Boxing Weight Classes

The world of boxing is one that is most dynamic. Noted champions cannot just be simply pitted against each other because both opponents have to belong to the same boxing weight classes. Simply put, you cannot expect Lennox Lewis to fight against Bernard Hopkins even of they both desire unless anyone of the two increases or decreases his weight so the both of them will belong to the same boxing weight class.

For professional boxing bouts the boxing weight classes are determined by the different boxing bodies, which may have different weight requirements. However, most of these boxing organizations have a uniform weight requirement on certain boxing weight classes.

For the heavyweight class (201 lb and above / 91.4 kg and above) the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), and International Boxing Federation (IBF) have the same weight requisite.

The World Boxing Organization on their part has a different weight limit for the heavyweight that is 190 lb above or 86.2 kg and above.

In the cruiserweight category again the three boxing bodies (WBA, WBC, IBF) have the same weight limit, which is 176-200 lb or 90.7 kg, but for the WBO their cruiserweight is called junior heavy weight with a weight requirement of 190 lb or 86.2 kg.

Famous boxers who belong to heavyweight class were John Sullivan, who is also considered as the first champion of the modern boxing rules; Jim Corbett; Bob Fitzsimmons, hailed as the first Englishman heavyweight champion; Jack Johnson; Jack Dempsey; Gene Tunney; Rocky Marciano; Joe Frazier; and of course who wouldn’t recognize Muhammad Ali.

In the later years, names like Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis, and Nikolai Valuev would surely ring the boxing bell.

In the cruiserweight, names like O’Neil Bell, James Toney, Jean-Marc Mormeck have definitely made their imprints in boxing history as world title holders.

Interestingly, Holyfiled before he became a heavyweight world champion, started first in this category wherein he also held champion belts from WBA and IBF.

One of the hotly contested among the boxing weight classes that has produced countless luminaries is the super welterweight (148-154lb or 66.7 kg). One of the most notable boxers in this category is Oscar de la Hoya, who is better known in the boxing arena as the Golden Boy. Other know name were Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Terry Norris, and Julian Jackson.

The other boxing weight classes are light heavyweight (169-175 lb/ 79.4 kg), super middleweight (161-168 lb/ 76.2kg), middleweight (155-160 lb / 72.6 kg), welterweight (141-147 lb/ 66.7 kg), super lightweight (136-140 lb/63.5 kg), and super featherweight (127/130 lb/59.0 kg).

There are still boxing weight classes in the lesser weight categories namely: featherweight (123-126 kb/ 57.2 kg), super bantamweight (119-122 lb / 55.3 kg), bantamweight (116-118 lb / 53.5 kg).

The remaining boxing weight classes are super flyweight (113-115 lb / 52.2 kg), flyweight (109-112 lb/ 50.8 kg), light flyweight (106-108 lb / 49 kg), and the lightest of all is the minimum weight (96-105 lb / 47.6 kg).