Boxing
The Best Lightweight Boxing Champions of All Time
The lightweight division is one of the oldest weight classes in boxing history, dating way back to 1738. It makes sense that boxing would begin to divide weights in the early days between heavy and light; then middle came soon after.
Roberto Duran fights Sugar Ray Leonard//Getty Images
Due to its extensive history, it has produced some of the most iconic names in the sport. Even today, the lightweight division’s current champions are some of the best in the entire boxing world. Three of the four reigning lightweight champs are three-weight world champions, proving just how competitive and talented the historic weight class really is.
Read on to learn all about this 300-year-old celebrated class and who were the best of the bunch.
Introduction
The first records of the lightweight division dates all the way back to 1738, when English pugilist Jack Broughton established his ‘Broughton’s Rules’ (drafted in 1743), which were essentially the first-ever guidelines laid out for boxing matches. Prior to this, the loose rules varied from contest to contest, but Broughton created just seven stipulations to make matches stricter and safer.
Later, his list was revised by the London Prize Ring Rules in 1838, outlawing butting, gouging, scratching, kicking, hitting a man while down, holding the ropes, and using resin, stones or hard objects in the hands, and biting.
In 1823, the ‘Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue’ determined the limit for lightweight at 168lbs (12 stone / 76.2kg), which is the weight limit for super-middleweight today. However, the ‘Sportsman’s Slang’ in the same year, stated that the limit was 154lbs (11 stone / 69.9kg), which is today’s super-welterweight limit.
In 1867, the famous Queensberry Rules were published, which gave birth to modern boxing. The biggest change was mandating the use of boxing gloves. At this time, there were only five weight divisions: Feather, light, welter, middle, heavyweight.
Now, there are at least 17 weight classes in boxing, but ‘the original eight’, which were established by the National Sporting Club in London in 1909, were heavy, light-heavy, middle, welter, light, feather, bantam and flyweight.
The lightweight division only became set at 135lbs in 1920 by Walker Law, which is still adhered to today.
Read on to find out who the best 135lbs fighters in boxing history are.
Methodology
The rankings were determined based on the following measurable criteria:
Career Record (40%): Number of wins and losses to reflect overall dominance.
Knockouts (30%): A boxer’s ability to finish fights decisively.
Titles Held (20%): The significance and duration of championship reigns.
Notable Achievements (10%): Key accomplishments, such as unification or historic milestones.
Sources Used:
- BoxRec
- Wikipedia: Historical analysis and contextual insights.
Critical Consensus: Ranking the Best Lightweight Boxing Champions
| Rank | Boxer | Notable Stats & Achievements | BoxRec Rank | Wikipedia Rank |
| 1 | Benny Leonard | 89 wins, 22 losses, 40 KOs; Undisputed Lightweight Champion (1917-1925) | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | Roberto Duran | 103 wins, 16 losses, 70 KOs; WBA Lightweight Champion (1972-1979) | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Joe Gans | 145 wins, 10 losses, 100 KOs; First African-American World Lightweight Champion (1902-1908) | 4 | 2 |
| 4 | Pernell Whitaker | 40 wins, 4 losses, 17 KOs; IBF Lightweight Champion (1990-1992) | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | Ike Williams | 68 wins, 6 losses, 47 KOs; Undisputed Lightweight Champion (1947-1951) | 6 | 5 |
| 6 | Carlos Ortiz | 61 wins, 7 losses, 30 KOs; WBA Lightweight Champion (1959-1962) | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | Vasiliy Lomachenko | 16 wins, 2 losses, 11 KOs; WBO Lightweight Champion (2018-2020) | 7 | 7 |
| 8 | Gervonta Davis | 28 wins, 0 losses, 25 KOs; WBA Lightweight Champion (2019-2021) | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | Ken Buchanan | 61 wins, 8 losses, 27 KOs; WBA Lightweight Champion (1970-1972) | 10 | 9 |
| 10 | Artur Grigorian | 38 wins, 1 loss, 22 KOs; WBO Lightweight Champion for 7 years, 6 months, and 20 days | NR | 10 |
SportsBoom MetaScale: Ranking the Lightweight Legends
| Rank | Boxer | Career Record (40%) | KOs (30%) | Titles Held (20%) | Notable Achievements (10%) | MetaScale Score |
| 1 | Roberto Duran | 40 | 21 | 19 | 10 | 90 |
| 2 | Benny Leonard | 38 | 12 | 20 | 10 | 80 |
| 3 | Joe Gans | 37 | 30 | 10 | 8 | 85 |
| 4 | Pernell Whitaker | 35 | 10 | 20 | 10 | 75 |
| 5 | Ike Williams | 36 | 14 | 20 | 5 | 75 |
| 6 | Carlos Ortiz | 33 | 9 | 20 | 7 | 69 |
| 7 | Vasiliy Lomachenko | 20 | 5 | 18 | 8 | 51 |
| 8 | Gervonta Davis | 25 | 18 | 10 | 7 | 60 |
| 9 | Ken Buchanan | 32 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 59 |
| 10 | Artur Grigorian | 30 | 10 | 15 | 3 | 58 |
Benny Leonard
Benny Leonard and Billy Townsend
“The Ghetto Wizard” is known for being the most cerebral fighter of all-time. “Benny the Great” regained as undisputed championship when the lightweight division was at its strongest in 1917.
