lightweight
{{short description|Weight class in combat sports}}
{{about|the sports concept|the general concept|weight|other uses}}
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==
==Current world rankings==
===''The Ring''===
As of May 14, 2025.{{Cite web|url=https://ringmagazine.com/en/ring-ranking|title=The Ring ratings: lightweight|access-date=14 May 2025}}
Keys:
:{{Color box|gold|C|border=darkgray}} Current The Ring world champion
| class="wikitable"
!Rank !Name !Record !Title(s) |
| bgcolor=gold|C
|{{font color|gray|vacant}} | | |
| 1
|30–0–1 (28 KO) |WBA |
| 2
|13–0–0–1 (9 KO) | |
| 3
|23–0 (11 KO) |WBC |
| 4
|33–0 (27 KO) | |
| 5
|23–0 (17 KO) | |
| 6
|5–0 (2 KO) | |
| 7
|18–1 (12 KO) | |
| 8
|19–1 (9 KO) | |
| 9
|33–8–1 (8 KO) | |
| 10
|17–0 (15 KO) | |
=== ''BoxRec'' ===
As of May 19, 2025.{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/ratings?role=proboxer&offset=0&sex=M&division=Lightweight|title=BoxRec ratings: lightweight, active|access-date=28 November 2021}}
| class="wikitable"
!Rank !Name !Record !Title(s) |
| 1
|30–0–1 (28 KO) |WBA |
| 2
|23–0 (11 KO) |WBC |
| 3
|23–0 (17 KO) | |
| 4
|33-0 (27 KO) | |
| 5
|13–0–0–1 (9 KO) |WBO |
| 6
|25–1–2 (10 KO) | |
| 7
|20–2 (12 KO) | |
| 8
|17–0 (15 KO) | |
| 9
|18–0 (16 KO) | |
| 10
|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.
=Amateur boxing=
==Olympic Champions==
===Men’s===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
- 1904 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Harry Spanger|USA|1904 Summer}}
- 1908 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Frederick Grace|GBR|1908 Summer}}
- 1920 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Samuel Mosberg|USA|1920 Summer}}
- 1924 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Hans Jacob Nielsen|DEN|1924 Summer}}
- 1928 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Carlo Orlandi|ITA|1928 Summer}}
- 1952 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Aureliano Bolognesi|ITA|1952 Summer}}
- 1956 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Dick McTaggart|GBR|1956 Summer}}
- 1960 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Kazimierz Paździor|POL|1960 Summer}}
- 1964 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Józef Grudzień|POL|1964 Summer}}
- 1968 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Ronnie Harris|USA|1968 Summer}}
- 1972 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Jan Szczepański|POL|1972 Summer}}
- 1976 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Howard Davis Jr.|USA|1976 Summer}}
- 1980 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Ángel Herrera|CUB|1980 Summer}}
- 1984 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Pernell Whitaker|USA|1984 Summer}}
- 1988 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Andreas Zülow|GDR|1988 Summer}}
- 1992 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Oscar De La Hoya|USA|1992 Summer}}
- 1996 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Hocine Soltani|ALG|1996 Summer}}
- 2000 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Mario César Kindelán Mesa|CUB|2000 Summer}}
- 2004 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Mario César Kindelán Mesa|CUB|2004 Summer}}
- 2008 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Aleksei Tishchenko|RUS|2008 Summer}}
- 2012 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Vasiliy Lomachenko|UKR|2012 Summer}}
- 2016 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Robson Conceição|BRA|2016 Summer}}
- 2020 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Andy Cruz|CUB|2020 Summer}}
{{div col end}}
==Pan American Champions==
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
- 1951 – {{Flagicon|ARG}} Oscar Gallardo (ARG)
- 1955 – {{Flagicon|ARG}} Miguel Ángel Péndola (ARG)
- 1959 – {{Flagicon|ARG}} Abel Laudonio (ARG)
- 1963 – {{Flagicon|CUB}} Roberto Caminero (CUB)
- 1967 – {{Flagicon|CUB}} Enrique Regueiferos (CUB)
- 1971 – {{Flagicon|PUR}} Luis Dávila (PUR)
- 1975 – {{Flagicon|CAN}} Chris Clarke (CAN)
- 1979 – {{Flagicon|CUB}} Adolfo Horta (CUB)
- 1983 – {{Flagicon|USA}} Pernell Whitaker (USA)
- 1987 – {{Flagicon|CUB}} Julio Gonzáles (CUB)
- 1991 – {{Flagicon|CUB}} Julio Gonzáles (CUB)
- 1995 – {{Flagicon|CUB}} Julio Gonzáles (CUB)
- 1999 – {{Flagicon|CUB}} Mario César Kindelán Mesa (CUB)
- 2003 – {{Flagicon|CUB}} Mario César Kindelán Mesa (CUB)
- 2007 – {{Flagicon|CUB}} Yordenis Ugás (CUB)
- 2011 – {{Flagicon|CUB}} Yasniel Toledo (CUB)
{{div col end}}
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).[http://www.gloryworldseries.com/en/fighters/rankings/lw OFFICIAL GLORY RANKING] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140119105108/http://www.gloryworldseries.com/en/fighters/rankings/lw |date=2014-01-19 }}
In ONE Championship, the lightweight division limit is {{convert|77.1|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.
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 {{convert|155|lb|kg|abbr=on}}.
- In BKB™, the lightweight division has an upper limit of {{convert|79|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}.
Lethwei
In World Lethwei Championship, the lightweight division has an upper limit of {{convert|60|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}.
Mixed martial arts
{{Main|Lightweight (MMA)}}
In MMA, the lightweight division is from 146 lb (66 kg) to 155 lb (70 kg).
Rowing
{{Main|Lightweight rowing}}
At the international level, for crew boats, the limits are:
- Men: Crew average {{cvt|70|kg|1}} – no rower over {{cvt|72.5|kg|1}}
- Women: Crew average {{cvt|57|kg|1}} – no rower over {{cvt|59|kg|1}}
For single sculls, the limits are {{cvt|72.5|kg|1}} for men and {{cvt|59|kg|1}} 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 {{cvt|85|kg|1}} for men, {{cvt|80|kg|1}} for boys, {{cvt|65|kg|1}} for women, and {{cvt|60|kg|1}} for girls.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Boxing weight classes}}
Category:Boxing weight classes
Category:Kickboxing weight classes