This is a list of world lightweight boxing champions by organization, as recognized by four of the better-known sanctioning organizations:
- The World Boxing Association (WBA), founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA),
- The World Boxing Council (WBC), founded in 1963,
- The International Boxing Federation (IBF), founded in 1983,
- The World Boxing Organization (WBO), founded in 1988
World
{| border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
|- style="background:#efefef;"
!Reign began
!Reign ended
!Champion
!Recognition
|-
|29 October 1886
|9 June 1893
| Jack McAuliffe
|Universal
|-
|colspan="4" style="font-size: smaller;"|
:After McAuliffe's retirement, the title remained inactive until 1896, when the title was won by George "Kid" Lavigne in a 17 Round KO against Dick Burge. Lavigne's victory, the first fought under the Marquess of Queensberry rules, was considered by boxing promoters of the time as the first officially recognized world Lightweight Champion.
|-
|1 June 1896
|3 July 1899
| George "Kid" Lavigne
|Universal
|-
|3 July 1899
|12 May 1902
| Frank Erne
|Universal
|-
|12 May 1902
|4 July 1908
|WBA/WBC
|-
|1970-03-03
|1970-09-15
| Pernell Whitaker
|WBC
|-
|1992-08-24
|1995-08-19
| Joel Casamayor
|WBC
|-
|2007-02-01
|2008-06-28
| David Díaz
|WBC
|-
|2008-06-28
|2009-02-24-Vacated
| Manny Pacquiao
|WBC
|-
|2009-04-04
|2010-02-09-Vacated
| Edwin Valero
|WBC
|-
|2010-03-17
|2011-07-01-Vacated
| Humberto Soto
|WBC
|-
|2011-10-15
|2012-11-17
| Antonio DeMarco
|WBC
|-
|2012-11-17
|2014-01-27-Stripped
| Adrien Broner
|WBC
|-
|2014-01-27
|2014-11-10-Stripped
| Omar Figueroa Jr.
|WBC
|-
|2014-12-30
|2016-06-12
| Jorge Linares
|WBC
|-
|2016-06-12
|2017-01-28
| Dejan Zlatičanin
|WBC
|-
|2017-01-28
|2019-04-25-Vacated
| Mikey Garcia
|WBC
|-
|2019-08-31
|2020-10-17
| Vasyl Lomachenko
|WBC Franchise
|-
|2019-11-09
|2023-08-01-Champion in recess
| Devin Haney
|WBC
|-
|2023-11-16
|2026-02-04-Stripped
| Shakur Stevenson
|WBC
|}
WBA
{| border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
|- style="background:#efefef;"
!Reign began
!Reign ended
!Champion
!Recognition
|-
|1962-04-21
|1965-04-10
| Carlos Ortiz
|WBA
|-
|1965-04-10
|1965-11-13
| Ismael Laguna
|WBA
|-
|1965-11-13
|1968-06-29
| Carlos Ortiz
|WBA
|-
|1968-06-29
|1969-02-18
| Carlos Teo Cruz
|WBA
|-
|1969-02-18
|1970-03-03
| Mando Ramos
|WBA
|-
|1970-03-03
|1970-09-26
| Ismael Laguna
|WBA
|-
|1970-09-26
|1972-06-26
| Ken Buchanan
|WBA
|-
|1972-06-26
|1979-01-31