Featherweight

Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of Boxing, Kickboxing, Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman Wrestling.

Boxing

Professional boxing

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.

Considered one of the greatest featherweight champions of all time, Johnny Kilbane held the championship for 11 years, starting when he won the title in 1912 from Abe Attell till he lost the title in 1923 to Eugène Criqui. To this day he remains the second longest world title holder in boxing history.

Since the end of the 2000s and early 2010s the Featherweight division is one of the most active in boxing with the likes of Chris John, Juan Manuel López, Celestino Caballero, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Elio Rojas, Israel Vazquez, Cristobal Cruz, Rafael Márquez, Rocky Juarez, and Steven Luevano and Manny Pacquiao.

Eusebio Pedroza holds the record for most consecutive title defenses at this division, with 19 defenses of the WBA title.

Professional Champions

Main article: List of featherweight boxing champions

Current Champions

Sanctioning Body	Reign Began	Champion	Record	Defenses
WBA (Super)	December 8, 2012	Nicholas Walters	25-0 (21 KO)	3
WBA	February 21, 2015	Jesus Cuellar	26-1 (20 KO)	0
WBC	March 28, 2015	Gary Russell, Jr.	26-1 (15 KO)	0
IBF	March 1, 2013	Evgeny Gradovich	19-0-1 (9 KO)	4
WBO	June 21, 2014	Vasyl Lomachenko	3-1 (1 KO)	1

Amateur boxing

In amateur boxing, the weight limit is 54 to 57 kilograms.

Olympic champions

Pan American Champions

1951 – Francisco Núñez (ARG)
1955 – Oswaldo Cañete (ARG)
1959 – Carlos Aro (ARG)
1963 – Rosemiro Mateus (BRA)
1967 – Miguel García (ARG)
1971 – Juan García (MEX)
1975 – Dave Armstrong (USA)
1979 – Bernard Taylor (USA)
1983 – Adolfo Horta (CUB)
1987 – Kelcie Banks (USA)
1991 – Arnaldo Mesa (CUB)
1995 – Arnaldo Mesa (CUB)
1999 – Yudel Johnson (CUB)
2003 – Likar Ramos Concha (COL)
2007 – Idel Torriente (CUB)

Notable featherweights

Kickboxing

In kickboxing, a featherweight fighter generally weighs between 55 kg (121 lb) and 59 kg (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 (55.50–57.72 kg).

In Glory promotion, a featherweight division is up to 65 kg (143 lb).^[2]

Mixed Martial Arts

Main article: Featherweight (MMA)

In MMA, within the UFC company and most other MMA company's the featherweight range is from 61.7kg to 65.8kg (136 to 145lbs).

References

↑ Mullan, Harry (1996). The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Boxing. London, England: Carlton Books. p. 172. ISBN 0-7858-0641-5.
↑ OFFICIAL GLORY RANKING

Weight divisions in boxing

Professional boxing	Minimumweight Light-flyweight Flyweight Super-flyweight Bantamweight Super-bantamweight Featherweight Super-featherweight Lightweight Light-welterweight Welterweight Light-middleweight Middleweight Super-middleweight Light-heavyweight Cruiserweight Heavyweight

Amateur/Olympic boxing	Light Flyweight Flyweight Bantamweight Featherweight Lightweight Light Welterweight Welterweight Middleweight Light Heavyweight Heavyweight Super Heavyweight

Other/Unofficial	Pinweight Catch weight Super cruiserweight