View source for 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 sport]]s and [[rowing (sport)|rowing]].

==Boxing==
===Professional boxing===
The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) [[boxing weight classes|weight class]] in the sport of [[boxing]].
Notable lightweight boxers include [[Henry Armstrong]], [[Ken Buchanan]], [[Tony Canzoneri]], [[Pedro Carrasco]], [[Joel Casamayor]], [[Al Davis (boxer)|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 (boxer)|Miguel Ángel González]], [[Carlos Ortiz (boxer)|Carlos Ortiz]], [[Katie Taylor]], [[Edwin Valero]], [[Len Wickwar]], [[Pernell Whitaker]], [[Manny Pacquiao]] and [[Ike Williams (boxer)|Ike Williams]].

====Current world champions====
{{main|List of world lightweight boxing champions}}

{| class="wikitable"
!Sanctioning body
!Reign began
!Champion
!Record
!Defenses
|-
|[[World Boxing Association|WBA]] 
|November 29, 2023
|[[Gervonta Davis]]
|30–0–1 (28 KO)
|align=center|2
|-
|[[World Boxing Council|WBC]]
|November 16, 2023
|[[Shakur Stevenson]]
|24–0 (11 KO)
|align=center|3
|-
|[[International Boxing Federation|IBF]]
|June 9, 2025
|[[Raymond Muratalla]]
|23–0 (17 KO)
|align=center|0
|-
|[[World Boxing Organization|WBO]]
|
|Vacant
|
|
|}

====Current world rankings====

=====''The Ring''=====

As of August 11, 2025.<ref name=ring-lw-ratings>{{Cite web|url=https://ringmagazine.com/en/ring-ranking|title=The Ring ratings: lightweight|access-date=11 August 2025}}</ref>

Keys:
:{{Color box|gold|C|border=darkgray}} Current ''[[The Ring (magazine)|The Ring]]'' world champion

{| class="wikitable"
!Rank
!Name
!Record
!Title(s)
|-
|bgcolor=gold|C
|{{font color|gray|vacant}}
|
|
|-
|1
|[[Shakur Stevenson]]
|24–0 (11 KO)
|[[World Boxing Council|WBC]]
|-
|2
|[[Gervonta Davis]]
|30–0–1 (28 KO)
|[[World Boxing Association|WBA]]
|-
|3
|[[Raymond Muratalla]]
|23–0 (17 KO)
|[[International Boxing Federation|IBF]]
|-
|4
|[[William Zepeda]]
|33–1 (27 KO)
|
|-
|5
|[[Andy Cruz]]
|6–0 (3 KO)
|
|-
|6
|[[Floyd Schofield]]
|19–0 (13 KO)
|
|-
|7
|[[Denys Berinchyk]]
|19–1 (9 KO)
|
|-
|8
|[[Sam Noakes]]
|17–0 (15 KO)
|
|-
|9
|[[Abdullah Mason]]
|19–0 (17 KO)
|
|-
|10
|[[Lucas Bahdi]]
|20–0 (15 KO)
|
|}

===== ''BoxRec'' =====

As of May 19, 2025.<ref name=boxrec-lw-ratings>{{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}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
!Rank
!Name
!Record 
!Title(s)
|-
|1
|[[Gervonta Davis]]
|30–0–1 (28 KO)
|[[World Boxing Association|WBA]]
|-
|2
|[[Shakur Stevenson]]
|23–0 (11 KO)
|[[World Boxing Council|WBC]]
|-
|3
|[[Raymond Muratalla]]
|23–0 (17 KO)
|
|-
|4
|[[William Zepeda|William Zepeda Segura]]
|33-0 (27 KO)
|
|-
|5
|[[Keyshawn Davis]]
|13–0–0–1 (9 KO)
|
|-
|6
|[[Lamont Roach Jr.]]
|25–1–2 (10 KO)
|
|-
|7
|[[Zaur Abdullaev]]
|20–2 (12 KO)
|
|-
|8
|[[Sam Noakes]]
|17–0 (15 KO)
|
|-
|9
|[[Abdullah Mason]]
|18–0 (16 KO)
|
|-
|10
|[[Jadier Herrera]]
|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.

