Weight divisions

For an evenly matched and fairer fight, weight classes originally split professional male boxers into eight categories: flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight.

• Flyweight fighters weigh a maximum of 112lbs or 50.9kg. Notable flyweights include Jimmy Wilde, and Ricardo Lopez.

• Bantamweight boxers weigh a maximum of 118lbs or 53.6kg. Legendary bantamweight fighters include Wayne McCullough and Eder Jofre.

• Featherweights weigh up to 126lbs or 57.3kg. ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed and Willie Pep were two of the best.

• Lightweight fighters weigh up to 135lbs or 61.4kg. Roberto Duran and Julio Cesar Chavez are two star lightweights.

• Welterweight boxers weigh a maximum of 147lbs or 66.8kg. ‘Sugar’ Ray Robinson made dominated this division for some time.

• Middleweights weigh up to 160lbs or 72.7kg. Notable British boxers in this division include Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn.

• Light heavyweight fighters weigh a maximum of 175lbs or 79.5kg. Beginning his career in 1936, Archie More fought as a light heavyweight for 30 years.

• Heavyweight boxers have no weight limit imposed on them, but must weigh in at 200lbs or more. There is a long list of world famous heavyweights, including greats such as Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis.

These are the traditional eight weight divisions which have been added to during the last century. There is a list of 17 classes in all which are used today, with several newer divisions slotting between the above eight. The new categories mean that fighters are even more precisely matched in terms of weight. They also make it easier for fighters to move between the different divisions. The full list is below, from heaviest to lightest.

1. Heavyweight (over 200lb, 91kg)

2. Cruiserweight (200lb, 91kg)

3. Light heavyweight (175lb, 79kg)

4. Super middleweight (168lb, 76.2kg)

5. Middleweight (160lb, 72.5kg)

6. Light middleweight, also known as super welter (154lb, 70kg)

7. Welterweight (147lb, 66.7kg)

8. Light welterweight, also known as super light (140lb, 63.5kg)

9. Lightweight (135lb, 61.2kg)

10. Super featherweight, also known as junior light (130lb, 59kg)

11. Featherweight (126lb, 57.1kg)

12. Super bantamweight, also known as junior feather (122lb, 55.3kg)

13. Bantamweight (118lb, 53.5kg)

14. Super flyweight, also known as junior bantam (115lb, 52.1kg)

15. Flyweight (112lb, 51kg)

16. Light flyweight (108lb, 49kg)

17. Straw weight, also known as mini fly (105lb, 47.6kg)

Taking into account the difference between male and female boxers, the weight divisions for professional women boxers are as follows:

• Pinweight (up to 101lb, 45.8kg)
• Light Flyweight (106lb, 48.1kg)
• Flyweight (110lb, 49.9kg)
• Light Bantamweight (114lb, 51.7kg)
• Bantamweight (119lb, 53.9kg)
• Featherweight (125lb, 56.7kg)
• Lightweight (132lb, 59.9kg)
• Light Welterweight (138lb, 62.6kg)
• Welterweight (145lb, 65.8kg)
• Light Middleweight (154lb, 69.9kg)
• Middleweight (165lb, 74.8kg)
• Light Heavyweight (176lb, 79.8kg)
• Heavyweight (over 189lb, 85.7kg)

Amateur weight divisions differ again. These are the divisions to look at if you are considering taking up the sport. The following are the weight categories amateur boxers are split into:

• Light Flyweight (up to 106lb, 48.1kg)
• Flyweight (112lb, 50.8kg)
• Bantamweight (119lb, 54.0kg)
• Featherweight (125lb, 56.7kg)
• Lightweight (132lb, 59.9kg)
• Light Welterweight (141lb, 63.9kg)
• Welterweight (152lb, 68.9kg)
• Middleweight (165lb, 74.8kg)
• Light Heavyweight (178lb, 80.7kg)
• Heavyweight (201lb, 91.2kg)
• Super Heavyweight (over 201lb, 91.2kg)