Open Boxing

WBC lightweight world title

Covers world title bouts since 1963. Current champion: William Zepeda, since 1st Aug 2026.

World title bouts
135
Champions
40
Longest reign (Devin Haney, 2019–2023)
3 years, 9 months
Most successful defences in one reign (Miguel Angel Gonzalez, 1992–1995)
10

Current champion

William ZepedaSince 1st Aug 2026 · 3 months · 0 successful defences

Reigns and world title bouts

Jan 2022 – Jan 2027

WBC
Devin HaneyShakur StevensonZepeda
AprJulOct2023AprJulOct2024AprJulOct2025AprJulOct2026AprJulOct2027
197019801990200020102020

World title bout

Reigns by length

  1. 1Devin HaneyWBC2019–20233 years, 9 months · 7 successful defences
  2. 2Miguel Angel GonzalezWBC1992–19952 years, 11 months · 10 successful defences
  3. 3Pernell WhitakerWBC1989–19922 years, 7 months · 6 successful defences
  4. 4Mikey GarciaWBC2017–20192 years, 2 months · 1 successful defence
  5. 5Shakur StevensonWBC2023–20262 years, 2 months · 3 successful defences
  6. 6Jim WattWBC1979–19812 years, 2 months · 4 successful defences
  7. 7Carlos OrtizWBC1963–19652 years, 1 month · 3 successful defences
  8. 8Floyd Mayweather JrWBC2002–20042 years, 1 month · 3 successful defences
  9. 9Guts IshimatsuWBC1974–19762 years · 4 successful defences
  10. 10Jose Luis CastilloWBC2000–20021 year, 10 months · 2 successful defences
  11. 11Esteban de JesusWBC1976–19781 year, 8 months · 3 successful defences
  12. 12Alexis ArguelloWBC1981–19831 year, 6 months · 4 successful defences
  13. 13Edwin RosarioWBC1983–19841 year, 6 months · 2 successful defences
  14. 14Rodolfo GonzalezWBC1972–19741 year, 5 months · 2 successful defences
  15. 15Diego CorralesWBC2005–20061 year, 4 months · 0 successful defences
  16. 16David DiazWBC2007–20081 year, 4 months · 1 successful defence
  17. 17Hector CamachoWBC1985–19871 year, 4 months · 2 successful defences
  18. 18Stevie JohnstonWBC1999–20001 year, 3 months · 4 successful defences
  19. 19Humberto SotoWBC2010–20111 year, 3 months · 4 successful defences
  20. 20Stevie JohnstonWBC1997–19981 year, 3 months · 3 successful defences
  21. 21Jose Luis RamirezWBC1987–19881 year, 3 months · 2 successful defences
  22. 22Adrien BronerWBC2012–20141 year, 2 months · 1 successful defence
  23. 23Jorge LinaresWBC2014–20161 year, 1 month · 2 successful defences
  24. 24Antonio DeMarcoWBC2011–20121 year, 1 month · 2 successful defences
  25. 25Roberto DuranWBC1978–19791 year · 0 successful defences
  26. 26Mando RamosWBC1969–19701 year · 1 successful defence
  27. 27Carlos OrtizWBC1967–196811 months · 1 successful defence
  28. 28Carlos OrtizWBC1965–196611 months · 2 successful defences
  29. 29Jose Luis CastilloWBC2004–200511 months · 2 successful defences
  30. 30Jean Baptiste MendyWBC1996–199710 months · 0 successful defences
  31. 31Edwin ValeroWBC2009–201010 months · 2 successful defences
  32. 32Omar Figueroa JrWBC2014–20149 months · 2 successful defences
  33. 33Jose Luis RamirezWBC1984–19859 months · 0 successful defences
  34. 34Cesar BazanWBC1998–19998 months · 2 successful defences
  35. 35Manny PacquiaoWBC2008–20097 months · 0 successful defences
  36. 36Carlos CruzWBC1968–19697 months · 1 successful defence
  37. 37Dejan ZlaticaninWBC2016–20177 months · 0 successful defences
  38. 38Ismael LagunaWBC1965–19657 months · 0 successful defences
  39. 39Mando RamosWBC1972–19726 months · 1 successful defence
  40. 40Ismael LagunaWBC1970–19706 months · 1 successful defence
  41. 41Ken BuchananWBC1971–19714 months · 0 successful defences
  42. 42Joel CasamayorWBC2006–20073 months · 0 successful defences
  43. 43William ZepedaWBC2026–present3 months · 0 successful defences
  44. 44Pedro CarrascoWBC1971–19723 months · 0 successful defences
  45. 45Julio Cesar ChavezWBC1988–19892 months · 0 successful defences
  46. 46Chango CarmonaWBC1972–19721 month · 0 successful defences
  47. 47Vasyl LomachenkoWBC2019–20191 month · 0 successful defences

