Lightweight

This article is about the sports concept. For the general concept, see weight. For other uses, see Lightweight (disambiguation).

Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing.

Boxing

Professional boxing

The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) weight class in the sport of boxing. Notable lightweight boxers include Henry Armstrong, Ken Buchanan, Tony Canzoneri, Pedro Carrasco, Joel Casamayor, Al "Bummy" Davis, Oscar De La Hoya, Roberto Durán, Joe Gans, Artur Grigorian, Benny Leonard, Ray Mancini, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Juan Manuel Márquez, Sugar Shane Mosley, Miguel Ángel González, Carlos Ortiz, Katie Taylor, Edwin Valero, Len Wickwar, Pernell Whitaker, Manny Pacquiao and Ike Williams.

Current world champions

Main article: List of world lightweight boxing champions

Sanctioning body	Reign began	Champion	Record	Defenses
WBA	November 29, 2023	Gervonta Davis	30–0–1 (28 KO)	2
WBC	November 16, 2023	Shakur Stevenson	23–0 (11 KO)	2
IBF	June 9, 2025	Raymond Muratalla	23–0 (17 KO)	0
WBO		Vacant

Current world rankings

The Ring

As of July 3, 2025.^[1]

Keys:

 C  Current The Ring world champion

Rank	Name	Record	Title(s)
C	vacant
1	Gervonta Davis	30–0–1 (28 KO)	WBA
2	Shakur Stevenson	24–0 (11 KO)	WBC
3	William Zepeda	33–1 (27 KO)
4	Raymond Muratalla	23–0 (17 KO)	IBF
5	Andy Cruz	6–0 (3 KO)
6	Floyd Schofield	19–0 (13 KO)
7	Frank Martin	18–1 (12 KO)
8	Denys Berinchyk	19–1 (9 KO)
9	Sam Noakes	17–0 (15 KO)
10	Abdullah Mason	19–0 (17 KO)

BoxRec

As of May 19, 2025.^[2]

Rank	Name	Record	Title(s)
1	Gervonta Davis	30–0–1 (28 KO)	WBA
2	Shakur Stevenson	23–0 (11 KO)	WBC
3	Raymond Muratalla	23–0 (17 KO)
4	William Zepeda Segura	33-0 (27 KO)
5	Keyshawn Davis	13–0–0–1 (9 KO)
6	Lamont Roach Jr.	25–1–2 (10 KO)
7	Zaur Abdullaev	20–2 (12 KO)
8	Sam Noakes	17–0 (15 KO)
9	Abdullah Mason	18–0 (16 KO)
10	Jadier Herrera	17–0 (15 KO)

Longest reigning world lightweight champions

Below is a list of "longest reigning lightweight champions" career time as champion (for multiple time champions) does not apply.

	Name	Title Reign	Title recognition	Successful defenses	Beaten opponents	Fights
1.	Benny Leonard	7 years, 7 months, 17 days	World	6	6	[3][4]
2.	Artur Grigorian	7 years, 6 months, 20 days	WBO	17	17	[5]
3.	Jack McAuliffe	6 years, 7 months, 12 days	World	7	6	[6]
4.	Roberto Durán	6 years, 7 months, 5 days	WBA	12	11	[7]
5.	Ike Williams	6 years, 1 month, 7 days	World	8	6	[8]
6.	Joe Gans	6 years, 27 days	World	15	13	[9]
7.	Joe Brown (boxer)	5 years, 7 months, 27 days	World	11	10	[10]
8.	Devin Haney	4 years, 1 month, 7 days	WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO	10	10	[11]
9.	Miguel Vazquez	4 years, 29 days	IBF	6	6	[12]
10.	Sammy Mandell	4 years, 14 days	NBA	4	4	[13][14]
11.	Paul Spadafora	3 years, 10 months	IBF	8	8	[15]

