What are the weight classes in boxing all about?

The popularity of boxing in the 19th and early 20th centuries brought about the formation of weight classes to eliminate the handicap of smaller boxers having to deal with excessive weight from their opponents.

There were traditionally eight weight classes:

• Flyweight: 8 st (112 lbs / 50.802 Kg)

• Bantamweight: 8 st 6 lbs (118 lbs / 53.525 kg)

• Featherweight: 9 st (126 lbs / 57.153 kg)

• Lightweight: 9 st 9 lbs (135 lbs / 61.235 kg)

• Welterweight: 10½ st (147 lbs / 66.678 kg)

• Middleweight: 11 st 6 lbs (160 lbs / 72.574 kg)

• Light Heavyweight: 12½ st (175 lbs / 79.378 kg)

• Heavyweight: (unlimited)

These were known throughout the early 20th century, before the introduction of super, junior and light classes.

Professional governing bodies now recognize a total of 17 weight classes, which had their current names established in 2015. The World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA) and the International Boxing Federation (IBF) agreed to standardize the names of the 17 weight divisions, which The World Boxing Organization (WBO) has yet to adopt.

The currently-recognized weights as defined by these major sanctioning bodies are:

• Minimumweight (WBC/WBA/IBF) / Mini Flyweight (WBO)

  • 7½ st

  • 47.627 kg

  • 105 lbs

• Light Flyweight / Junior Flyweight

  • 7st 10 lbs

  • 48.988 kg

  • 108 lbs

• Flyweight (All four)

  • 8 st

  • 50.802 kg

  • 112 lbs

• Super Flyweight / Jr Bantamweight

  • 8 st 3 lbs

  • 52.163 kg

  • 115 lbs

• Bantamweight

  • 8 st 6 lbs

  • 53,525 kg

  • 118 lbs

• Super Bantamweight / Jr Featherweight

  • 8 st 10 lbs

  • 55.225 kg

  • 122 lbs

• Featherweight

  • 9 st

  • 57.153 kg

  • 126 lbs

• Super Featherweight / Jr Lightweight

  • 9 st 4 lbs

  • 58.967 kg

  • 130 lbs

• Lightweight

  • 9 st 9 lbs

  • 61.235 kg

  • 135 lbs

• Super Lightweight / Jr Welterweight

  • 10 st

  • 63.503 kg

  • 140 lbs

• Welterweight

  • 10½ st

  • 66.678 kg

  • 147 lbs

• Super Welterweight / Jr Middleweight

  • 11 st

  • 69.85 kg

  • 154 lbs

• Middleweight

  • 11 st 6 lbs

  • 72.574 kg

  • 160 lbs

• Super Middleweight

  • 12 st

  • 76.203 kg

  • 168 lbs

• Light Heavyweight

  • 12½ st

  • 79.378 kg

  • 175 lbs

• Cruiserweight / Jr Heavyweight

  • 14 st 4 lbs

  • 90,892 kg

  • 200 lbs

• Heavyweight

  • > 14 st 4 lbs

  • > 90,892 kg

  • > 200 lbs

References

BoxRec. 2022. Weight divisions. [online] Available at: <https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Weight_divisions> [Accessed 13 January 2022].

Collins, N., Hauser, T., Krystal, A., Olver, R., Poliakoff, M., Sammons, J., Wallenfeldt, E. and Gabor, I., 2021. boxing - Weight divisions. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: <https://www.britannica.com/sports/boxing/Weight-divisions> [Accessed 13 January 2022].

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