Timeline of world title events

  1. 1963

  2. Carlos Ortiz becomes the WBC lightweight world champion

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  3. Carlos Ortiz beats Douglas Vaillant via knockout 13/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  4. 1964

  5. Carlos Ortiz beats Flash Elorde via knockout 14/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  6. Carlos Ortiz beats Kenny Lane via unanimous decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  7. 1965

  8. Ismael Laguna beats Carlos Ortiz via majority decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  9. Carlos Ortiz beats Ismael Laguna via unanimous decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  10. 1966

  11. Carlos Ortiz beats Johnny Bizzarro via knockout 12/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  12. Carlos Ortiz beats Sugar Ramos via knockout 5/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  13. Carlos Ortiz’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  14. 1967

  15. Carlos Ortiz beats Sugar Ramos via knockout 4/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  16. Carlos Ortiz beats Ismael Laguna via unanimous decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  17. 1968

  18. Carlos Cruz beats Carlos Ortiz via split decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  19. Carlos Cruz beats Mando Ramos via unanimous decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  20. 1969

  21. Mando Ramos beats Carlos Cruz via knockout 11/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  22. Mando Ramos beats Yoshiaki Numata via knockout 6/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  1. 1970

  2. Ismael Laguna beats Mando Ramos via knockout 9/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  3. Ismael Laguna beats Guts Ishimatsu via knockout 13/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The Ring

  4. Ismael Laguna’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  5. 1971

  6. Ken Buchanan beats Ruben Navarro via unanimous decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  7. Ken Buchanan’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  8. Pedro Carrasco beats Mando Ramos via disqualification 12/15

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  9. 1972

  10. Mando Ramos beats Pedro Carrasco via split decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  11. Mando Ramos beats Pedro Carrasco via split decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  12. Chango Carmona beats Mando Ramos via knockout 8/15

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  13. Rodolfo Gonzalez beats Chango Carmona via corner retirement 12/15

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  14. 1973

  15. Rodolfo Gonzalez beats Ruben Navarro via knockout 9/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  16. Rodolfo Gonzalez beats Antonio Puddu via knockout 10/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  17. 1974

  18. Guts Ishimatsu beats Rodolfo Gonzalez via knockout 8/15

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  19. Guts Ishimatsu and Arturo Pineda draw via split decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  20. Guts Ishimatsu beats Rodolfo Gonzalez via knockout 12/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  21. 1975

  22. Guts Ishimatsu beats Ken Buchanan via unanimous decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  23. Guts Ishimatsu beats Arturo Pineda via unanimous decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  24. Guts Ishimatsu beats Alvaro Rojas via knockout 14/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  25. 1976

  26. Esteban de Jesus beats Guts Ishimatsu via unanimous decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  27. Esteban de Jesus beats Hector Julio Medina via knockout 7/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  28. 1977

  29. Esteban de Jesus beats Buzzsaw Yamabe via knockout 6/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  30. Esteban de Jesus beats Vicente Mijares via knockout 11/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  31. 1978

  32. Roberto Duran beats Esteban de Jesus via knockout 12/15

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  33. 1979

  34. Roberto Duran’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  35. Jim Watt beats Alfredo Pitalua via knockout 12/15

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  36. Jim Watt beats Robert Vasquez via knockout 9/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  1. 1980

  2. Jim Watt beats Charlie Nash via knockout 4/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  3. Jim Watt beats Howard Davis Jr via unanimous decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  4. Jim Watt beats Sean O'Grady via knockout 12/15

    Lightweight · WBC

  5. 1981

  6. Alexis Arguello beats Jim Watt via unanimous decision 15/15

    Lightweight · WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  7. Alexis Arguello beats Ray Mancini via knockout 14/15

    Lightweight · WBC and The Ring

  8. Alexis Arguello beats Roberto Elizondo via knockout 7/15

    Lightweight · WBC and The Ring

  9. 1982

  10. Alexis Arguello beats James Busceme via knockout 6/15

    Lightweight · WBC and The Ring

  11. Alexis Arguello beats Andy Ganigan via knockout 5/15

    Lightweight · WBC and The Ring

  12. 1983

  13. Alexis Arguello’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  14. Edwin Rosario beats Jose Luis Ramirez via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  15. 1984

