Middleweight

Last updated

Middleweight is a weight class in combat sports.

Boxing

Professional

In professional boxing, the middleweight division is contested above 154 lb (70 kg) and up to 160 lb (73 kg).

Contents

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 BodyReign BeganChampionRecordDefenses
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)1
WBO August 26, 2022 Janibek Alimkhanuly [1] 17–0 (12 KO)3

Current world rankings

The Ring

As of April 29, 2025. [2]

Keys:

 C  Current The Ring world champion
RankNameRecordTitle(s)
Cvacant
1 Janibek Alimkhanuly 17–0 (12 KO) WBO, IBF
2 Carlos Adames 24–1–1 (18 KO) WBC
3 Hamzah Sheeraz 21–0–1 (17 KO)
4 Erislandy Lara 31–3–3 (19 KO) WBA
5 Chris Eubank Jr 35–3 (25 KO)
6 Etinosa Oliha 21–0 (9 KO)
7Kyrone Davis19–3–1 (6 KO)
8 Troy Isley 14–0 (5 KO)
9 Shane Mosley Jr. 22–4 (12 KO)
10 Aaron McKenna 20-0 (10 KO)
BoxRec

As of July20, 2025. [3]

RankNameRecordPointsTitle(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.

RankNameTitle ReignTitle RecognitionSuccessful DefensesBeaten opponentsFights
1. Bernard Hopkins 10 years, 2 months, 18 daysIBF, WBA, WBC, WBO2017 [4]
2. Tommy Ryan 8 years, 7 months, 4 daysWorld66 [5] [6]
3. Gennady Golovkin 8 years, 1 months, 1 dayWBA (Super), IBF, WBC1814 [7]
4. Tony Zale 6 years, 11 months, 24 daysNBA (current WBA)44 [8]
5. Carlos Monzón 6 years, 9 months, 9 daysWBA, WBC1411 [9] [10]
6. Marvelous Marvin Hagler 6 years, 7 months, 10 daysWBC, WBA, IBF1210 [11]
7. Nonpareil Jack Dempsey 6 years, 6 months, 15 daysWorld22 [12]
8. Felix Sturm 5 years, 4 months, 4 daysWBA1210
9. Jermall Charlo 6 years and 3 weeksWBC44 [13]
10. Demetrius Andrade 3 years, 10 month, 12 daysWBO55 [14]
11. Bob Fitzsimmons 3 years, 8 months, 12 daysWorld11 [15] [16]
12. Arthur Abraham 3 years, 7 months, 2 daysIBF1010 [17]
  Active Title Reign
  Reign has ended

Amateur

Olympic champions

Kickboxing

Bare-knuckle boxing

The limit for middleweight generally differs among promotions in bare-knuckle boxing:

Lethwei

The World Lethwei Championship recognizes the middleweight division with an upper limit of 75 kg (165 lb). In World Lethwei Championship, Naimjon Tuhtaboyev is the Middleweight Champion.

Mixed Martial Arts

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. [19]

Taekwondo

CategoryMen'sWomen'sCompetitionsNote
Middleweight78–84 kg67–72 kg World Championships, Continental Championships, Asian Games since 1999
Middleweight76–83 kg65–70 kg World Championships, Continental Championships, Asian Games until 1998
Middleweight68–80 kg57–67 kg Olympic Games, Pan Am Games, All-Africa Games

References

  1. ↑ "In the Matter of the WBO Middleweight Division". World Boxing Organization. 27 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  2. ↑ "The Ring ratings: middleweight" . Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  3. ↑ "BoxRec ratings: middleweight, active" . Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  4. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Bernard Hopkins" . Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  5. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Tommy Ryan" . Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  6. ↑ "Tommy Ryan, p. 242" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame . Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  7. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Gennadiy Golovkin" . Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  8. ↑ "Tony Zale, p. 794" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame . Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  9. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Carlos Monzon" . Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  10. ↑ "Carlos Monzon, p. 608" (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: Marvin Hagler" . Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  12. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey" . Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  13. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Jermall Charlo" . Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  14. ↑ "Professional boxing record:Demetrius Andrade" . Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  15. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Bob Fitzsimmons" . Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  16. ↑ "Bob Fitzsimmons, p. 128" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame . Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  17. ↑ "Professional boxing record: Arthur Abraham" . Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  18. ↑ OFFICIAL GLORY RANKING Archived 2014-01-08 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ↑ "Ten greatest middleweight fighters in MMA history: Anderson Silva is the division's clear GOAT". CBSSports.com. 27 May 2020.
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