Featherweight

Last updated

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

Contents

Boxing

Professional boxing

History

A featherweight boxer weighs in at a limit of 126 pounds (57 kg). 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.

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

Sanctioning BodyReign BeganChampionRecordDefenses
WBA June 1, 2024 Nick Ball 23–0–1 (13 KO)3
WBC February 1, 2025 Stephen Fulton 23–1 (8 KO)0
IBF August 10, 2024 Angelo Leo 26–1 (12 KO)1
WBO December 9, 2023 Rafael Espinoza 27–0 (23 KO)3

Current The Ring world rankings

As of August 16, 2025. [2]

Keys:

 C  Current The Ring world champion
RankNameRecordTitle(s)
Cvacant
1 Rafael Espinoza 27–0 (23 KO) WBO
2 Angelo Leo 26–1 (12 KO) IBF
3 Nick Ball 23–0–1 (13 KO) WBA
4 Stephen Fulton 23–1 (8 KO) WBC
5 Luis Alberto Lopez 31–3 (18 KO)
6 Bruce Carrington 16–0 (9 KO)
7 Brandon Figueroa 26–2–1 (19 KO)
8 Mirco Cuello 16–0 (13 KO)
9 Robeisy Ramírez 14–3 (9 KO)
10 Nathaniel Collins 17–0 (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.

NameTitle reignTitle recognitionSuccessful defensesBeaten opponentsFights
1. Johnny Kilbane 11 years, 3 months, 24 daysWorld/NYSAC42 [3] [4]
2. Chris John 10 years, 1 month, 5 daysWBA1816 [5]
3. Abe Attell 8 years, 5 months, 19 daysWorld2214 [6]
4. Eusebio Pedroza 7 years, 1 month, 23 daysWBA1918 [7]
5. Gary Russell, Jr. 6 years, 9 month, 25 daysWBC55 [8]
6. Sandy Saddler 6 years, 4 months, 13 daysWorld43 [9] [10]
7. Léo Santa Cruz 5 years, 10 months, 13 daysWBA (Super)55 [11]
8. Naseem Hamed 4 years, 11 months, 20 daysWBO1515 [12]
9. George Dixon 4 years, 5 monthsWorld44 [13] [14]
10. Antonio Esparragoza 4 years, 27 daysWBA77 [15]
11. Davey Moore 4 years, 3 daysWorld54 [16]


Lineal Champions

  • Flag of New Zealand.svg Billy Murphy (1890-1891)
  • Flag of Australia (converted).svg Young Griffo (1891) Vacated
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg George Dixon (1891-1897)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Solly Smith (1897-1898)
  • Flag of Ireland.svg Dave Sullivan (1898)
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg George Dixon (1898-1900) (2)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Terry McGovern (1900-1901)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Young Corbett II (1901-1902) Vacated
  • Flag of the United States.svg Abe Attell (1903-1912)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Kilbane (1912-1923)
  • Flag of France.svg Eugene Criqui (1923)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Dundee (1923–1924) Vacated
  • Flag of the United States.svg Kid Kaplan (1925-1926) Vacated
  • Flag of the United States.svg Tony Canzoneri (1928)
  • Flag of France.svg Andre Routis (1928-1929)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Bat Battalino (1929-1932) Vacated
  • Flag of the United States.svg Henry Armstrong (1937-1938) Vacated
  • Flag of the United States.svg Joey Archibald (1939-1940)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Harry Jeffra (1940-1941)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Joey Archibald (1941)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Chalky Wright (1941-1942)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Willie Pep (1942-1948)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Saddler (1948-1949)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Willie Pep (1949-1950) (2)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Sandy Saddler (1950-1957) (2) Retired
  • Flag of Nigeria.svg Hogan Bassey (1957-1959)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Davey Moore (1959-1963)
  • Flag of Cuba.svg Sugar Ramos (1963-1964)
  • Flag of Mexico.svg Vicente Saldivar (1964-1967) Retired
  • Flag of Australia (converted).svg Johnny Famechon (1969-1970)
  • Flag of Mexico.svg Vicente Saldivar (1970) (2)
  • Flag of Japan.svg Kuniaki Shibata (1970-1972)
  • Flag of Mexico.svg Clemente Sanchez (1972)
  • Flag of Spain.svg Jose Legra (1972-1973)
  • Flag of Brazil.svg Eder Jofre (1973-1974) Abandoned
  • Flag of Nicaragua.svg Alexis Arguello (1975-1977) Vacated
  • Flag of the United States.svg Danny Lopez (1979-1980)
  • Flag of Mexico.svg Salvador Sanchez (1980-1982) Died
  • Flag of Panama.svg Eusebio Pedroza (1983-1986)
  • Flag of Ireland.svg Barry McGuigan (1986)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Stevie Cruz (1986-1987)
  • Flag of Venezuela.svg Antonio Esparragoza (1987-1991)
  • Flag of South Korea.svg Yong-Kyun Park (1991-1993)
  • Flag of Venezuela.svg Eloy Rojas (1993-1996)
  • Flag of Puerto Rico.svg Wilfredo Vazquez (1996-1998)
  • Flag of England.svg Naseem Hamed (1998-2001)
  • Flag of Mexico.svg Marco Antonio Barerra (2001-2003)
  • Flag of the Philippines.svg Manny Pacquiao (2003-2005) Vacated

