Middleweight
Template:Short description Template:Pp-pc1
Middleweight is a weight class in combat sports.
Boxing
Professional
In professional boxing, the middleweight division is contested above Template:Convert and up to Template:Convert.
Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1867. Chandler won, becoming known as the American middleweight champion. The first middleweight fight with gloves may have been between George Fulljames and Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey (no relation to the more famous heavyweight Jack Dempsey).
Current world champions
| Sanctioning Body | Reign Began | Champion | Record | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WBA | March 9, 2023 | Erislandy Lara | 31–3–3 (19 KO) | 2 |
| WBC | May 7, 2024 | Carlos Adames | 24–1–1 (18 KO) | 2 |
| IBF | October 14, 2023 | Janibek Alimkhanuly | 17–0 (12 KO) | 2 |
| WBO | August 26, 2022 | Janibek Alimkhanuly<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 17–0 (12 KO) | 4 |
Current world rankings
The Ring
As of August 11, 2025.<ref name=ring-mw-ratings>Template:Cite web</ref>
Keys:
- Template:Color box Current The Ring world champion
| Rank | Name | Record | Title(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Template:Font color | ||
| 1 | Janibek Alimkhanuly | 17–0 (12 KO) | WBO, IBF |
| 2 | Carlos Adames | 24–1–1 (18 KO) | WBC |
| 3 | Erislandy Lara | 31–3–3 (19 KO) | WBA |
| 4 | Chris Eubank Jr. | 35–3 (25 KO) | |
| 5 | Yoenlis Hernández | 8–0 (7 KO) | |
| 6 | Troy Isley | 15–0 (5 KO) | |
| 7 | Etinosa Oliha | 21–0 (9 KO) | |
| 8 | Aaron McKenna | 20–0 (10 KO) | |
| 9 | Austin Williams | 19–1 (13 KO) | |
| 10 | Denzel Bentley | 21–3–1 (17 KO) |
BoxRec
As of January 22, 2026.<ref name=boxrec-mw-ratings>Template:Cite web</ref>
| Rank | Name | Record | Points | Title(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gennady Golovkin | 42–2–1 (37 KO) | 687.5 | |
| 2 | Jermall Charlo | 34–0 (23 KO) | 109.1 | |
| 3 | Erislandy Lara | 31–3–3 (19 KO) | 95.18 | WBA |
| 4 | Chris Eubank Jr. | 32–2 (23 KO) | 95.07 | |
| 5 | Jaime Munguía | 38–0 (30 KO) | 91.67 | |
| 6 | Michael Zerafa | 30–4 (19 KO) | 54.77 | |
| 7 | Carlos Adames | 24–1 (18 KO) | 44.18 | |
| 8 | Sergiy Derevyanchenko | 13–4 (10 KO) | 43.24 | |
| 9 | Janibek Alimkhanuly | 17–0 (12 KO) | 30.81 | WBO IBF |
| 10 | Ryōta Murata | 16–3 (13 KO) | 28.35 |
Longest reigning world middleweight champions
Below is a list of longest reigning middleweight champions in boxing measured by the individual's longest reign. Career total time as champion (for multiple time champions) is not counted.
| Rank | Name | Title Reign | Title Recognition | Successful Defenses | Beaten opponents | Fights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Bernard Hopkins | data-sort-value="Template:Age in days" | 10 years, 2 months, 18 days | IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO | 20 | 17 | <ref name=hopkins-record>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2. | Tommy Ryan | data-sort-value="Template:Age in days" | 8 years, 7 months, 4 days | World | 6 | 6 | <ref name=tommy-ryan-record>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=ibhof-book>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 3. | Gennady Golovkin | data-sort-value="Template:Age in days" | 8 years, 1 months, 1 day | WBA (Super), IBF, WBC | 18 | 14 | <ref name=golovkin-record>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 4. | Tony Zale | data-sort-value="Template:Age in days" | 6 years, 11 months, 24 days | NBA (current WBA) | 4 | 4 | <ref name=ibhof-book2>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 5. | Carlos Monzón | data-sort-value="Template:Age in days" | 6 years, 9 months, 9 days | WBA, WBC | 14 | 11 | <ref name=monzon-record>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=ibhof-book3>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 6. | Marvelous Marvin Hagler | data-sort-value="Template:Age in days" | 6 years, 7 months, 10 days | WBC, WBA, IBF | 12 | 10 | <ref name=hagler-record>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 7. | Nonpareil Jack Dempsey | data-sort-value="Template:Age in days" | 6 years, 6 months, 15 days | World | 2 | 2 | <ref name=nonpareil-record>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 8. | Felix Sturm | data-sort-value="Template:Age in days" | 5 years, 4 months, 4 days | WBA | 12 | 10 | |
| 9. | Jermall Charlo | data-sort-value="data-sort-value="Template:Age in days" | Template:Age in years, months, weeks and days | WBC | 4 | 4 | <ref name="charlo-record">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 10. | Demetrius Andrade | data-sort-value="Template:Age in days" | 3 years, 10 month, 12 days | WBO | 5 | 5 | <ref name=andrade-record>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 11. | Bob Fitzsimmons | data-sort-value="Template:Age in days" | 3 years, 8 months, 12 days | World | 1 | 1 | <ref name=fitzsimmons-record>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=ibhof-book4>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 12. | Arthur Abraham | data-sort-value="Template:Age in days" | 3 years, 7 months, 2 days | IBF | 10 | 10 | <ref name=abraham-record>Template:Cite web</ref> |
- Template:Color box Active Title Reign
- Template:Color box Reign has ended
Amateur
Olympic champions
- 1904: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1908: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1920: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1924: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1928: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1932: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1936: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1948: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1952: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1956: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1960: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1964: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1968: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1972: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1976: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1980: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1984: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1988: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1992: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1996: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 2000: Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 2004: Template:FlagIOCathlete
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Kickboxing
- International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) Middleweight (Pro & Amateur) 159.1–165 lb. or 72.4–75 kg
- In Glory promotion, a middleweight division is up to 85 kg (187 lb).<ref>OFFICIAL GLORY RANKING Template:Webarchive</ref>
- In Bellator Kickboxing promotion, a middleweight division is up to 85 kg (187 lb).
- In ONE Championship, the middleweight division limit is Template:Convert.
Bare-knuckle boxing
The limit for middleweight generally differs among promotions in bare-knuckle boxing:
- In Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, the middleweight division has an upper limit of Template:Convert.
- In BYB Extreme Fighting Series, the middleweight division has an upper limit of Template:Convert.
- In BKB™, the middleweight division has an upper limit of Template:Convert.
Lethwei
The World Lethwei Championship recognizes the middleweight division with an upper limit of Template:Convert. In World Lethwei Championship, Naimjon Tuhtaboyev is the Middleweight Champion.
Mixed Martial Arts
Template:Main In MMA, the middleweight division is from 171 lb (77.5 kg) to 185 lb (84 kg).
Anderson Silva is considered to be the greatest Middleweight MMA fighter of all time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Taekwondo
| Category | Men's | Women's | Competitions | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middleweight | 78–84 kg | 67–72 kg | World Championships, Continental Championships, Asian Games | since 1999 |
| Middleweight | 76–83 kg | 65–70 kg | World Championships, Continental Championships, Asian Games | until 1998 |
| Middleweight | 68–80 kg | 57–67 kg | Olympic Games, Pan Am Games, All-Africa Games |