What are the Boxing Categories?
In boxing matches, boxers fight against opponents who are in the same weight class. By doing this, boxing immediately eliminates certain advantages and disadvantages that a boxer may face. In the following article, we’ll share the most important categories in boxing.
Boxing Categories
In total, there are 17 different categories and weight limits for both men and women. The only exceptions are the following: in women’s boxing, there’s no cruiserweight and the minimum weight in heavyweight boxing is lower than in men’s boxing.
The following are the most popular categories in boxing as well as well known boxers who compete in them.
Bantamweight
This weight class in used in boxing, kickboxing and wrestling. In order to compete in this category, boxers must be in the ‘bantamweight class’, that means that they must weigh between 115 to 118 pounds (52.16-53.52 kg). The class that comes after this category is known as a super bantamweight and the class that comes before, is known as a flyweight.
Famous boxers in this class include Nonito Donaire, Nordine Oubaali and Emmanuel Rodriguez.
Lightweight: one of the boxing categories
In order to fight in this category, boxers need to weigh between 130 and 135 pounds (58.96-61.23 kg). The category above lightweight is known as super lightweight while the category below is known as a featherweight.
The best lightweight boxer of all time was Roberto ‘Stone Hand’ Duran. Other well-known boxers in this category include Oscar de la Hoya, Floyd Mayweather jr and Manny Pacquiao.
Middleweight
This is another category found in other combat sports. In order to compete in this class, boxers must weigh between 154 to 160 pounds (69.85-72.56 kg). The higher category is known as super middleweight while the lower weight class is known as a super welterweight.
The first official fight in this category took place in 1884. Notable boxers in this class include Nino Benvenuti, Rocky Graziano, Carlos Monzon, Jake LaMotta, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Sergio Martinez.
Boxing categories: light heavyweight
This is one of the popular categories in boxing. In order to compete in this category, boxers need to weigh between 168 to 175 pounds (76.20-79.37 kg). The next weight category up is known as cruiserweight while the lower weight category is known as a super middleweight.
Many great fighters have participated in this category. Well known light heavyweight boxers include Bob Foster, Michael Spinks and Bob Fitzsimmons. This category has been included in the Olympic Games since 1920.
Welterweight
In order to participate in this category boxers must weigh between 140 to 147 pounds (63.50-66.67 kg). The higher category is known as a super welterweight and the lower weight category is known as a super lightweight.
Famous boxers in this category include Manny Pacquiao, Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar de la Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Marco Maidana, Lucas Matteyse and Roberto Duran.
Featherweight
Featherweight is used in other combat sports including kickboxing and wrestling. In order to fight in this category, boxers must weigh between 119 to 125 pounds (54-57 kg). The higher weight-class is known as super featherweight while the lesser weight class is known as a super bantamweight.
Flyweight
This is the category is for the lightest boxers who weigh between 108 to 112 pounds (49.98-50.80 kg). The higher weight class is known as super flyweight while the inferior class is known as a mini flyweight.
Famous fighters in this category include Pascual Perez, Omar Narvaez, Horacio Accavallo and Roman Gonzalez.
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is the highest weight class in professional boxing, fighters must weigh over 201 pounds (91 kg). The first heavyweight champion was Tom Molineux. This category has been in the Olympics since 1904.
The following are boxing categories that are also worth mentioning: flyweight, super flyweight, minifly, super bantamweight, super featherweight, super welterweight, super mediumweight and cruiserweight. There is a category for everyone, which category do you prefer?
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Perón, A. P. D. O. N., Garcia, L. D. S., Alvarez, J. F. G., Filho, W. Z., & Silva, A. W. Da. (2009). Perfil nutricional de boxeadores olímpicos e avaliação do impacto da intervenção nutricional no ajuste de peso para as categorias de lutas. O Mundo Da Saúde, São Paulo.
