List of Mexican boxing world champions


In Mexico, boxing is considered a major sport, having produced over 200 world champions in professional boxing. Mexico ranks second worldwide between countries with most boxing world champions and is the second country to have world champions accredited in all of the current boxing divisions

Boxing in Mexico

Boxing is a particular means of demonstrating rivalry not only between fans of individual boxers, but also between native-born Mexicans, between Mexicans and people of other nations, and between the populations of various Mexican regions. Mexican fighters and American fighters of Mexican descent have a long-standing rivalry with Puerto-Rican and Puerto-Rican American fighters.

List of world champions

NumberNameDateTitlesSuccessful defensesReferences
−Solly Smith †October 4, 1897Featherweight 0
1Battling ShawFebruary 20, 1933Light welterweight 0
−Richie Lemos †July 1, 1941Featherweight 0
−Manuel Ortiz †August 7, 1942Bantamweight 20
2Juan ZuritaMarch 8, 1944Lightweight 0
3Lauro SalasMay 14, 1952Lightweight 0
4Raúl MacíasMarch 9, 1955Bantamweight 2
5José BecerraJuly 8, 1959Bantamweight 2
6Sugar Ramos †March 21, 1963Featherweight 3
7Vicente SaldivarSeptember 26, 1964Featherweight 7
−Raul Rojas †March 28, 1968Featherweight 0
−Mando Ramos †February 18, 1969Lightweight 3
8Efren TorresFebruary 23, 1969Flyweight 1
9José Nápoles †April 18, 1969Welterweight 13
10Rubén OlivaresAugust 22, 1969Bantamweight, Featherweight 4 and 0
11Chucho CastilloOctober 16, 1970Bantamweight 0
12Ricardo ArredondoOctober 10, 1971Super Featherweight 5
13Rafael HerreraMarch 19, 1972Bantamweight 2
14Clemente SánchezMay 19, 1972Featherweight 0
15Chango CarmonaSeptember 15, 1972Lightweight 0
16Rodolfo GonzálezNovember 10, 1972Lightweight 2
17Romeo AnayaJanuary 20, 1973Bantamweight 2
−Bobby Chacon †September 7, 1974Featherweight, Super Featherweight 1 and 1
18Rodolfo MartínezDecember 7, 1974Bantamweight 3 -
18Oscar AlbaradoJune 4, 1974Light Middleweight 1
19Miguel CantoJanuary 8, 1975Flyweight 14
20Alfonso ZamoraMarch 14, 1975Bantamweight 5
21Carlos ZárateMay 8, 1976Bantamweight 9
22Carlos PalominoJune 22, 1976Welterweight 7
23Pipino CuevasJuly 17, 1976Welterweight 11
24Guty EspadasOctober 10, 1976Flyweight 4
−Danny Lopez †November 6, 1976Featherweight 8
25Freddy CastilloFebruary 19, 1978Light Flyweight 0
26Lupe PintorJune 3, 1979Bantamweight, Super Bantamweight 8 and 0
27Salvador SánchezFebruary 2, 1980Featherweight 9
28Rafael LimónDecember 11, 1980Super Featherweight 2
29Antonio AvelarMay 12, 1981Flyweight 1
30Pedro FloresMarch 8, 1981Light Flyweight 0
31Juan HerreraSeptember 26, 1981Flyweight 1
32Amado UrsuaFebruary 6, 1982Light Flyweight 0
−Arturo Frias †December 5, 1981Lightweight 0
−Jaime Garza †June 15, 1983Super Bantamweight 1
33Lupe MaderaJuly 10, 1983Light Flyweight 1
−Alberto Davila †September 1, 1983Featherweight 1
−Richie Sandoval †April 7, 1984Bantamweight 2
34Gabriel BernalApril 9, 1984Flyweight 1
35Juan MezaNovember 3, 1984Super Bantamweight 1
