Greggains San Francisco, Ca KO 7 -Some sources report "KO 6" 1900 Jan 9 Tommy West Chicago, Il W 6 Feb 5 Jack Hammond Milwaukee, Wi KO 2 Feb 20 Ed Denfass Chicago, Il KO 4 Jul 10 Dick O'Brien Chicago, Il W 6 Jul 24 Tommy Ryan Chicago, Il D 6 Oct 4 Dan Creedon Kansas City, Mo KO 1 Oct 16 Dick O'Brien Chicago, Il KO 3 Nov 16 Joe Ashley Manistee, Mi KO 2 1901 Jan 18 George Byers San Francisco, Ca KO 9 Jun 28 Kid Carter San Francisco, Ca WF 15 Oct 30 "Australian" Jim Ryan Louisville, Ky KO 2 1902 Jan 31 George Gardner San Francisco, Ca WF 7 Apr 26 Billy Stift Chicago, Il KO 2 Aug 18 George Gardner Salt Lake City, Ut LT 17 Oct 27 Kid Carter Chicago, Il W 6 Nov 10 Marvin Hart Chicago, Il W 6 1903 Apr 22 Charles "Kid" McCoy Detroit, Mi W 10 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World Jul 4 George Gardner Fort Erie, Ont, Can LT 12 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World; Some sources report