{| class=" sortable wikitable"
|-
!!! Name!!Title Reign!!Title recognition !! Successful defenses !! Beaten opponents !! Fights
|-
| 1. || [[Benny Leonard]] || 7 years, 7 months, 17 days || World || align=" center" | 6 || align=" center" | 6 || <ref name=benny-leonard-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/9001?offset=0|title=Professional boxing record: Benny Leonard|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref><ref name=ibhof-book>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/details/TheBoxingRegisterInternationalBoxingHallOfFameOfficialRecordBook|work=The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book |publisher=[[International Boxing Hall Of Fame]] |title=Benny Leonard, p. 182|format=pdf |access-date=26 May 2019}}</ref>
|-
| 2. || [[Artur Grigorian]] || 7 years, 6 months, 20 days || WBO|| align="center" | 17 || align="center" | 17 || <ref name=grigorian-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/5673|title=Professional boxing record: Artur Grigorian|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| 3. || [[Jack McAuliffe (boxer)|Jack McAuliffe]] || 6 years, 7 months, 12 days || World || align="center" | 7 || align="center" | 6 || <ref name=ibhof-book2>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/details/TheBoxingRegisterInternationalBoxingHallOfFameOfficialRecordBook|work=The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book |publisher=[[International Boxing Hall Of Fame]] |title=Jack McAuliffe, p. 200|format=pdf |access-date=26 May 2019}}</ref>
|-
| 4. || [[Roberto Durán]] || 6 years, 7 months, 5 days || WBA || align="center" | 12 || align="center" | 11 || <ref name=duran-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/000080|title=Professional boxing record: Roberto Durán|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| 5. || [[Ike Williams]] || 6 years, 1 month, 7 days || World || align="center " | 8 || align="center " | 6 || <ref name=ibhof-book3>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/details/TheBoxingRegisterInternationalBoxingHallOfFameOfficialRecordBook|work=The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book |publisher=[[International Boxing Hall Of Fame]] |title=Ike Williams, p. 784|format=pdf |access-date=26 May 2019}}</ref>
|-
| 6. || [[Joe Gans]] || 6 years, 27 days || World || align="center" | 15 || align="center" | 13 || <ref>{{cite web |url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/9026 |title = BoxRec: Joe Gans}}</ref>
|-
| 7. || [[Joe Brown (boxer)]] || 5 years, 7 months, 27 days || World || align="center" | 11 || align="center" | 10 || <ref name=ibhof-book5>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/details/TheBoxingRegisterInternationalBoxingHallOfFameOfficialRecordBook|work=The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book |publisher=[[International Boxing Hall Of Fame]] |title=Joe Brown ("Old Bones"), p. 352|format=pdf |access-date=26 May 2019}}</ref>
|-
| 8. || [[Devin Haney]] || 4 years, 1 month, 7 days || WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO || align="center" | 7 || align="center" | 6 || <ref name=Haney-record>{{cite web |url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/741718|title=Professional boxing record: Deving Haney|access-date=27 August 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 9. || [[Miguel Vazquez]] || 4 years, 29 days || IBF || align="center" | 6 || align="center" | 6 || <ref name=vazquez-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/357157|title=Professional boxing record: Miguel Vazquez|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
| 10. || [[Sammy Mandell]] || 4 years, 14 days || NBA || align="center" | 4 || align="center" | 4 || <ref name=mandell-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/10116|title=Professional boxing record: Sammy Mandel|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref><ref name=ibhof-book6>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/details/TheBoxingRegisterInternationalBoxingHallOfFameOfficialRecordBook|work=The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book |publisher=[[International Boxing Hall Of Fame]] |title=Sammy Mandell, p. 198|format=pdf |access-date=26 May 2019}}</ref>
|-
| 11. || [[Paul Spadafora]] || 3 years, 10 months || IBF || align="center" | 8 || align="center" | 8 || <ref name=spadafora-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/006517|title=Professional boxing record: Paul Spadafora|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref>
|-
|}

===Amateur boxing===

====Olympic Champions====
=====Men’s=====
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Boxing at the 1904 Summer Olympics|1904]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Harry Spanger]]|USA|1904 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1908 Summer Olympics|1908]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Frederick Grace]]|GBR|1908 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1920 Summer Olympics|1920]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Samuel Mosberg]]|USA|1920 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1924 Summer Olympics|1924]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Hans Jacob Nielsen]]|DEN|1924 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1928 Summer Olympics|1928]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Carlo Orlandi]]|ITA|1928 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1952 Summer Olympics|1952]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Aureliano Bolognesi]]|ITA|1952 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1956 Summer Olympics|1956]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Dick McTaggart]]|GBR|1956 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1960 Summer Olympics|1960]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Kazimierz Paździor]]|POL|1960 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1964 Summer Olympics|1964]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Józef Grudzień]]|POL|1964 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1968 Summer Olympics|1968]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Ronnie Harris (American boxer, born 1948)|Ronnie Harris]]|USA|1968 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1972 Summer Olympics|1972]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Jan Szczepański (boxer)|Jan Szczepański]]|POL|1972 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1976 Summer Olympics|1976]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Howard Davis Jr.]]|USA|1976 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1980 Summer Olympics|1980]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Ángel Herrera Vera|Ángel Herrera]]|CUB|1980 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1984 Summer Olympics|1984]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Pernell Whitaker]]|USA|1984 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1988 Summer Olympics|1988]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Andreas Zülow]]|GDR|1988 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1992 Summer Olympics|1992]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Oscar De La Hoya]]|USA|1992 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 1996 Summer Olympics|1996]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Hocine Soltani]]|ALG|1996 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 2000 Summer Olympics|2000]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Mario César Kindelán Mesa]]|CUB|2000 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 2004 Summer Olympics|2004]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Mario César Kindelán Mesa]]|CUB|2004 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 2008 Summer Olympics|2008]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Aleksei Tishchenko]]|RUS|2008 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 2012 Summer Olympics|2012]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Vasiliy Lomachenko]]|UKR|2012 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 2016 Summer Olympics|2016]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Robson Conceição]]|BRA|2016 Summer}}
* [[Boxing at the 2020 Summer Olympics|2020]] – {{FlagIOCathlete|[[Andy Cruz]]|CUB|2020 Summer}}
{{div col end}}

