The organization which eventually became the British Boxing Board of Control recognized the flyweight division in 1911 and declared Sid Smith the first champion. Smith's bout with Eugene Criqui of France on April 11, 1913, was the first international flyweight championship contest.[1]
When Jimmy Wilde defeated American flyweight champion the Young Zulu Kid by an 11 round KO for the title in London on December 18, 1916, he was recognized in both Europe and America as the world flyweight champion.
18 June 1923
14 July 1925
Pancho Villa
Universal
Pancho Villa's death on July 14, 1925, following a loss to Jimmy "Baby Face" McLarnin on July 4, caused the title to be vacated. A bout on August 22, 1925, between Fidel La Barba and American Flyweight Champion Frankie Genaro saw the title go to La Barba who defeated Genaro in a 10-round decision.
The title again became vacant when Fidel La Barba retired to attend Stanford University in 1927. Several fighters claimed the title including Wille Le Morte elected by the New Jersey Boxing Commission; Midget Wolgast, who won an 18-man tournament defeating Black Bill on March 21, 1930, in the tournament finals, recognized by the New York Boxing Commission; and Pinky Silverberg, who briefly held the National Boxing Association title in 1927 before being stripped of it later that year. After stripping Silverberg, the National Boxing Association recognized Frankie Genaro due to his victory over Canadian Flyweight Champion Albert "Frenchie" Belanger on February 6, 1928, in an NBA sanctioned tournament. Some confusion about who was the real champion was settled with Genaro defeating Wolgast by TKO on May 16 and La Morte in a 10-round decision on August 6. However, the title remained in dispute until Scottish flyweight Champion Benny Lynch's victory over NBA and British Flyweight Champion Jackie Brown on September 8, 1935, and American Flyweight Champion Small Montana on January 19, 1937, which unified the world titles.
9 June 1928
31 October 1931
Frankie Genaro
NBA
26 October 1931
23 February 1932
Victor "Young" Perez
NBA/IBU
31 October 1932
8 September 1935
Jackie Brown
NBA/British
The IBU stripped Brown of the title and matched Velentin Angelmann and Kid David for the vacant title. The IBU later stripped Angelmann for losing a bout to Peter Kane.[2]
The title was vacated when Lynch failed the weight requirement to qualify for the flyweight division and surrendered the title. Peter Kane defeated Jackie Jurich on September 22, 1938, to win the championship.
September 22, 1938
May 1939
Peter Kane
Universal
Kane vacated his title to box at bantamweight.
December 14, 1939
1942
Little Dado
NBA
The NBA proclaimed Dado as champion in 1939. After one defense Dado could no longer make weight and the NBA reinstated Kane as champion in 1942.[3]
June 19, 1943
July 31, 1947
Jackie Paterson
NBA
Paterson striped of title by NBA and BBBC because he was unable to make weight for a title defense against Dado Marino.[3]
October 20, 1947
March 30, 1950
Rinty Monaghan
Universal
Monaghan wins NBA and BBBC title by defeating Dado Marino on October 20, 1947. He wins universal recognition of champion after defeating Jackie Paterson on March 23, 1948. The title is vacated after Monaghan announces his retirement due to chronic bronchitis on March 30, 1950. The title is won by Terry Allen defeating Honore Pratesi in London, England by a 15-round decision on April 25.
The title is vacated when Venice Borkosor abandons the title following his last fight against Julio Guerrero on July 10, 1973. The title is won by Miguel Canto Solis defeating Betulio González in Caracas by a 15-round decision on August 4.
4 Championship recognition withdrawn by sanctioning organization due to champion's failure or refusal to defend title against the organization's #1 ranked contender.
References[]
↑Mullan, Harry (1996). The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Boxing. London, England: Carlton Books. p. 186. ISBN0-7858-0641-5.
↑Mullan (1996). The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Boxing. p. 186.
↑ 3.03.1Mullan (1996). The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Boxing. p. 187.
Salvatore Burruni
Efren Torres
Horacio Enrique Accavallo
Brian Viloria