36Julio César ChávezSeptember 13, 1984Super featherweight, lightweight, light welterweight 9, 2,16
37José Luis RamírezNovember 3, 1984Lightweight 2
38Daniel ZaragozaMay 4, 1985Bantamweight, Super Bantamweight 0 and 11
−Gaby Canizales †March 10, 1986Bantamweight 0
39Gilberto RománMarch 30, 1986Super Flyweight 11
−Steve Cruz †June 23, 1986Featherweight 0
40Rene ArredondoMay 5, 1986Light Welterweight 0
−Louie Espinoza †January 16, 1987Super Bantamweight, Featherweight 2 and 0
41Lupe AquinoJuly 12, 1987Light Middleweight 0
42Jorge VacaOctober 28, 1987Welterweight 0
43Jorge PáezAugust 4, 1988Featherweight 8
−Orlando Canizales †July 9, 1988Bantamweight 16
−Tony Lopez †July 23, 1988Super Featherweight, Lightweight 5 and 1
44Raúl PérezAugust 29, 1988Bantamweight, Super Bantamweight 6 and 0
45Germán TorresDecember 11, 1988Light Flyweight 0
46Mauricio AcevesJanuary 20, 1989Light welterweight 1
47Genaro LéonMay 6, 1989Welterweight 0
48Humberto GonzálezJune 25, 1989Light Flyweight 12
−Robert Quiroga †April 21, 1990Light Flyweight 5
49Marcos VillasanaJune 2, 1990Featherweight 3
−Michael Carbajal †July 29, 1990Light Flyweight 11
−Loreto Garza †August 17, 1990Light Welterweight 1
50Isidro PérezAugust 18, 1990Flyweight 1
51Ricardo LópezOctober 25, 1990Minimumweight, Light Flyweight 22 and 2
52Melchor Cob CastroMarch 25, 1991light flyweight 0
53Manuel MedinaAugust 12, 1991Featherweight 5
−Genaro Hernández †November 22, 1991Super Featherweight 11
54José QuirinoFebruary 22, 1992Super Flyweight 0
55Carlos GonzálezJune 29, 1992Light Welterweight 3
56Miguel Ángel GonzálezAugust 24, 1992Lightweight 10
57Victor RabanalesSeptember 17, 1992Bantamweight 1
58Julio César BorboaJanuary 16, 1993Super Flyweight 5
59Gregorio VargasApril 28, 1993Featherweight 0
−Zack Padilla †July 7, 1993Light Welterweight 4
60José Luis BuenoNovember 13, 1993Super Flyweight 0
61Gabriel RuelasFebruary 19, 1994Lightweight
Super Featherweight 		2
−Oscar De La Hoya †March 5, 1994Super featherweight, Lightweight, Light Welterweight, welterweight, Light Middleweight and Middleweight 1, 6, 1, 7, 2, 0
−Jesse James Leija †May 7, 1994Super Featherweight 0
−Johnny Tapia †October 24, 1994Super Flyweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight 12, 1 and 0
62Alejandro GonzálezJanuary 7, 1995Featherweight 2
63Alberto JiménezFebruary 11, 1995Flyweight 4
64Marco Antonio BarreraMarch 31, 1995Super Bantamweight, Featherweight 13, 0, and 4
−Danny Romero †April 22, 1995Flyweight, Super Flyweight 1 and 2
65José Luis LópezMarch 13, 1996Welterweight 1
−Raúl Márquez †April 12, 1997Light Middleweight 2
66Jesús ChongMay 31, 1997Light Flyweight 0
67Erik MoralesSeptember 6, 1997Super Bantamweight, Featherweight, Super Featherweight 9, 3, 1 and 0
68Yori Boy CampasDecember 6, 1997Light Middleweight 3
69Hector LizarragaDecember 13, 1997Featherweight 0
70Enrique SánchezFebruary 8, 1998Super Bantamweight 2
−Roberto García †March 13, 1998Super Featherweight 2
71Juan José EstradaMay 28, 1998Super Bantamweight 2