Olympic champions

Men’s

Pan American Champions

Notable featherweights

Kickboxing

In kickboxing, a featherweight fighter generally weighs between 55 and 59 kg (121 and 130 lb). However, some governing bodies have slightly different classes. For example, the International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) featherweight division (professional and amateur) is between 122.1–127 lb (55.4–57.6 kg).

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

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

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

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 65 kg (143 lb). 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 57 kg (126 lb).

Mixed Martial Arts

In MMA, within the UFC company and most other MMA companies the featherweight range is from 136 to 145 lb (62 to 66 kg).

Current champions

These tables were last updated in July 2025.

Men:

OrganizationReign BeganChampionRecordDefenses
UFC April 13, 2025 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Alexander Volkanovski 27-4 (13KO 3SUB)0
Bellator MMA April 15, 2022 Flag of Brazil.svg Patrício Pitbull 33–5 (11KO 12SUB)1
ONE Championship August 26, 2022 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Tang Kai 15–2 (12KO 0SUB)0
ACA July 22, 2022 Flag of Russia.svg Alikhan Suleymanov15–2 (1KO 10SUB)0
Cage Warriors November 4, 2022 Flag of England.svg Paul Hughes 9–1 (3KO 3SUB)0
KSW December 18, 2021 Flag of France.svg Salahdine Parnasse 21–2 (6KO 7SUB)2
M-1 Global Flag placeholder.svgVacant
AMC Fight Nights October 14, 2022 Flag of Russia.svg Gleb Khabibulin7–1–2 (4KO 3SUB)0
Brave Combat Federation October 22, 2022 Flag of Russia.svg Roman Bogatov13–1 (1KO 5SUB)0
Titan FC August 6, 2021 Flag of Jordan.svg Ali al-Qaisi12–5 (2KO 4SUB)0
Legacy Fighting Alliance Flag placeholder.svgVacant
Road FC December 18, 2022 Flag of South Korea.svg Hae Jin Park10–2 (1KO 4SUB)0

Women:

OrganizationReign BeganChampionRecordDefenses
Bellator MMA January 25, 2020 Flag of Brazil.svg Cris Cyborg 29–2 (1) (20KO 1SUB)4
UFC December 29, 2018 Flag of Brazil.svg Amanda Nunes 21–5 (13KO 3SUB)2
Invicta FC Flag placeholder.svgVacant

See also

References

  1. ↑ Mullan, Harry (1996). The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Boxing. London, England: Carlton Books. p. 172. ISBN   0-7858-0641-5.
  2. ↑ "The Ring ratings: featherweight" . Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  3. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Johnny Kilbane" . Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  4. ↑ "Johnny Kilbane, p. 172" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame . Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  5. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Chris John" . Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  6. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Abe Attell" . Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  7. ↑ "Eusebio Pedrosa, p. 668" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame . Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  8. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Gary Allen Russell Jr" . Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  9. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Sandy Saddler" . Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  10. ↑ "Sandy Saddler, p. 720" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame . Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  11. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Léo Santa Cruz" . Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  12. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Naseem Hamed" . Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  13. ↑ "Professional boxing record: George Dixon" . Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  14. ↑ "George Dixon, p. 118" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame . Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  15. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Antonio Esparragoza" . Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  16. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Davey Moore" . Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  17. ↑ OFFICIAL GLORY RANKING Archived 2014-01-18 at the Wayback Machine
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.