  16. Edwin Rosario beats Roberto Elizondo via knockout 1/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  17. Edwin Rosario beats Howard Davis Jr via split decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  18. Jose Luis Ramirez beats Edwin Rosario via knockout 4/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  19. 1985

  20. Hector Camacho beats Jose Luis Ramirez via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  21. 1986

  22. Hector Camacho beats Edwin Rosario via split decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  23. Hector Camacho beats Cornelius Boza-Edwards via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  24. 1987

  25. Hector Camacho’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  26. Jose Luis Ramirez beats Terrence Alli via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  27. Jose Luis Ramirez beats Cornelius Boza-Edwards via knockout 5/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  28. 1988

  29. Jose Luis Ramirez beats Pernell Whitaker via split decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  30. Julio Cesar Chavez beats Jose Luis Ramirez via technical decision 11/12

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  31. 1989

  32. Julio Cesar Chavez’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  33. Pernell Whitaker beats Jose Luis Ramirez via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC, IBF and The RingNew WBC champion

  1. 1990

  2. Pernell Whitaker beats Freddie Pendleton via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC and IBF

  3. Pernell Whitaker beats Azumah Nelson via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC and IBF

  4. Pernell Whitaker beats Juan Nazario via knockout 1/12

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and IBF

  5. 1991

  6. Pernell Whitaker beats Anthony Jones via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and IBF

  7. Pernell Whitaker beats Poli Diaz via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and IBF

  8. Pernell Whitaker beats Jorge Paez via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBA, WBC and IBF

  9. 1992

  10. Pernell Whitaker’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  11. Miguel Angel Gonzalez beats Wilfrido Rocha via knockout 9/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  12. Miguel Angel Gonzalez beats Darryl Tyson via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  13. 1993

  14. Miguel Angel Gonzalez beats Hector Lopez via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  15. Miguel Angel Gonzalez beats David Sample via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  16. Miguel Angel Gonzalez beats Wilfrido Rocha via knockout 11/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  17. 1994

  18. Miguel Angel Gonzalez beats Jean Baptiste Mendy via knockout 5/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  19. Miguel Angel Gonzalez beats Leavander Johnson via knockout 8/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  20. Miguel Angel Gonzalez beats Calvin Grove via corner retirement 5/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  21. 1995

  22. Miguel Angel Gonzalez beats Ricardo Daniel Silva via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  23. Miguel Angel Gonzalez beats Marty Jakubowski via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  24. Miguel Angel Gonzalez beats Lamar Murphy via majority decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  25. 1996

  26. Jean Baptiste Mendy beats Lamar Murphy via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  27. 1997

  28. Stevie Johnston beats Jean Baptiste Mendy via split decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  29. Stevie Johnston beats Hiroyuki Sakamoto via split decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  30. Stevie Johnston beats Saul Duran via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  31. 1998

  32. Stevie Johnston beats George Scott via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  33. Cesar Bazan beats Stevie Johnston via split decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  34. Cesar Bazan beats Hiroyuki Sakamoto via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  35. Cesar Bazan beats Mauro Lucero via majority decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  36. 1999

  37. Stevie Johnston beats Cesar Bazan via split decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  38. Stevie Johnston beats Aldo Nazareno Rios via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  39. Stevie Johnston beats Angel Manfredy via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  40. Stevie Johnston beats Billy Schwer via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  1. 2000

  2. Stevie Johnston beats Julio Alvarez via knockout 2/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  3. Jose Luis Castillo beats Stevie Johnston via majority decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  4. Jose Luis Castillo and Stevie Johnston draw via majority decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  5. 2001

  6. Jose Luis Castillo beats Cesar Bazan via knockout 6/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  7. Jose Luis Castillo beats Seung Ho Yuh via knockout 1/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  8. 2002

  9. Floyd Mayweather Jr beats Jose Luis Castillo via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  10. Floyd Mayweather Jr beats Jose Luis Castillo via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC and The Ring

  11. 2003

  12. Floyd Mayweather Jr beats Victoriano Sosa via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC and The Ring

  13. Floyd Mayweather Jr beats Phillip Ndou via knockout 7/12

    Lightweight · WBC and The Ring

  14. 2004

  15. Floyd Mayweather Jr’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  16. Jose Luis Castillo beats Juan Lazcano via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  17. Jose Luis Castillo beats Joel Casamayor via split decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC and The Ring

