Surf Wiki
Save to docs
technology/web

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Light heavyweight

Weight class used in boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts

Weight class used in boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts

Light heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports.

Boxing

Professional

In professional boxing, the division is above 168 lb and up to 175 lb, falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight.

The light heavyweight class has produced some of boxing's greatest champions: Bernard Hopkins (who, upon becoming champion, broke the record for oldest man to win a world title), Tommy Loughran, Billy Conn, Joey Maxim, Archie Moore, Michael Moorer, Bob Foster, Ann Wolfe, Michael Spinks, Dariusz Michalczewski, Roy Jones Jr., Joe Calzaghe, Sergey Kovalev, Zsolt Erdei, Dmitry Bivol, & Artur Beterbiev.

Many light heavyweight champions unsuccessfully challenged for the heavyweight crown until Michael Spinks became the first reigning light heavyweight champion to win the heavyweight championship. Bob Fitzsimmons captured the light heavyweight championship after losing his heavyweight championship. Two all-time great heavyweight champions, Ezzard Charles and Floyd Patterson, started out as light heavyweights. Charles defeated Archie Moore and Joey Maxim several times in non-title bouts before becoming heavyweight champion and Patterson lost an eight-round decision to Joey Maxim before becoming heavyweight champion himself. Evander Holyfield successfully moved up from the light heavyweight division to the cruiserweight division and eventually the heavyweight division and became undisputed champion of the latter two.

Current world champions

Main article: List of world light-heavyweight boxing champions

Sanctioning bodyReign beganChampionRecordDefenses
WBAFebruary 22, 2025Dmitry Bivol24–1 (12 KO)0
WBCApril 7, 2025David Benavidez31–0 (25 KO)1
IBFFebruary 22, 2025Dmitry Bivol24–1 (12 KO)0
WBOFebruary 22, 2025Dmitry Bivol24–1 (12 KO)0

Current world rankings

''The Ring''

As of January 11, 2026.

Keys: : Current The Ring world champion

RankNameRecord (W–L–D)Title(s)
CDmitry Bivol24–1 (12 KO)IBF, WBO, WBA
1Artur Beterbiev21–1 (20 KO)
2David Benavidez31–0 (25 KO)WBC, WBA (Regular)
3Callum Smith31–2 (22 KO)
4Albert Ramirez22–0 (19 KO)
5Anthony Yarde27–4 (24 KO)
6David Morrell12–1 (9 KO)
7Imam Khataev11–1 (10 KO)
8Joshua Buatsi20–1 (13 KO)
9Oleksandr Gvozdyk21–2 (17 KO)
10Willy Hutchinson19–2 (14 KO)
BoxRec
RankNameRecord (W–L–D)Title(s)
1David Benavidez31–0 (25 KO)WBC, WBA (Regular)
2Dmitry Bivol24–1 (12 KO)WBA, WBO, IBF
3Artur Beterbiev21–1 (20 KO)
4Callum Smith31–2 (22 KO)
5Albert Ramirez22–0 (19 KO)
6David Morrell12–1 (9 KO)
7Joshua Buatsi20–1 (13 KO)
8Oleksandr Gvozdyk21–2 (17 KO)
9Imam Khataev11–1 (10 KO)
10Najee Lopez15–0 (12 KO)

Longest reigning world light heavyweight champions

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

NameTitle reignTitle recognitionSuccessful defensesBeaten opponentsFights
1.Archie Moore9 years, 4 months, 24 daysNYSAC, NBA97
2.Dariusz Michalczewski9 years, 1 months, 8 daysIBF, WBA, WBO2320
3.Artur Beterbiev7 years, 3 months, 1 week and 5 daysIBF, WBC, WBO, WBA99
4.Gus Lesnevich7 years, 2 months, 2 daysNYSAC, NBA53
5.Dmitry Bivol7 years, 3 weeks and 3 daysIBF, WBC, WBO, WBA1212
6.Bob Foster6 years, 0 months, 23 daysWBC, WBA1413
7.Zsolt Erdei5 years, 9 months, 27 daysWBO1110
8.Adonis Stevenson5 years, 5 months, 24 daysWBC99
9.Charles Williams5 years, 4 months, 21 daysIBF88
10.Roy Jones Jr.5 years, 2 months, 25 daysWBC, IBF, WBA (Super)1111
11.Virgil Hill4 years, 9 months, 15 daysWBA1010
12.Maxie Rosenbloom4 years, 4 months, 22 daysNYSAC, NBA76
13.Michael Spinks4 years, 2 months, 3 daysIBF, WBA, WBC1010
14.Battling Levinsky3 years, 11 months, 19 daysWorld11
15.Victor Galindez3 years, 9 months, 8 daysWBA107

: Active title reign : Reign has ended

Amateur

In amateur boxing, light heavyweight is a weight division above 165 lb and up to 178 lb, falling between middleweight and heavyweight.

