Weight Divisions

During the 19th and again at the beginning of the 20th century, the popularity of boxing brought about the formation of weight divisions other than the heavyweight class to eliminate the handicap of smaller contestants’ having to concede excessive weight to their opponents. Some of these weight divisions originated in the United States, others in Great Britain.

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There were traditionally eight weight divisions in men’s boxing. More divisions were added, and professional governing bodies now recognize a total of 17 weight classes, which had their current names established by the major boxing organizations in 2015. The upper limits of these classes are delimited as follows:

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• minimumweight, 105 pounds (48 kg)

• light flyweight, 108 pounds (49 kg)

• flyweight, 112 pounds (51 kg)

• super flyweight, 115 pounds (52 kg)

• bantamweight, 118 pounds (53.5 kg)

• super bantamweight, 122 pounds (55 kg)

• featherweight, 126 pounds (57 kg)

• super featherweight, 130 pounds (59 kg)

• lightweight, 135 pounds (61 kg)

• super lightweight, 140 pounds (63.5 kg)

• welterweight, 147 pounds (67 kg)

• super welterweight, 154 pounds (70 kg)

• middleweight, 160 pounds (72.5 kg)

• super middleweight, 168 pounds (76 kg)

• light heavyweight, 175 pounds (79 kg)

• cruiserweight, 200 pounds (91 kg)

• heavyweight, unlimited

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In all world and national title fights, weight limits must be strictly observed, although fighters are often allowed by contract to weigh-in the day before a fight. If a boxer is over the limit, he is normally given a short time in which to make the stipulated weight. If he still fails, the bout usually proceeds, but if the overweight fighter wins the bout, the title for which he was fighting is declared vacant.

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