Featherweight

For the mixed martial arts division of the same name, see Featherweight (MMA).

Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations (see Featherweight (MMA)) and in Greco-Roman wrestling.

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.

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 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.

Notable featherweights

• Kina Malpartida
• Kevin Kelley
• Alexis Argüello
• Henry Armstrong
• Abe Attell
• Marco Antonio Barrera
• Kid Chocolate
• Luisito Espinosa
• Wilfredo Gómez
• Naseem Hamed
• Chris John
• Tom "Boom Boom" Johnson
• Juan Manuel Márquez
• Barry McGuigan
• Érik Morales
• Azumah Nelson
• Manny Pacquiao
• Tommy Paul
• Willie Pep
• Sandy Saddler
• Calvin Grove
• Vicente Saldivar
• Salvador Sánchez
• Orlando Salido
• Miguel Ángel García
• Juan Manuel Lopez
• Yuriorkis Gamboa
• Dashiel Fellner

Amateur boxing

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

Olympic champions

• 1904 –  Oliver Kirk (USA)
• 1908 –  Richard Gunn (GBR)
• 1920 –  Paul Fritsch (FRA)
• 1924 –  Jackie Fields (USA)
• 1928 –  Bep van Klaveren (NED)
• 1932 –  Carmelo Robledo (ARG)
• 1936 –  Oscar Casanovas (ARG)
• 1948 –  Ernesto Formenti (ITA)
• 1952 –  Jan Zachara (TCH)
• 1956 –  Vladimir Safronov (URS)
• 1960 –  Francesco Musso (ITA)
• 1964 –  Stanislav Stepashkin (URS)
• 1968 –  Antonio Roldán (MEX)
• 1972 –  Boris Kuznetsov (URS)
• 1976 –  Ángel Herrera (CUB)
• 1980 –  Rudi Fink (GDR)
• 1984 –  Meldrick Taylor (USA)
• 1988 –  Giovanni Parisi (ITA)
• 1992 –  Andreas Tews (GER)
• 1996 –  Somluck Kamsing (THA)
• 2000 –  Bekzat Sattarkhanov (KAZ)
• 2004 –  Alexei Tichtchenko (RUS)
• 2008 –  Vasyl Lomachenko (UKR)

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)

Professional champions

Current champions

Sanctioning Body	Reign Began	Champion	Record	Defenses
WBA Super	November 1, 2003	Chris John	46-0-2 (22 KO)	15
WBA Regular	October 14, 2011	Celestino Caballero	36-4 (23 KO)	1
WBC	April 8, 2011	Jhonny Gonzalez	51-7 (45 KO)	3
IBF	July 29, 2011	Billy Dib	33-1-0-1 (20 KO)	1
WBO	April 16, 2011	Orlando Salido	37-11-2-1 (25 KO)	1

For a full list, see List of featherweight boxing champions

Kickboxing featherweight

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).

See also

• Boxing weight classes
• Reigning boxing champions