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Light welterweight

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Light welterweight, also known as junior welterweight[1] or super lightweight,[2] is a weight class in combat sports.

Boxing

Professional boxing

In professional boxing, light welterweight is contested between the lightweight and welterweight divisions, in which boxers weigh above 135 pounds and up to 63.5 kg or 140 pounds. The first champion of this weight class was Pinky Mitchell in 1946, though he was only awarded his championship by a vote of the readers of the Boxing Blade magazine.

There was not widespread acceptance of this new weight division in its early years, and the New York State Athletic Commission withdrew recognition of it in 1930. The National Boxing Association continued to recognize it until its champion, Barney Ross relinquished the title in 1935 to concentrate on regaining the welterweight championship.

A few commissions recognized bouts in the 1940s as being for the light welterweight title, but the modern beginnings of this championship date from 1959 when Carlos Ortiz won the vacant title with a victory over Kenny Lane. Both the WBA and WBC recognized the same champions until 1967, when the WBC stripped Paul Fuji of the title and matched Pedro Adigue and Adolph Pruitt for their version of the championship. Adigue won a fifteen-round decision. The International Boxing Federation recognized Aaron Pryor as its first champion in 1984.

Julio César Chávez holds the division record for the most consecutive title defenses with 12. He also defended the title an additional 4 times after regaining it.[3]

Professional champions

Main article: List of light-welterweight boxing champions

Current champions

Sanctioning Body Reign Began Champion Record Defenses
IBF May 18, 2019 United Kingdom Josh Taylor 16–0–0 (12 KO) 1
WBA October 26, 2019 0
WBC March 17, 2018 United States José Ramírez 25–0–0 (17 KO) 3
WBO July 27, 2019 0

Current interim champions

Sanctioning Body Reign Began Champion Record Defenses
WBA July 27, 2019 Dominican Republic Alberto Puello 17–0 (9 KO) 0

Amateur boxing

In amateur boxing, light welterweight is a weight class for fighters weighing up to 64 kilograms. For the 1952 Summer Olympics, the division was created when the span from 54–67 kg was changed from three weight classes (featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight) to four. Perhaps the most famous amateur light welterweight champion is Sugar Ray Leonard, who went on to an impressive professional career.[4]

Olympic Champions

Notable Light welterweights

Kickboxing

References

  1. ^ "Ring Ratings" Archived 2015-11-15 at the Wayback Machine. The Ring. Retrieved 2015-06-07.
  2. ^ "Current WBA Champions". WBA. Retrieved 2015-06-07.
  3. ^ "WBC Light Welterweight Champion - Boxrec Boxing Encyclopaedia". Boxrec.com. 2011-09-18. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  4. ^ "Boxing's Greatest Fighters: Sugar Ray Leonard - classic - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. 2007-04-03. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
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