| 1892–94 | Mysterious Billy Smith |
| 1894–96 | Tommy Ryan |
| 1896 | Kid McCoy1 |
| 1896– | |
| 1900 | Mysterious Billy Smith |
| 1900 | Rube Ferns |
| 1900–01 | Matty Matthews |
| 1901 | Ruby Ferns |
| 1901–04 | Joe Walcott |
| 1904 | Dixie Kid1 |
| 1904–06 | Joe Walcott |
| 1906–07 | Honey Mellody |
| 1907 | Mike (Twin) Sullivan1 |
| 1915–19 | Ted Lewis |
| 1919–22 | Jack Britton |
| 1922–26 | Mickey Walker |
| 1926–27 | Pete Latzo |
| 1927–29 | Joe Dundee |
| 1929–30 | Jackie Fields |
| 1930 | Young Jack Thompson |
| 1930–31 | Tommy Freeman |
| 1931 | Young Jack Thompson |
| 1931–32 | Lou Brouillard |
| 1932–33 | Jackie Fields |
| 1933 | Young Corbett 3rd |
| 1933–34 | Jimmy McLarnin,
Barney Ross |
| 1934–35 | Jimmy McLarnin |
| 1935–38 | Barney Ross |
| 1938–40 | Henry Armstrong |
| 1940–41 | Fritzie Zivic |
| 1941–46 | Freddie Cochrane |
| 1946 | Marty Servo2 |
| 1946–51 | Ray Robinson1 |
| 1951 | Johnny Bratton (NBA) |
| 1951–54 | Kid Gavilan |
| 1954–55 | Johnny Saxton |
| 1955 | Tony DeMarco |
| 1955–56 | Carmen Basilio |
| 1956 | Johnny Saxton |
| 1956–57 | Carmen Basilio1 |
| 1958 | Virgil Akins |
| 1959–60 | Don Jordan |
| 1960–61 | Benny (Kid) Paret |
| 1961 | Emile Griffith |
| 1961–62 | Benny (Kid) Paret |
| 1962–63 | Emile Griffith,
Luis Rodriguez |
| 1963–66 | Emile Griffith1 |
| 1966–69 | Curtis Cokes |
| 1969 | Curtis Cokes,
José Napoles |
| 1970 | José Napoles,
Billy Backus |
| 1971 | Billy Backus,
José Napoles |
| 1972–74 | José Napoles |
| 1975 | José Napoles (WBA, WBC),3
Angel Espada (WBA),
John Stracey (WBC) |
| 1976 | Angel Espada (WBA),
José Cuevas (WBA),
John Stracey (WBC),
Carlos Palomino |
| 1977–78 | José Cuevas (WBA),
Carlos Palomino (WBC) |
| 1979 | José Cuevas (WBA),
Carlos Palomino (WBC),
Wilfredo Benitez (WBC) |
| 1980 | José Cuevas (WBA),
Ray Leonard (WBC),
Roberto Duran (WBC),
Thomas Hearns (WBA) |
| 1981 | Ray Leonard (WBC),
Thomas Hearns (WBA),
Ray Leonard (WBC, WBA) |
| 1982 | Ray Leonard |
| 1983–85 | Donald Curry (WBA),
Milton McCrory (WBC) |
| 1985–86 | Donald Curry (undisputed) |
| 1987 | Mark Breland (WBA),
Marlon Starling (WBA),
Lloyd Honeyghan (IBF) |
| 1988 | Marlon Starling (WBA),
Tomas Molinares (WBA),
Lloyd Honeyghan (WBC),
Simon Brown (IBF) |
| 1989 | Mark Breland (WBA),
Marlon Starling (WBC),
Simon Brown (IBF) |
| 1990 | Mark Breland (WBA),
Aaron Davis (WBA),
Simon Brown (IBF),
Marlon Starling (WBC),
Maurice Blocker (WBC) |
| 1991 | Meldrick Taylor (WBA),
Simon Brown (IBF, WBC) |
| 1992 | Meldrick Taylor (WBA),
James “Buddy” McGirt (WBC), Maurice Blocker (IBF) |
| 1993 | Cristianto Espana (WBA),
Pernell Whitaker (WBC),
Felix Trinidad (IBF) |
| 1994 | Ike Quartey (WBA),
Pernell Whitaker (WBC),
Felix Trinidad (IBF) |
| 1995 | Ike Quartey (WBA),
Pernell Whitaker (WBC),
Felix Trinidad (IBF) |
| 1996–97 | Ike Quartey (WBA),
Pernell Whitaker (WBC),
Felix Trinidad (IBF) |
| 1998 | Ike Quartey (WBA),
Oscar De La Hoya (WBC),
Felix Trinidad (IBF) |
| 1999 | James Page (WBA),
Oscar De La Hoya (WBC),
Felix Trinidad (IBF, WBC) |
| 2000 | James Page (WBA), Shane Mosley (WBC), Vacant (IBF) |
| 2001 | Andrew Lewis (WBA),
Shane Mosley (WBC),
Vernon Forrest (IBF) |
| 2002 | Ricardo Mayorga (WBA),
Vernon Forrest (WBC),
Michele Piccirillo (IBF) |
| 2003 | Ricardo Mayorga (WBA, WBC), Cory Spinks (IBF) |
| 2004 | Cory Spinks (WBC, WBA, IBF) |
| 2005 | Luis Collazo (WBA), Zab Judah (WBC, IBF) |
1. Retired.
2. Abandoned title.
3. WBA withdrew recognition.