The New Yorker scalped a long line of great fighters including Lew Tendler, Johnny Dundee, Rocky Kansas, Ritchie Mitchell, Johnny Kilbane, Freddie Welsh, Willie Ritchie.
During 1912 to 1932, Benny suffered just one single defeat over 20 years! He retired in 1932 with a record of 185-22-9, 70KO, and is widely considered to be one of the best boxers of all-time.
The first-ever world lightweight champion was Irish-born American Jack McAuliffe between 1886-1893, and is only one of 15 world champions in boxing to retire undefeated, with 27 wins and 11 draws.
Roberto Duran
Panamanian Roberto Duran was known as “Hands of Stone” during his incredible career that spanned five decades between 1968-2001. He is one of only two boxers in history to have competed over five decades, along with the legendary Jack Johnson.
During those 33 years, he won world titles in four different weight categories, from lightweight to middleweight. However, he experienced fights in eight categories from super-featherweight right up to light-heavyweight.
Having started boxing and sparring at eight-years-old, he turned pro shortly after at 16. At 21, he battered Scottish boxing legend Ken Buchanan at Madison Square Garden to win the WBA and Ring lightweight titles, which he retained for seven years and a record 12 defences.
Joe Gans
Known as “The Old Master”, Joe Gans reigned as the world lightweight champion from 1902-1908, making 15 defences of the title.
The Baltimore boxer became the first African-American world champion of the 20th century when he defeated Frank Erne in just 100 seconds on May 12, 1902 in Ontario, Canada.
American hero Gans is rated by many, including Ring Magazine founder Nat Fleischer, as the no.1 lightweight of all-time.
A bronze statue of Joe Gans stands on the suite floor of the iconic boxing venue, Madison Square Garden, and boxers will traditionally bump the left fist for good luck when walking past.
Pernell Whitaker
Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker was one of the sport’s greatest defensive boxers of all-time. His style of boxing, with such reactive, reflexive, instinctive, elusive movement is what earned him the nickname “Sweet Pea” and made him one of the most inspirational fighters to future generations, who would study his style and imitate it.
As an amateur, Whitaker won a silver medal in the lightweight division at the 1982 World Championships, followed by gold at the 1983 Pan American Games and 1984 Olympic Games.
As a pro, he became a four-weight world champion, winning world titles at lightweight, super-lightweight, welterweight, and super-welterweight.
Although he rose up the weights, it’s his successful stint at lightweight which has earned him his place on this list. He was the undisputed and lineal lightweight champion, where he held the longest reign in history with six defences, and was named Fighter of the Year 1989 by The Ring magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Ike Williams
Born in Georgia in 1923, Ike made eight successful defences of the world lightweight title between 1945-1951.
Fast, powerful, ruthless, Ike held wins over a long list of Hall of Famers including Beau Jack, Bob Montgomery, Tippy Larkin, Sammy Angott, Jimmy Carter, Johnny Bratton, Kid Gavilan.
Not only is his name emblazoned into boxing history books as one of the greatest lightweights of all-time, but he is also named in Ring Magazine’s top 100 greatest punchers, too, and was their Fighter of the Year 1948.
SportsBoom Suggests
- Roberto Duran dominates the list with his unmatched record, power, and longevity in the lightweight division.
- Benny Leonard and Joe Gans set historic benchmarks as pioneers of the sport.
- Modern legends like Vasiliy Lomachenko and Gervonta Davis bring contemporary appeal with their unique styles.
The lightweight division has produced boxing legends who redefined the sport. Whether it’s Duran’s ferocity, Leonard’s intelligence, or Whitaker’s defense, these fighters embody the pinnacle of boxing excellence.
Honourable Mentions
Packy McFarland; Beau Jack; Wesley Ramey; Ismael Laguna; Aaron Pryor; Joe Brown; Esteban De Jesus; Lew Tendler; Ad Wolgast; Bob Montgomery; Sid Terris; Pedroe Montanez; Sammy Mandell; Kid Lavigne; Sugar Shane Mosley; Benny Valgar; Jack McAuliffe; Ken Buchanan.
Tim has over 27 years experience within the sports industry, working for football clubs Arsenal FC and Millwall FC, and boxing news websites British Boxing News, Boxing Social and Global Boxing News. His boxing articles have been published in Boxing News Magazine, national newspapers, plus many other major news outlets.