72César BazánJune 13, 1998Lightweight 2
73Ruben Sánchez LeónAugust 14, 1998Flyweight 1
74Néstor GarzaDecember 12, 1998Flyweight 3
−Fernando Vargas †December 12, 1998Light Middleweight 5
75César SotoMay 15, 1999Featherweight 0
76Diego MoralesJune 7, 1999Super Flyweight 1
77Isidro GarcíaDecember 18, 1999Flyweight 1
78José Antonio AguirreFebruary 11, 2000Minimumweight 7
79Guty Espadas, Jr.April 14, 2000Featherweight 1
80José Luis CastilloJune 17, 2000Lightweight 5
−Willie Jorrín †September 9, 2000Super Bantamweight 0
81Fernando MontielDecember 15, 2000Flyweight, Super Flyweight, Bantamweight 3, 8 and 1
82Roberto Carlos LeyvaApril 29, 2001Minimumweight 0
83Cruz CarbajalMarch 15, 2002Bantamweight 2
84Antonio Margarito †March 16, 2002Welterweight 7
85Jorge ArceJuly 6, 2002Light flyweight, Flyweight, Super flyweight, Super Bantamweight 8, 0, 1 and 0
86Óscar LariosAugust 24, 2002Super Bantamweight, Featherweight 7, 1
87Juan Manuel MárquezFebruary 1, 2003Featherweight, Super Featherweight, lightweight 4, 1, 2 and 0
88Rafael MárquezFebruary 15, 2003Super Bantamweight 7 and 0
89Víctor BurgosFebruary 15, 2003light flyweight 1
90Alejandro GarcíaMarch 1, 2003Light Middleweight 1
91Edgar CardenasMay 31, 2003Minimumweight 0
92Jesús ChávezAugust 15, 2003Super Featherweight, Lightweight 0 and 0
93Julio César GonzálezOctober 18, 2003Light Heavyweight 0
94Javier JaureguiNovember 22, 2003Lightweight 0
95Israel VázquezMarch 25, 2004Super Bantamweight 5
96Julio DíazMay 13, 2004Lightweight )0
−Juan Díaz †July 17, 2004Lightweight, light welterweight 7
97Ivan HernándezSeptember 25, 2004Super Flyweight 0
98Isaac BustosDecember 18, 2004Minimumweight 0
99Eric OrtizMarch 11, 2005Light Flyweight 0
100Martín CastilloMarch 19, 2005super flyweight 3
101Hugo Fidel CázaresApril 30, 2005Light flyweight, Super flyweight 5, 4
102Daniel Ponce de LeónOctober 29, 2005Super Bantamweight , Featherweight 7, 0
103Jhonny GonzálezOctober 29, 2005Bantamweight, Featherweight 2, 6
104Ulises SolísJanuary 7, 2006Light Flyweight 8
105Rodolfo LópezJuly 30, 2006Featherweight 0
−David Díaz †August 12, 2006Lightweight 1
−Robert Guerrero †September 2, 2006Featherweight, Super Featherweight 2, 0
106Omar Niño RomeroAugust 10, 2006Light Flyweight 2
107Edgar SosaApril 14, 2007Light Flyweight 10
108Cristian MijaresJanuary 3, 2007Super Flyweight 7
−Steven Luevano †July 14, 2007Featherweight 4
109Raúl GarcíaJune 14, 2008Minimumweight 5
110Cristobal CruzOctober 23, 2008Featherweight 3
111Humberto SotoDecember 20, 2008Super Featherweight, Lightweight 3 and 4
112Giovani SeguraJuly 25, 2009Light flyweight 4
113Juan Carlos SalgadoOctober 10, 2009Super Featherweight 3
114Antonio DeMarcoOctober 31, 2009Lightweight 2
115Orlando SalidoMay 15, 2010Featherweight, Super Featherweight 2, and 0
116Julio César MirandaJune 12, 2010Flyweight 3
117Miguel VázquezAugust 14, 2010Lightweight 6
118Tomás RojasSeptember 20, 2010Super Flyweight 3
119Gilberto Keb BaasNovember 7, 2010Light Flyweight 1
−Brandon Ríos †February 26, 2011Lightweight 0
