Following the name of the champion(s): Indicates the number of times the competitor has held that title at that point.
[...]
Indicates a gap in the listing where title changes are not known.
<
Title was held or changed hands no later than this. In these cases, it is known that a competitor held the title at a certain time but not when he/she won it.
@
Order uncertain. Different titleholders may be known for the same year, for example, but it is not known who held the title before whom.
#
Unofficial or disputable claims. These are usually matches that certainly took place, but where there is doubt that the competitor shown should be recognized as a true title holder. These listings are also italicized.
* Bolded letters in the competitor's name, if any, indicate the surname/family name.
Tom Molineaux #
1809
Claims the title in ENG, GBR; Tom Cribb, English champion, defeats Molineaux on 10-12-18 in Copthorne, W. Sussex, ENG, GBR to claim the world title (The Ogden Standard, Ogden, UT, 1919-09-20; Boxing History: Cribb vs. Molineaux).
Thomas Beasley
1816
Hingham, MA
Defeats Jacob Hyer and claims the title (The Ogden Standard, Ogden, UT, 1919-09-20).
Jim Sanford
1821
Belleville, NJ
Defeats Ned Hammond and claims the title (The Sunday Star, Washington, DC, 1934-12-30).
Andy McLane
1832
Philadelphia, PA
Defeats Sanford for the title (The Ogden Standard, Ogden, UT, 1919-09-20; The Sunday Star, Washington, DC, 1934-12-30).
William Harrington
1833
Baltimore, MD
Defeats McLane for the title (The Ogden Standard, Ogden, UT, 1919-09-20); Jim Reed also claims the title after defeating McLane in 34 "near Elizabeth, NJ" (The Sunday Star, Washington, DC, 1934-12-30); Harrington retires after fighting Reed to a draw in 38 near Newark, NJ.
Tom Hyer
1841-09-09
Caldwell’s Landing, NY
Defeats Country McCloskey (George McChester) and claims the title (Trenton Evening Times, Trenton, NJ, 1915-09-09); vacant in 51 upon (temporary) retirement.
Yankee Sullivan (Frank A. Sullivan)
1851
Claims the title after Hyer retires; loses to John Morrissey on 53-10-12 (see below).
John Morrissey
1852-08-21
Vallejo, CA
Defeats George Thompson and claims the title; also defeats the claimant Yankee Sullivan on 53-10-12 in Boston Corners, NY.
John C. Heenan
1959
Claims the title sometime before 59-03-11 when Morrissey refuses the rematch and retires.
Joe Coburn
1862
Middleweight champion, claims the heavyweight title when Heenan refuses to fight him.
Jimmy Elliott
1865
Claims the title when Coburn refuses to fight him and temporarily retires; inactive after Elliott is imprisoned in 70.
John J. Dwyer
1879-05-09
Long Point, ON, CAN
Defeats Elliot and claims the title due to Joe Goss' inactivity; retires in 80; Paddy Ryan defeats Goss on 80-05-30 (see below).
Mike McCoole
1866-09-19
Madison County, IL
Defeats Bill Davis and claims the title; also defeats title claimant Tom Allen by foul on 69-06-15 in St. Louis, MO; loses to Allen on 73-09-23 in Madison County, IL (see below).
Tom Allen
1869-01-12
Madison County, IL
Defeats Bill Davis and claims the title; Jem Mace, English champion, defeats American champion Tom Allen on 70-05-10 in Kennerville, LA in the match billed as for the world title (The Daily Picayune, New Orleans, LA, 70-02-04; plus New York Herald, etc.) or American title (New Orleans Republican, 70-03-10; plus Mobile Daily Register, etc.) depending on the newspaper; Allen continues to claim the American title "by permission of Jem Mace," who claims the world title (The Pittsburgh Gazette, 70-05-18); also defeats title claimant Mike McCoole on 73-09-23 in Madison County, IL (see above).
Joe Goss
1876-09-07
Boone County, KY
John J. Dwyer defeats Jimmy Elliot on 79-05-09 and claims the title due to Goss' inactivity but retires in 80 (see above).
Paddy Ryan
1880-05-30
Collier's Station, WV
Defeats Goss for the title; or has been awarded by John J. Dwyer upon retirement on 80-01-05 (The Ogden Standard, Ogden, UT, 1919-09-20).
