Open Boxing

IBU featherweight world title

Covers world title bouts since 1913. Last held in 1938; no longer contested.

World title bouts
23
Champions
9
Longest reign (Johnny Kilbane, 1913–1923)
10 years, 1 month
Most successful defences in one reign (Battling Battalino, 1929–1932)
5

Last champion

Maurice Holtzer1937–1938

Reigns and world title bouts

May 1933 – Jun 1938

IBU
Tommy PaulHoltzer
JulOct1934AprJulOct1935AprJulOct1936AprJulOct1937AprJulOct1938Apr
19201930

World title bout

Reigns by length

  1. 1Johnny KilbaneIBU1913–192310 years, 1 month · 2 successful defences
  2. 2Tommy PaulIBU1932–19364 years, 3 months · 0 successful defences
  3. 3Battling BattalinoIBU1929–19322 years, 5 months · 5 successful defences
  4. 4Kid KaplanIBU1925–19261 year, 6 months · 2 successful defences
  5. 5Johnny DundeeIBU1923–19241 year · 0 successful defences
  6. 6Andre RoutisIBU1928–192911 months · 1 successful defence
  7. 7Tony CanzoneriIBU1927–192811 months · 1 successful defence
  8. 8Maurice HoltzerIBU1937–19385 months · 0 successful defences
  9. 9Eugene CriquiIBU1923–19231 month · 0 successful defences

From the archive

Timeline of world title events

  1. 1913

  2. Johnny Kilbane becomes the IBU featherweight world champion

    Featherweight · IBUNew champion

  3. 1916

  4. Johnny Kilbane beats George KO Chaney via knockout 3/15

    Featherweight · IBU

  1. 1921

  2. Johnny Kilbane beats Danny Frush via knockout 7/12

    Featherweight · IBU and NYSAC

  3. 1923

  4. Eugene Criqui beats Johnny Kilbane via knockout 6/15

    Featherweight · IBU and NYSACNew IBU champion

  5. Johnny Dundee beats Eugene Criqui via points decision 15/15

    Featherweight · IBU and NYSACNew IBU championRead 4 articles

  6. 1924

  7. Johnny Dundee’s reign as the IBU featherweight world champion ends

    Featherweight · IBU

  8. 1925

  9. Kid Kaplan beats Danny Kramer via knockout 9/15

    Featherweight · IBU, NYSAC and The RingNew IBU champion

  10. Kid Kaplan and Babe Herman draw via points decision 15/15

    Featherweight · IBU, NYSAC and The Ring

  11. Kid Kaplan beats Babe Herman via unanimous decision 15/15

    Featherweight · IBU, NYSAC and The Ring

  12. 1926

  13. Kid Kaplan beats Bobby Garcia via knockout 10/15

    Featherweight · IBU, NYSAC and The Ring

  14. Kid Kaplan’s reign as the IBU featherweight world champion ends

    Featherweight · IBU

  15. 1927

  16. Tony Canzoneri beats Johnny Dundee via unanimous decision 15/15

    Featherweight · IBU, NYSAC and The RingNew IBU champion

  17. 1928

  18. Tony Canzoneri beats Benny Bass via split decision 15/15

    Featherweight · NYSAC, WBA, IBU and The Ring

  19. Andre Routis beats Tony Canzoneri via split decision 15/15

    Featherweight · NYSAC, WBA, IBU and The RingNew IBU champion

  20. 1929

  21. Andre Routis beats Buster Brown via knockout 3/15

    Featherweight · NYSAC, WBA, IBU and The Ring

  22. Battling Battalino beats Andre Routis via points decision 15/15

    Featherweight · NYSAC, WBA, IBU and The RingNew IBU champion

  1. 1930

  2. Battling Battalino beats Ignacio Fernandez via knockout 5/15

    Featherweight · NYSAC, WBA, IBU and The Ring

  3. Battling Battalino beats Kid Chocolate via unanimous decision 15/15

    Featherweight · NYSAC, WBA, IBU and The Ring

  4. 1931

  5. Battling Battalino beats Fidel LaBarba via unanimous decision 15/15

    Featherweight · NYSAC, WBA, IBU and The Ring

  6. Battling Battalino beats Freddie Miller via unanimous decision 10/10

    Featherweight · NYSAC, WBA, IBU and The Ring

  7. Battling Battalino beats Earl Mastro via majority decision 10/10

    Featherweight · NYSAC, WBA, IBU and The Ring

  8. 1932

  9. Battling Battalino v Freddie Miller ends in a no contest

    Featherweight · IBU, WBA and The Ring

  10. Battling Battalino’s reign as the IBU featherweight world champion ends

    Featherweight · IBU

  11. Tommy Paul beats Johnny Pena via points decision 15/15

    Featherweight · IBU and WBANew IBU champion

  12. 1933

  13. Freddie Miller beats Tommy Paul via split decision 10/10

    Featherweight · IBU and WBA

  14. 1936

  15. Tommy Paul’s reign as the IBU featherweight world champion ends

    Featherweight · IBU

  16. 1937

  17. Maurice Holtzer beats Phil Dolhem via points decision 15/15

    Featherweight · IBUNew champion

  18. 1938

  19. Maurice Holtzer and Maurice Dubois draw via points decision 15/15

    Featherweight · IBU

  20. Maurice Holtzer’s reign as the IBU featherweight world champion ends

    Featherweight · IBU