Different boxing weights explained
If there is one thing more confusing than boxing belts in boxing then it’s boxing weights! With lots of different belt names being bandied around for all the different weight classes sometimes can be unclear just what the title a boxer is fighting for. So let’s break it down – There are 17 weight divisions ranging from Heavyweight (200lbs+) down down to Minimumweight (105lbs). With all four major belts in each division there are a whopping 68 boxing titles up for grabs! And currently over 50 different title holders in boxing.
Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko – Photo Credit – Flickr
Different Boxing Belts
There are four ‘major’ world boxing title belts.
These belts are awarded by, in order of incorporation:
- The World Boxing Association (WBA)
- The World Boxing Council (WBC)
- The International Boxing Federation (IBF)
- The World Boxing Organisation (WBO)
These are the 4 major boxing sanction bodies called IBF, WBA, WBO and WBC respectively and they all have their own belts. So in all 17 weight divisions we can have 4 different world champions. You van read all about the different boxing belts here – Different Boxing Belts Explained
Different boxing weights and their most famous names
- Minimumweight / Mini Flyweight 105 pounds (48 kg)
A division for the smallest of fighters
- Light flyweight, 108 pounds (49 kg)
Tile holder include Iván Calderon. Michael Carbajal, Luis Estaba, Leo Gamez and Humberto Gonzalez.
- Flyweight, 112 pounds (51 kg)
Famous names include Manny Pacquiao and Román González
- Super flyweight, 115 pounds (52 kg)
Notable boxers in this weight include Gilberto Román, Nana Konadu, and Danny Romero. There are currently four different champions in each of the above weight divisions
- Bantamweight, 118 pounds (53.5 kg)
Éder Jofre and Manny Pacquiao fought at this weight.
- Super bantamweight, 122 pounds (55 kg)
Notable fighters to hold championship titles at this weight include Wayne McCullough, Wilfredo Gómez, Érik Morales and once again the many who fought at many different boxing weights – Manny Pacquiao.
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- Featherweight, 126 pounds (57 kg)
British former boxer Prince Naseem Hamed competed from 1992 to 2002. He held multiple featherweight world championships. Freddie Miller won over 200 fights, and held the NBA world featherweight championship ffot a few years in the 1930’s
- Super featherweight, 130 pounds (59 kg)
Rocky Lockridge was an American professional super featherweight boxer. Diego “Chico” Corrales Jr. was a multiple-time world champion in two weight divisions, including super featherweight
- Lightweight, 135 pounds (61 kg)
Manny Pacquiao is regarded by many as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He is the only eight-division world champion in the history of boxing, having won twelve major world titles. Pacquiao is also the first boxer in history to win major world titles in four of the eight “glamour divisions” of boxing: flyweight, featherweight, lightweight and welterweight.
- Super lightweight, 140 pounds (63.5 kg)
Oscar De La Hoya competed from 1992 to 2008, winning multiple world titles in six weight classes! Including a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Lightweight
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- Welterweight, 147 pounds (67 kg)
Floyd Mayweather Jr held multiple world titles in five weight classes and the lineal championship in four weight classes (twice at welterweight). Sugar Ray Leanord was another famous and undisputed Welterweight champ.
- Super welterweight, 154 pounds (70 kg)
Some of the greatest boxers ever fought at this division including Floyd Mayweather Jr, Oscar de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao.
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- Middleweight, 160 pounds (72.5 kg)
Jake LaMotta was the most famous world middleweight champion. Known as the “The Bronx Bull” or “Raging Bull”, LaMotta he later became a stand-up comedian! Sugar Ray Robinson was another famous middle weight champion.
- Super middleweight, 168 pounds (76 kg)
Chris Eubank held middleweight and super-middleweight titles between 1990 and 1995.
- Light heavyweight, 175 pounds (79 kg)
Oscar De La Hoya competed from 1992 to 2008, winning multiple world titles in six weight classes! Including a gold medal
- Cruiserweight, 200 pounds (91 kg)
David Haye started at Cruiserweight before moving up to Heavyweight
- Heavyweight, 200 pounds – unlimited
Famous names in this division include Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Joe Lewis, Vladmir Klitschko, Joe Fraizer and most famous of them all Muhammad Ali started as a light heavy weight at 18 moving up to heavyweight as his career progressed.
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