Boxing Weight Classifications: Ranking Boxing Weight Classes in Order

Title fights explained! Explore boxing’s divisions by weight and see where legends are made.

We always see breaking boxing news in which someone becomes a new world champion. If you’re not entirely into boxing, you can’t help but notice that it seems like, there’s a new champion every month. This doesn’t seem right, there must be something we’re missing.

We sure are. Boxing is a sport that is highly popular around the world with an estimated fan base of somewhere between 500 million and one billion. However, unlike other popular sports, like soccer, basketball, or football, boxing is a combat sport practised one-on-one, and in different weight classes.

If you’re not sure what this means exactly, we’re here to explain it thoroughly. If you want to know more about boxing in general, and especially the various boxing classifications, you’re at the right place. Keep reading and learn more about these differences, and find out how boxing gets new champions so often.

What is Boxing?

Boxing is a simple combat sport in which two opponents fight each other with their hands. The rules are simple – no punching under the belt and when the fighter is down. Boxing is a gentleman’s sport and respect is of utmost importance, but today, with publicity being imperative, boxers often indulge in trash-talking and even heavy disrespect. This is not what the sport of boxing stands for.

Based on the rules of fair fighting, boxing is divided into 17 main categories based on the athlete’s weight. This way, everyone gets a fair chance to compete against opponents in their weight class. Imagine a 273 lb Tyson Fury fighting Manny Pacquiao, who’s only 150 lbs. So how’s boxing divided?

Boxing Divisions by Weight

As we mentioned, there are 17 different classifications in boxing. The most popular ones are those for boxers who weigh the most – heavyweight, cruiserweight, light heavyweight, and so on.

For a fair competition, the World Boxing Association and the other boxing sanctioning bodies, such as the WBO, WBC, and IBF divided athletes’ weight into several categories. Each boxer that falls into one of these categories can compete for the world title.

What’s interesting here is that all sanctioning bodies have their own champions in different weight categories. However, one boxer can unite more of them and become a world champion in one weight class for more sanctioning bodies. For example, Oleksandr Usyk is a heavyweight champion in the WBA, WBO, WBC, and IBO.

Even more interesting, weighing at 223 lbs, he’s an undisputed world heavyweight champion, but throughout his career, Usyk was competing in the cruiserweight division, where he also claimed world titles. This fluctuation speaks about the flexibility and opportunities for boxers to go up and down in weight divisions, based on their current state.

What are the weight classifications for boxing?

So what is the official weight classification in boxing? Here’s a list, starting from the most lightweight. Right after, we will dive into some of the most interesting categories, with a quick overview.

  • Minimumweight: Up to 105 lbs (47.6 kg)
  • Light Flyweight: Up to 108 lbs (49 kg)
  • Flyweight: Up to 112 lbs (50.8 kg)
  • Super Flyweight (Junior Bantamweight): Up to 115 lbs (52.2 kg)
  • Bantamweight: Up to 118 lbs (53.5 kg)
  • Super Bantamweight (Junior Featherweight): Up to 122 lbs (55.3 kg)
  • Featherweight: Up to 126 lbs (57.2 kg)
  • Super Featherweight (Junior Lightweight): Up to 130 lbs (59 kg)
  • Lightweight: Up to 135 lbs (61.2 kg)
  • Super Lightweight (Junior Welterweight): Up to 140 lbs (63.5 kg)
  • Welterweight: Up to 147 lbs (66.7 kg)
  • Super Welterweight (Junior Middleweight): Up to 154 lbs (69.9 kg)
  • Middleweight: Up to 160 lbs (72.6 kg)
  • Super Middleweight: Up to 168 lbs (76.2 kg)
  • Light Heavyweight: Up to 175 lbs (79.4 kg)
  • Cruiserweight: Up to 200 lbs (90.7 kg)
  • Heavyweight: Over 200 lbs (90.7 kg)

Heavyweight

This is the top class. It has the most fans and attracts the most attention. Throughout the years it gave the world some of the most notable athletes of all time, such as Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Rocky Marciano, or Mike Tyson. This class is over 200 lbs.

Cruiserweight

For boxers that weigh a maximum of 200 lbs, this category is considered the second most important. Some of the most notable names in this category are Evander Holyfield, Johnny Nelson, Oleksandr Usyk, and others.

Middleweight

In this category, the older generation witnessed the great Sugar Ray Robinson who was one of the most notable boxers of all time, known as the greatest pound-for-pound boxer. This weight category is highly competitive and exciting, and fans love it.

Flyweight

Moving down to the lighter categories, we have the flyweight, which gained tremendous popularity due to its legendary duels between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Both fighters changed categories during their careers.

How do they rank players in boxing?

Boxing rankings are determined by a combination of factors, which vary slightly depending on the sanctioning bodies. They generally include performance in the ring, title victories, and the strength of opponents. The major boxing organizations—WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO—each have their own ranking systems, though they follow similar principles.

Performance and results in the ring are the most important. Then, points are added for winning and retaining world titles, but other non-competitive factors may also affect the ranking, even media influence.

As of December 2024, the number one boxer in heavyweight, according to the WBC is Tyson Fury, but WBA, IBF, and WBO recognize Oleksandr Usyk as No. 1. Other notable boxers in this category, holding the first five spots are Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, and Joe Joyce.