120Hernan MárquezApril 2, 2011Flyweight 2
121Canelo ÁlvarezMarch 5, 2011Super Welterweight, Middleweight 6, 2, 0
−Victor Ortiz †March 16, 2011Welterweight 0
122Ramón García HiralesApril 30, 2011Light Flyweight 0
123Adrián HernándezApril 30, 2011Light Flyweight 5
124Julio César Chávez Jr.June 4, 2011Middleweight 3
125Abner MaresAugust 13, 2011Bantamweight 1,1,1
126Moisés FuentesAugust 27, 2011Minimumweight 2
127Rodrigo GuerreroOctober 8, 2011Super Flyweight 0
128Juan Carlos Sánchez Jr.February 11, 2012Super Flyweight 2
129Leodegario Santa CruzJune 2, 2012Bantamweight 3,4, and 4
130Mario RodriguezSeptember 1, 2012Minimumweight 0
131Gamaliel DíazOctober 27, 2012Super Featherweight 0
−Mikey Garcia †January 19, 2013Featherweight, Super Featherweight, Lightweight & Junior Welterweight 0, 1, 1, 0
132Juan Francisco EstradaApril 6, 2013Flyweight 5, 1
133Victor TerrazasApril 20, 2013Super Bantamweight 0
134Carlos Amado MolinaSeptember 14, 2013Light Middleweight 0
135Oswaldo NovoaFebruary 5, 2014Minimumweight 1
136Francisco Rodriguez, Jr.March 23, 2014Minimumweight 2
137Carlos CuadrasMay 31, 2014Super Flyweight 5
138Javier MendozaSeptember 26, 2014Junior Flyweight 1
139Pedro GuevaraDecember 30, 2014Light flyweight 2
140Julio CejaNovember 1, 2015Super Bantamweight 0
141Francisco VargasNovember 21, 2015Super Featherweight 1
142Jose ArgumedoDecember 31, 2015Minimumweight 3
143Hugo RuizFebruary 27, 2016Super Bantamweight 0
144Ganigan LópezMarch 3, 2016Light Flyweight 1
145Gilberto RamírezApril 19, 2016Super Middleweight 5
146Óscar ValdezJuly 23, 2016Featherweight 5
−Jessie Magdaleno †November 5, 2016Super bantamweight 1
147Miguel BercheltJanuary 28, 2017Super featherweight 6
148Rey VargasFebruary 25, 2017Super bantamweight 5
149Juan HernándezMarch 4, 2017Flyweight 0
150Luis NeryAugust 15, 2017Bantamweight 0
−David Benavidez †September 8, 2017Super Middleweight 1
151Ray BeltránFebruary 16, 2018Lightweight 0
152Jaime MunguiaMay 12, 2018Light Middleweight 5
−Carlos LiconaDecember 1, 2018Minimumweight 0
153Emanuel NavarreteDecember 8, 2018Super Bantamweight 5
154Andy Ruiz Jr. †June 1, 2019Heavyweight 0
155Elwin SotoJune 21, 2019Light Flyweight 1

indicates foreigner-born boxer that represents Mexico due to parent's nationality, residence or other circumstances.
indicates foreign boxer of Mexican heritage that doesn't represent Mexico.
indicates Mexican-born boxer that represents another nation.

Current titleholders

NameOrganizationDivisionDate won
Elwin SotoWBOLight flyweightJune 21, 2019
Julio Cesar MartinezWBCFlyweightDecember 20, 2019
Juan Francisco EstradaWBCSuper flyweightApril 26, 2019
Emanuel NavarreteWBOSuper bantamweightAugust 8, 2018
Rey VargasWBCSuper bantamweightFebruary 25, 2017
Óscar ValdezWBOFeatherweightJuly 23, 2016
Léo Santa CruzWBAFeatherweightJanuary 28, 2017
Miguel BercheltWBCSuper featherweightJanuary 28, 2017
Jaime MunguiaWBOSuper welterweightMay 12, 2018
Saúl ÁlvarezWBC, WBA, IBFMiddleweightSeptember 15, 2018

Footnotes