Featherweight Explained

Featherweight is a weight class in the combat sports of boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and Greco-Roman wrestling.

Boxing

Professional boxing

History

A featherweight boxer weighs in at a limit of 126lb. In the early days of the division, this limit fluctuated. The British have generally always recognized the limit at 126 pounds, but in America the weight limit was at first 114 pounds. An early champion, George Dixon, moved the limit to 120 and then 122 pounds. Finally, in 1920 the United States fixed the limit at 126 pounds.[1]

The 1860 fight between Nobby Clark and Jim Elliott is sometimes called the first featherweight championship. However, the division only gained wide acceptance in 1889 after the Ike Weir–Frank Murphy fight (one of the most famous fights of all time).

Since the end of the 2000s and early 2010s the featherweight division is one of the most active in boxing with fighters such as Orlando Salido, Chris John, Juan Manuel López, Celestino Caballero, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Elio Rojas, Israel Vazquez, Cristobal Cruz, Rafael Márquez, Rocky Juarez, Steven Luevano, Naseem Hamed, Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquiao.

Current world champions

See main article: List of world featherweight boxing champions.

Sanctioning BodyReign BeganChampionRecordDefenses
WBAJune 1, 2024Nick Ball20–0–1 (11 KO)0
WBCJuly 9, 2022Rey Vargas36–1–1 (22 KO)1
IBFAugust 10, 2024Angelo Leo25–1 (12 KO)0
WBODecember 9, 2023Rafael Espinoza25–0 (21 KO)1

Current The Ring world rankings

As of August 10, 2024.[2]

Keys:

Current The Ring world champion

RankNameRecordTitle(s)
C
1Leigh Wood28–3 (17 KO)
2Angelo Leo25–1 (12 KO)IBF
3Rey Vargas36–1–1 (22 KO)WBC
4Nick Ball20–0–1 (11 KO)WBA
5Luis Alberto Lopez30–3 (17 KO)
6Rafael Espinoza25–0 (21 KO)WBO
7Brandon Figueroa25–1–1 (19 KO)
8Raymond Ford15–1–1 (8 KO)
9Robeisy Ramírez14–2 (9 KO)
10Josh Warrington31–3–1 (8 KO)

Longest reigning world featherweight champions

Below is a list of longest reigning featherweight champions in boxing measured by the individual's longest reign. Career total time as champion (for multiple time champions) does not apply.

!Name Title reign Title recognition Successful defenses Beaten opponents Fights
1. 11 years, 3 months, 24 days World/NYSAC 4 2 [3] [4]
2. 10 years, 1 month, 5 days WBA 18 16 [5]
3. 8 years, 5 months, 19 days World 22 14 [6]
4. 7 years, 1 month, 23 days WBA 19 18 [7]
5. Gary Russell, Jr.6 years, 9 month, 25 days WBC 5 5 [8]
6. 6 years, 4 months, 13 days World 4 3 [9] [10]
7. 5 years, 10 months, 13 days WBA (Super) 5 5[11]
8. 4 years, 11 months, 20 days WBO 15 15 [12]
9. 4 years, 5 months World 4 4 [13] [14]
10. 4 years, 27 days WBA 7 7 [15]
11. 4 years, 3 days World 5 4 [16]

Lineal Champions

Olympic champions

Men’s

Pan American Champions

Notable featherweights

Kickboxing

In kickboxing, a featherweight fighter generally weighs between 55and. However, some governing bodies have slightly different classes. For example, the International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) featherweight division (professional and amateur) is between 122.1-.

In Glory promotion, a featherweight division is up to 65kg (143lb).[17]

In Bellator Kickboxing promotion, a featherweight division is up to 66kg (146lb).

In ONE Championship, the featherweight division limit is 70.3kg (155lb).

Bare-knuckle boxing

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

Lethwei

International Lethwei Federation Japan has a featherweight division with an upper limit of 65kg (143lb). In International Lethwei Federation Japan, Thar A Thae Ta Pwint is the Featherweight Champion.

In World Lethwei Championship, the featherweight division has an upper limit of 57kg (126lb).

Mixed Martial Arts

See main article: Featherweight (MMA). In MMA, within the UFC company and most other MMA companies the featherweight range is from 136to.

Current champions

These tables were last updated in February 2024.

Men:

OrganizationReign BeganChampionRecordDefenses
UFCFebruary 17, 2024 Ilia Topuria15–0 (5KO 8SUB)0
Bellator MMAApril 15, 2022 Patrício Pitbull33–5 (11KO 12SUB)1
ONE ChampionshipAugust 26, 2022 Tang Kai15–2 (12KO 0SUB)0
ACAJuly 22, 2022 Alikhan Suleymanov15–2 (1KO 10SUB)0
Cage WarriorsNovember 4, 2022 Paul Hughes9–1 (3KO 3SUB)0
M-1 Global Vacant
AMC Fight NightsOctober 14, 2022 Gleb Khabibulin7–1–2 (4KO 3SUB)0
Brave Combat FederationOctober 22, 2022 Roman Bogatov13–1 (1KO 5SUB)0
Titan FCAugust 6, 2021 Ali al-Qaisi12–5 (2KO 4SUB)0
Legacy Fighting Alliance Vacant
Road FCDecember 18, 2022 Hae Jin Park10–2 (1KO 4SUB)0
KSWDecember 18, 2021 Salahdine Parnasse17–1–1 (2KO 6SUB)1

Women:

OrganizationReign BeganChampionRecordDefenses
Bellator MMAJanuary 25, 2020 Cris Cyborg29–2 (1) (20KO 1SUB)4
UFCDecember 29, 2018 Amanda Nunes21–5 (13KO 3SUB)2
Invicta FC Vacant

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Mullan , Harry . The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Boxing . Carlton Books . 1996 . London, England . 172 . 0-7858-0641-5.
  2. Web site: The Ring ratings: featherweight. 10 August 2024.
  3. Web site: Professional boxing record: Johnny Kilbane. 14 April 2020.
  4. Web site: Johnny Kilbane, p. 172. The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book . . pdf . 26 May 2019.
  5. Web site: Professional boxing record: Chris John. 14 April 2020.
  6. Web site: Professional boxing record: Abe Attell. 14 April 2020.
  7. Web site: Eusebio Pedrosa, p. 668. The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book . . pdf . 26 May 2019.
  8. Web site: Professional boxing record: Gary Allen Russell Jr.. 14 April 2020.
  9. Web site: Professional boxing record: Sandy Saddler. 14 April 2020.
  10. Web site: Sandy Saddler, p. 720. The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book . . pdf . 26 May 2019.
  11. Web site: Professional boxing record: Léo Santa Cruz. 14 April 2020.
  12. Web site: Professional boxing record: Naseem Hamed. 14 April 2020.
  13. Web site: Professional boxing record: George Dixon. 14 April 2020.
  14. Web site: George Dixon, p. 118. The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book . . pdf . 26 May 2019.
  15. Web site: Professional boxing record: Antonio Esparragoza. 14 April 2020.
  16. Web site: Professional boxing record: Davey Moore. 14 April 2020.
  17. http://www.gloryworldseries.com/en/fighters/rankings/fw OFFICIAL GLORY RANKING

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