Welterweight

Welterweight is a weight class in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like Muay Thai, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts also use it for their own weight division system to classify the opponents. In most sports that use it, welterweight is heavier than lightweight but lighter than middleweight.

Boxing

Professional boxing

A welterweight boxer's weight is greater than 63.5 kg (140 lb), but no more than 66.7 kg (147 lb).^[1]

Henry Armstrong holds the record for the most consecutive title defenses at this division, with 19 defenses of the lineal title.

Professional champions

Main article: List of welterweight boxing champions

Current champions

Sanctioning body	Reign began	Champion	Record	Defenses
WBA (super)	February 7, 2017	Keith Thurman	28–0–0 (1) (22 KO)	4
WBA (regular)	July 15, 2018	Manny Pacquiao	60–7–2 (39 KO)	0
WBC	September 8, 2018	Shawn Porter	29–2–1 (17 KO)	0
IBF	May 27, 2017	Errol Spence Jr.	24–0–0 (21 KO)	2
WBO	June 9, 2018	Terence Crawford	34–0–0 (25 KO)	1

Current The Ring magazine welterweight rankings Updated 12 July 2018

Rank	Name	Record	Title(s)
1	Keith Thurman	28–0 (22 KO)	WBA (super)
2	Errol Spence Jr.	24–0 (21 KO)	IBF
3	Terence Crawford	33–0 (24 KO)	WBO
4	Shawn Porter	29–2–1 (17 KO)	WBC
5	Manny Pacquiao	60–7–2 (38 KO)	WBA (regular)
6	Danny García	34–2 (20 KO)
7	Jessie Vargas	28–2–1 (10 KO)
8	Egidijus Kavaliauskas	20–0 (16 KO)
9	Jeff Horn	18–1–1 (12 KO)
10	Yordenis Ugas	23–3 (11 KO)

Longest reigning welterweight champions

Below is a list of longest reigning welterweight 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
1.	Félix Trinidad	6 years, 8 months, 14 days	IBF	15
2.	Antonio Margarito	5 years, 3 months, 28 days	WBO	7
3.	Jose Napoles	4 years, 6 months, 2 days	WBA, WBC	11
4.	Floyd Mayweather Jr.	4 years, 1 month, 18 days	WBC	5
5.	Pernell Whitaker	4 years, 1 month, 6 days	WBC	8
6.	Pipino Cuevas	4 years and 16 days	WBA	11
7.	Sugar Ray Robinson	3 years, 7 months, 19 days	World	5
8.	Donald Curry	3 years, 7 months, 14 days	WBA	7
9.	Jack Britton	3 years, 7 months, 13 days	World	4
10.	Mickey Walker	3 years, 5 months, 20 days	World	5

Kickboxing

The weight division system is different in each organisation, so the kickboxing weight divisions of some international organizations vary:

• International Kickboxing Federation (IKF), welterweight (Pro & Amateur) 142.1 pounds - 147 pounds (64.6 kg - 66.8 kg).^[2]
• International Sport Karate Association (ISKA), welterweight 142.1 pounds - 147 pounds (64.6 kg - 66.8 kg).^[3]
• World Kickboxing Association (WKA), welterweight (Pro) upper limit 147.4 pounds (67 kg).^[4]
• In Glory promotion, a welterweight division is up to 77 kg (170 pounds).^[5]

Mixed martial arts

The welterweight limit, as defined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission^[6] and the Association of Boxing Commissions^[7] is 155 pounds (70.3 kg) to 170 pounds (77.1 kg).

Other sports

Other sports to include a welterweight division include the following,

• Muay Thai has fixed its weight division similarly to boxing.
  • International Kickboxing Federation (IKF): Muay Thai Welterweight (Pro & Amateur) 142.1 lbs. - 147 lbs.(64.59 kg - 66.8 kg)
  • World Muay Thai Council (WMC), welterweight range is from 140 pounds (63.5 kg) to 147 pounds (66.6 kg)
  • World Muay Thai Federation (WMF), the official amateur organization, fixed welterweight from 63.5 to 67 kg for adult; the junior category is the same as adult
• The official rules of shoot boxing define welterweights as between 65 and 67 kg (143.3 to 147.7 lb).
• In Olympic taekwondo, welterweight falls between 74 and 80 kg. At the weight classes for the Olympic games it is between 68 and 80 kg.

References

External links