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.
Cal McCarthy
1888-09-17
Sands Point, NY
Defeats Eugene Hornbacher for the title (The Sun, New York, NY, 88-09-18); still champion as of 89-04-05.
George Dixon
1889-12-27
New London, NY
Defeats Eugene Hornbacher and claims American 115lb title; claims the world featherweight title in 1890.
Spider Tommy Kelly
1889-05-28
Troy, NY
Defeats Harry Walton for American 110lb title.
Jimmy Kennard
1889-08-27
Troy, NY
Defeats Billy Murray for American 110lb title; still champion as of 89-11-08.
Jimmy Barry
1894-09-15
Lemont, IL
Defeats Casper Leon for American 105lb title and claims the world title after this bout; again billed as American champion against Dave Ross on 95-07-15.
Jack Madden
1895-04-22
Brooklyn, NY
Defets Johnny Connors in a match billed as for American 105lb bantamweight title (The Standard Union, Brooklyn, NY, 95-04-22).
Defeats Casper Leon and claims American 110lb title; dies from injuries sustained in the match on 1900-10-05.
Joe Sturch
1897-09-20
Cincinnati, OH
Defeats Dave Richards (The Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, 97-09-21).
Peter Herman
1917-12<
Listed as the world and American champion (The Wichita Daily Eagle, Wichita, KS, 18-01-02).
Joe Lynch
1920-12-22
New York, NY, USA
Also recognized as the world and American champion by NBA in 21-01 upon its inception (The Decatur Herald, Decatur, IL, 21-02-07, plus several other papers).
Johnny O'Brien
1954-12-09
W. Palm Beach, FL
Defeats Pappy Gault.
Pappy Gault (Henry Gault)
1955-12-23
Spartanburg, SC
Defeats O'Brien for the title (The Gastonia Gazette, Gastonia, NSC, 55-12-24); still champion as of 56-05-22.
