Light heavyweight

Light heavyweight, or light-heavyweight,^[1] is a weight class in combat sports.

Boxing

In amateur boxing, light heavyweight is a weight division above 165 pounds (75 kg) and up to 178 pounds (81 kg), falling between middleweight and heavyweight. In professional boxing, the division is above 168 pounds (76 kg) and up to 175 pounds (79 kg), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight. The light-heavyweight class has produced some of boxing's greatest champions: Bernard Hopkins (who, upon becoming champion, broke the record for oldest man to win a world title), Evander Holyfield, Tommy Loughran, Billy Conn, Joey Maxim, Archie Moore, Michael Moorer, Bob Foster, Michael Spinks, Dariusz Michalczewski, Roy Jones, Jr. and Zsolt Erdei.

Many light heavyweight champions unsuccessfully challenged for the heavyweight crown until Michael Spinks became the first reigning light heavyweight champion to win the heavyweight championship. Bob Fitzsimmons captured the light-heavyweight championship after losing his heavyweight championship. Two all-time great heavyweight champions, Ezzard Charles and Floyd Patterson, started out as light heavyweights. Charles defeated Archie Moore and Joey Maxim several times in non-title bouts before becoming heavyweight champion and Patterson lost an eight-round decision to Joey Maxim before becoming heavyweight champion himself. Evander Holyfield successfully moved up from the light-heavyweight division to the cruiserweight division and eventually the heavyweight division and became undisputed champion of the latter two.

Dariusz Michalczewski holds the record for most consecutive title defenses at this division, with 23 defenses of the WBO title.

Professional champions

Current champions

Sanctioning Body	Reign Began	Champion	Record	Defenses
WBA (Super)	November 8, 2014	Sergey Kovalev	29-0-1 (26 KO)	3
WBA (Regular)	December 14, 2013	Jürgen Brähmer	47-2 (35 KO)	5
WBC	June 8, 2013	Adonis Stevenson	27-1 (22 KO)	6
IBF	November 8, 2014	Sergey Kovalev	29-0-1 (26 KO)	3
WBO	August 17, 2013	Sergey Kovalev	29-0-1 (26 KO)	7

Interim Champions

Current Male Champions

Sanctioning Body	Reign Began	Champion	Record	Defenses
WBA	August 23, 2015	Felix Valera	13-0 (10 KO)

Longest reigning light heavyweight champions

Below is a list of longest reigning light heavyweight 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.	Archie Moore	9 years, 4 months, 24 days	World, NYSAC, EBU	8
2.	/ Dariusz Michalczewski	9 years, 1 months, 8 days	IBF, WBA, WBO	23
3.	Roy Jones Jr	6 years, 9 months, 8 days	IBF, WBC, WBA (Super)	11
4.	Bob Foster	6 years, 0 months, 23 days	WBC, WBA	17
5.	Zsolt Erdei	5 years, 9 months, 27 days	WBO	16
6.	Charles Williams	5 years, 4 months, 21 days	IBF	8
7.	Virgil Hill	4 years, 9 months, 15 days	WBA	10
8.	Michael Spinks	4 years, 2 months, 3 days	IBF, WBA, WBC	10
9.	Battling Levinsky	3 years, 11 months, 19 days	World	N/A
10.	Freddie Mills	3 years, 10 months, 25 days	EBU	N/A
11.	Victor Galindez	3 years, 9 months, 8 days	WBA	12

     Active Title Reign

     Reign has ended

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Olympic champions

• 1928 –  Víctor Avendaño (ARG)
• 1932 –  David Carstens (RSA)
• 1936 –  Roger Michelot (FRA)
• 1948 –  George Hunter (RSA)
• 1952 –  Norvel Lee (USA)
• 1956 –  James Boyd (USA)
• 1960 –  Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) (USA)
• 1964 –  Cosimo Pinto (ITA)
• 1968 –  Danas Pozniakas (URS)
• 1972 –  Mate Parlov (YUG)
• 1976 –  Leon Spinks (USA)
• 1980 –  Slobodan Kacar (YUG)
• 1984 –  Anton Josipović (YUG)
• 1988 –  Andrew Maynard (USA)
• 1992 –  Torsten May (GER)
• 1996 –  Vassiliy Jirov (KAZ)
• 2000 –  Aleksandr Lebziak (RUS)
• 2004 –  Andre Ward (USA)
• 2008 –  Zhang Xiaoping (CHN)
• 2012 –  Egor Mekhontsev (RUS)

Kickboxing

• In kickboxing, a light heavyweight fighter generally weighs between 77 kg (171 lb) and 82 kg (180 lb).
• In International Kickboxing Federation (IKF), a light heavyweight division is 172.1 - 179 lb (78.3 - 81.4 kg).
• In Glory promotion, a light heavyweight division is up to 95 kg (209 lb).^[5]

Mixed martial arts

In MMA, the light heavyweight division is from 186 lbs (84 kg) to 205 lb (93 kg).

References