  18. 2005

  19. Jose Luis Castillo beats Julio Diaz via knockout 10/12

    Lightweight · WBC and The Ring

  20. Diego Corrales beats Jose Luis Castillo via knockout 10/12

    Lightweight · WBC, WBO and The RingNew WBC champion

  21. 2006

  22. Diego Corrales’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  23. Joel Casamayor beats Diego Corrales via split decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC and The RingNew WBC champion

  24. 2007

  25. Joel Casamayor’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

    David Diaz becomes the WBC lightweight world champion

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  26. David Diaz beats Erik Morales via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  27. 2008

  28. Manny Pacquiao beats David Diaz via knockout 9/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  29. 2009

  30. Manny Pacquiao’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  31. Edwin Valero beats Antonio Pitalua via knockout 2/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  32. Edwin Valero beats Hector Velazquez via corner retirement 6/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  1. 2010

  2. Edwin Valero beats Antonio DeMarco via corner retirement 9/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  3. Edwin Valero’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  4. Humberto Soto beats David Diaz via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  5. Humberto Soto beats Ricardo Dominguez via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  6. Humberto Soto beats Fidel Monterrosa Munoz via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  7. Humberto Soto beats Urbano Antillon via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  8. 2011

  9. Humberto Soto beats Motoki Sasaki via technical decision 11/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  10. Humberto Soto’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  11. Antonio DeMarco beats Jorge Linares via knockout 11/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  12. 2012

  13. Antonio DeMarco beats Miguel Roman via knockout 5/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  14. Antonio DeMarco beats John Molina Jr via knockout 1/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  15. Adrien Broner beats Antonio DeMarco via knockout 8/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  16. 2013

  17. Adrien Broner beats Gavin Rees via knockout 5/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  18. 2014

  19. Adrien Broner’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

    Omar Figueroa Jr becomes the WBC lightweight world champion

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  20. Omar Figueroa Jr beats Jerry Belmontes via split decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  21. Omar Figueroa Jr beats Daniel Estrada via knockout 9/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  22. Omar Figueroa Jr’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  23. Jorge Linares beats Francisco Javier Prieto via knockout 4/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  24. 2015

  25. Jorge Linares beats Kevin Mitchell via knockout 10/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  26. Jorge Linares beats Ivan Cano via knockout 4/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  27. 2016

  28. Jorge Linares’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  29. Dejan Zlaticanin beats Franklin Mamani via knockout 3/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  30. 2017

  31. Mikey Garcia beats Dejan Zlaticanin via knockout 3/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  32. 2018

  33. Mikey Garcia beats Robert Easter Jr via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC and IBF

  34. 2019

  35. Mikey Garcia’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  36. Vasyl Lomachenko beats Luke Campbell via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBA Super, WBC, WBO and The RingNew WBC champion

  37. Vasyl Lomachenko’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

    Devin Haney becomes the WBC lightweight world champion

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  38. Devin Haney beats Alfredo Santiago via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  1. 2020

  2. Devin Haney beats Yuriorkis Gamboa via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  3. 2021

  4. Devin Haney beats Jorge Linares via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  5. Devin Haney beats Joseph Diaz via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  6. 2022

  7. Devin Haney beats George Kambosos Jr via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBA Super, WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring

  8. Devin Haney beats George Kambosos Jr via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBA Super, WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring

  9. 2023

  10. Devin Haney beats Vasyl Lomachenko via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBA Super, WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring

  11. Devin Haney’s reign as the WBC lightweight world champion ends

    Lightweight · WBC

  12. Shakur Stevenson beats Edwin De Los Santos via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

  13. 2024

  14. Shakur Stevenson beats Artem Harutyunyan via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  15. 2025

  16. Shakur Stevenson beats Josh Padley via technical knockout 9/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  17. Shakur Stevenson beats William Zepeda via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBC

  18. 2026

  19. Shakur Stevenson is stripped of the WBC lightweight world title

    Lightweight · WBC

    Source: Shakur Stevenson stripped of lightweight title, rips WBC as 'crooks'(opens in a new tab), ESPN,

  20. William Zepeda beats Lamont Roach Jr via unanimous decision 12/12

    Lightweight · WBCNew champion

    Source: ‘Camarón’ Zepeda, nuevo Campeón Mundial del CMB al darle unas clases de boxeo a Lamont Roach Jr(opens in a new tab), AS USA, Fernando Salazar,