Light heavyweight

For the mixed martial arts division, see Light Heavyweight (MMA).

In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.7 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), 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, Bob Foster, Michael Spinks, Dariusz Michalczewski, Roy Jones, Jr. and Zsolt Erdei to name a few.

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.

Olympic champions

• 1920 –  Eddie Eagan (USA)
• 1924 –  Harry Mitchell (GBR)
• 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)

Professional champions

Current champions

Sanctioning Body	Reign Began	Champion	Record	Defenses
WBA	January 29, 2010	Beibut Shumenov	13-1 (8 KO)	4
WBC	April 28, 2012	Chad Dawson	31-2-0-2 (17 KO)	0
IBF	March 9, 2013	Bernard Hopkins	53-6-2-2 (32 KO)	0
WBO	May 19, 2011	Nathan Cleverly	26-0 (12 KO)	5

• List of light heavyweight boxing champions

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

Kickboxing

In kickboxing, a light heavyweight fighter generally weighs between 77 kg (171 lb) and 82 kg (180 lb).

See also

• Boxing