Amateur boxing

Olympic Champions

Men’s

• 1904 –  Harry Spanger (USA)
• 1908 –  Frederick Grace (GBR)
• 1920 –  Samuel Mosberg (USA)
• 1924 –  Hans Jacob Nielsen (DEN)
• 1928 –  Carlo Orlandi (ITA)
• 1952 –  Aureliano Bolognesi (ITA)
• 1956 –  Dick McTaggart (GBR)
• 1960 –  Kazimierz Paździor (POL)
• 1964 –  Józef Grudzień (POL)
• 1968 –  Ronnie Harris (USA)
• 1972 –  Jan Szczepański (POL)
• 1976 –  Howard Davis Jr. (USA)
• 1980 –  Ángel Herrera (CUB)
• 1984 –  Pernell Whitaker (USA)
• 1988 –  Andreas Zülow (GDR)
• 1992 –  Oscar De La Hoya (USA)
• 1996 –  Hocine Soltani (ALG)
• 2000 –  Mario César Kindelán Mesa (CUB)
• 2004 –  Mario César Kindelán Mesa (CUB)
• 2008 –  Aleksei Tishchenko (RUS)
• 2012 –  Vasiliy Lomachenko (UKR)
• 2016 –  Robson Conceição (BRA)
• 2020 –  Andy Cruz (CUB)

Pan American Champions

• 1951 – Oscar Gallardo (ARG)
• 1955 – Miguel Ángel Péndola (ARG)
• 1959 – Abel Laudonio (ARG)
• 1963 – Roberto Caminero (CUB)
• 1967 – Enrique Regueiferos (CUB)
• 1971 – Luis Dávila (PUR)
• 1975 – Chris Clarke (CAN)
• 1979 – Adolfo Horta (CUB)
• 1983 – Pernell Whitaker (USA)
• 1987 – Julio Gonzáles (CUB)
• 1991 – Julio Gonzáles (CUB)
• 1995 – Julio Gonzáles (CUB)
• 1999 – Mario César Kindelán Mesa (CUB)
• 2003 – Mario César Kindelán Mesa (CUB)
• 2007 – Yordenis Ugás (CUB)
• 2011 – Yasniel Toledo (CUB)

Kickboxing

International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) Lightweight (Pro & Amateur) 127.1 lb - 132 lb or 57.77 kg - 60 kg. Women's divisions also use this weight class, but usually at a lower weight than the men's divisions. In Glory promotion, a lightweight division is up to 70 kg (154 lb).^[16]

In ONE Championship, the lightweight division limit is 77.1 kg (170 lb).

Bare-knuckle boxing

The limit for lightweight generally differs among promotions in bare-knuckle boxing:

• In Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, the lightweight division has an upper limit of 155 lb (70 kg).
• In BKB™, the lightweight division has an upper limit of 79 kg (174 lb).

Lethwei

In World Lethwei Championship, the lightweight division has an upper limit of 60 kg (132 lb).

Mixed martial arts

Main article: Lightweight (MMA)

In MMA, the lightweight division is from 146 lb (66 kg) to 155 lb (70 kg).

Rowing

Main article: Lightweight rowing

At the international level, for crew boats, the limits are:

• Men: Crew average 70 kg (154.3 lb) – no rower over 72.5 kg (159.8 lb)
• Women: Crew average 57 kg (125.7 lb) – no rower over 59 kg (130.1 lb)

For single sculls, the limits are 72.5 kg (159.8 lb) for men and 59 kg (130.1 lb) for women.

Originally, lightweight rowing was a introduced as a category at the 1996 Summer Olympics, due to countries with athletes of smaller average stature competing with an unfair disadvantage, as rowing favors taller athletes who have more leverage.

Current Olympic-class lightweight events in rowing are the men's lightweight double sculls, and the women's lightweight double sculls. From 1996 to 2016, there was also the men's lightweight coxless four event.

Sumo

In amateur sumo competitions sanctioned by the International Sumo Federation, the lightweight class is defined as no heavier than 85 kg (187.4 lb) for men, 80 kg (176.4 lb) for boys, 65 kg (143.3 lb) for women, and 60 kg (132.3 lb) for girls.