Olympic champions

  • 1920 – Eddie Eagan
  • 1924 – Harry Mitchell
  • 1928 – Víctor Avendaño
  • 1932 – David Carstens
  • 1936 – Roger Michelot
  • 1948 – George Hunter
  • 1952 – Norvel Lee
  • 1956 – James Boyd
  • 1960 – Muhammad Ali
  • 1964 – Cosimo Pinto
  • 1968 – Danas Pozniakas
  • 1972 – Mate Parlov
  • 1976 – Leon Spinks
  • 1980 – Slobodan Kacar
  • 1984 – Anton Josipović
  • 1988 – Andrew Maynard
  • 1992 – Torsten May
  • 1996 – Vassiliy Jirov
  • 2000 – Aleksandr Lebziak
  • 2004 – Andre Ward
  • 2008 – Zhang Xiaoping
  • 2012 – Egor Mekhontsev
  • 2016 – Julio César La Cruz
  • 2020 – Arlen López

Kickboxing

  • In kickboxing, a light heavyweight fighter generally weighs between 77 kg (171 lb) and 95 kg (210 lb).
  • In International Kickboxing Federation (IKF), a light heavyweight division is 172.1 – 179 lb (78.3 – 81.4 kg).
  • In Glory promotion, a light heavyweight division is up to 95 kg (209 lb).
  • In Bellator Kickboxing promotion, a light heavyweight division is up to 95 kg (209 lb).
  • In ONE Championship, the light heavyweight division is up to 102.1 kg.

Bare-knuckle boxing

The limit of light heavyweight generally differs among promotions in bare-knuckle boxing:

  • In Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, the light heavyweight division has an upper limit of 185 lb.
  • In BKB™, the light heavyweight division has an upper limit of 95 kg.

Mixed martial arts

Main article: Light heavyweight (MMA)

In MMA, the light heavyweight division is from 186 lb (84 kg) to 205 lb (93 kg).

References

References

  1. "The Ring ratings: light heavyweight".
  2. "BoxRec ratings: light heavyweight, active".
  3. "Professional boxing record: Archie Moore".
  4. "Archie Moore, p. 612". [[International Boxing Hall Of Fame]].
  5. "Professional boxing record: Dariusz Michalczewski".
  6. "Professional boxing record: Artur Beterbiev".
  7. "Please login".
  8. "Professional boxing record: Dmitry Bivol".
  9. "Professional boxing record: Bob Foster".
  10. "Professional boxing record: Zsolt Erdei".
  11. "Professional boxing record: Adonis Stevenson".
  12. "Professional boxing record: Charles Williams".
  13. "Professional boxing record: Roy Jones Jr.".
  14. "Professional boxing record: Virgil Hill".
  15. "Please login".
  16. "Professional boxing record: Michael Spinks".
  17. "Professional boxing record: Battling Levinsky".
  18. "Battling Levinsky, p. 184". [[International Boxing Hall Of Fame]].
  19. "Professional boxing record: Victor Galindez".
  20. "Victor Galindez, p. 468". [[International Boxing Hall Of Fame]].
  21. [http://boxrec.com/ratings.php?sex=m&division=Light%20Heavyweight BoxRec Light Heavyweight Ratings] Retrieved on 27 December 2012.
  22. [http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/WBC_Light_Heavyweight_Champion BoxRec WBC Light Heavyweight Champion] Retrieved on 27 December 2012.
  23. [http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Light_heavyweight BoxRec Light Heavyweight Division] Retrieved on 27 December 2012.
  24. [http://www.gloryworldseries.com/en/fighters/rankings/lhw Official Glory Ranking] {{webarchive. link. (2014-01-10)
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

boxing-weight-classes kickboxing-weight-classes professional-wrestling-weight-classes light-heavyweight-boxers light-heavyweight-kickboxers
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Light heavyweight — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report