====Pan American Champions====
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Boxing at the 1951 Pan American Games|1951]] – {{Flagicon|ARG}} [[Oscar Gallardo]] ([[Argentina|ARG]])
* [[Boxing at the 1955 Pan American Games|1955]] – {{Flagicon|ARG}} Miguel Ángel Péndola ([[Argentina|ARG]])
* [[Boxing at the 1959 Pan American Games|1959]] – {{Flagicon|ARG}} [[Abel Laudonio]] ([[Argentina|ARG]])
* [[Boxing at the 1963 Pan American Games|1963]] – {{Flagicon|CUB}} [[Roberto Caminero]] ([[Cuba|CUB]])
* [[Boxing at the 1967 Pan American Games|1967]] – {{Flagicon|CUB}} [[Enrique Regueiferos]] ([[Cuba|CUB]])
* [[Boxing at the 1971 Pan American Games|1971]] – {{Flagicon|PUR}} Luis Dávila ([[Puerto Rico|PUR]])
* [[Boxing at the 1975 Pan American Games|1975]] – {{Flagicon|CAN}} [[Chris Clarke (boxer)|Chris Clarke]] ([[Canada|CAN]])
* [[Boxing at the 1979 Pan American Games|1979]] – {{Flagicon|CUB}} [[Adolfo Horta]] ([[Cuba|CUB]])
* [[Boxing at the 1983 Pan American Games|1983]] – {{Flagicon|USA}} [[Pernell Whitaker]] ([[United States|USA]])
* [[Boxing at the 1987 Pan American Games|1987]] – {{Flagicon|CUB}} Julio Gonzáles ([[Cuba|CUB]])
* [[Boxing at the 1991 Pan American Games|1991]] – {{Flagicon|CUB}} Julio Gonzáles ([[Cuba|CUB]])
* [[Boxing at the 1995 Pan American Games|1995]] – {{Flagicon|CUB}} Julio Gonzáles ([[Cuba|CUB]])
* [[Boxing at the 1999 Pan American Games|1999]] – {{Flagicon|CUB}} [[Mario César Kindelán Mesa]] ([[Cuba|CUB]])
* [[Boxing at the 2003 Pan American Games|2003]] – {{Flagicon|CUB}} [[Mario César Kindelán Mesa]] ([[Cuba|CUB]])
* [[Boxing at the 2007 Pan American Games|2007]] – {{Flagicon|CUB}} [[Yordenis Ugás]] ([[Cuba|CUB]])
* [[Boxing at the 2011 Pan American Games|2011]] – {{Flagicon|CUB}} [[Yasniel Toledo]] ([[Cuba|CUB]])
{{div col end}}

==Kickboxing==
[[International Kickboxing Federation]] (IKF) Lightweight (Pro & Amateur) 127.1&nbsp;lb - 132&nbsp;lb or 57.77&nbsp;kg - 60&nbsp;kg.
Women's divisions also use this weight class, but usually at a lower weight than the men's divisions.
In [[Glory (kickboxing)|Glory]] promotion, a lightweight division is up to 70&nbsp;kg (154&nbsp;lb).<ref>[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 }}</ref>

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 [[mixed martial arts|MMA]], the lightweight division is from 146&nbsp;lb (66&nbsp;kg) to 155&nbsp;lb (70&nbsp;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 scull]]s, 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 [[Rowing at the 1996 Summer Olympics|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]]
[[Category:Wrestling weight classes]]
[[Category:Lightweight boxers|*]]
[[Category:Lightweight kickboxers|*]]