Featherweight

Nowadays, Featherweight is a topic on everyone's lips. From its impact on society to its implications on the global economy, Featherweight has captured the attention of experts and citizens alike. With endless opinions and analyzes ranging from the most technical to the most emotional, there is no doubt that Featherweight has become a point of debate and reflection for today's society. In this article, we will explore the different facets of Featherweight, examining both its positive and negative aspects, with the aim of providing a complete and enriching overview of this topic.

"Peso pluma" redirects here. For the Latin artist, see Peso Pluma.

Featherweight is a weight class in the combat sports of boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and Greco-Roman wrestling.

Boxing

Professional boxing

History

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.

Since the end of the 2000s and early 2010s the featherweight division is one of the most active in boxing with fighters such as Orlando Salido, Chris John, Juan Manuel López, Celestino Caballero, Elio Rojas, Israel Vazquez, Cristobal Cruz, Rafael Márquez, Rocky Juarez, Steven Luevano, Naseem Hamed, Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquiao.

Current world champions

Main article: List of world featherweight boxing champions
Sanctioning Body Reign Began Champion Record Defenses
WBA June 1, 2024 Nick Ball 21–0–1 (12 KO) 2
WBC February 1, 2025 Stephen Fulton 23–1 (8 KO) 0
IBF August 10, 2024 Angelo Leo 25–1 (12 KO) 0
WBO December 9, 2023 Rafael Espinoza 26–0 (22 KO) 2

Current The Ring world rankings

As of February 3, 2025.[2]

Keys:

 C  Current The Ring world champion
Rank Name Record Title(s)
C vacant
1 Angelo Leo 25–1 (12 KO) IBF
2 Rafael Espinoza 26–0 (22 KO) WBO
3 Nick Ball 21–0–1 (12 KO) WBA
4 Stephen Fulton 23–1 (8 KO) WBC
5 Rey Vargas 36–1–1 (22 KO)
6 Luis Alberto Lopez 30–3 (17 KO)
7 Brandon Figueroa 25–2–1 (19 KO)
8 Mirco Cuello 15–0 (12 KO)
9 Bruce Carrington 14–0 (8 KO)
10 Robeisy Ramírez 14–3 (9 KO)

Longest reigning world featherweight champions

Below is a list of longest reigning featherweight 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 Beaten opponents Fights
1. Johnny Kilbane 11 years, 3 months, 24 days World/NYSAC 4 2 [3][4]
2. Chris John 10 years, 1 month, 5 days WBA 18 16 [5]
3. Abe Attell 8 years, 5 months, 19 days World 22 14 [6]
4. Eusebio Pedroza 7 years, 1 month, 23 days WBA 19 18 [7]
5. Gary Russell, Jr. 6 years, 9 month, 25 days WBC 5 5 [8]
6. Sandy Saddler 6 years, 4 months, 13 days World 4 3 [9][10]
7. Léo Santa Cruz 5 years, 10 months, 13 days WBA (Super) 5 5 [11]
8. Naseem Hamed 4 years, 11 months, 20 days WBO 15 15 [12]
9. George Dixon 4 years, 5 months World 4 4 [13][14]
10. Antonio Esparragoza 4 years, 27 days WBA 7 7 [15]
11. Davey Moore 4 years, 3 days World 5 4 [16]


Lineal Champions

  • New Zealand Billy Murphy (1890-1891)
  • Australia Young Griffo (1891) Vacated
  • Canada George Dixon (1891-1897)
  • United States Solly Smith (1897-1898)
  • Republic of Ireland Dave Sullivan (1898)
  • Canada George Dixon (1898-1900) (2)
  • United States Terry McGovern (1900-1901)
  • United States Young Corbett II (1901-1902) Vacated
  • United States Abe Attell (1903-1912)
  • United States Johnny Kilbane (1912-1923)
  • France Eugene Criqui (1923)
  • United States Johnny Dundee (1923–1924) Vacated
  • United States Kid Kaplan (1925-1926) Vacated
  • United States Tony Canzoneri (1928)
  • France Andre Routis (1928-1929)
  • United States Bat Battalino (1929-1932) Vacated
  • United States Henry Armstrong (1937-1938) Vacated
  • United States Joey Archibald (1939-1940)
  • United States Harry Jeffra (1940-1941)
  • United States Joey Archibald (1941)
  • United States Chalky Wright (1941-1942)
  • United States Willie Pep (1942-1948)
  • United States Sandy Saddler (1948-1949)
  • United States Willie Pep (1949-1950) (2)
  • United States Sandy Saddler (1950-1957) (2) Retired
  • Nigeria Hogan Bassey (1957-1959)
  • United States Davey Moore (1959-1963)
  • Cuba Sugar Ramos (1963-1964)
  • Mexico Vicente Saldivar (1964-1967) Retired
  • Australia Johnny Famechon (1969-1970)
  • Mexico Vicente Saldivar (1970) (2)
  • Japan Kuniaki Shibata (1970-1972)
  • Mexico Clemente Sanchez (1972)
  • Spain Jose Legra (1972-1973)
  • Brazil Eder Jofre (1973-1974) Abandoned
  • Nicaragua Alexis Arguello (1975-1977) Vacated
  • United States Danny Lopez (1979-1980)
  • Mexico Salvador Sanchez (1980-1982) Died
  • Panama Eusebio Pedroza (1983-1986)
  • Republic of Ireland Barry McGuigan (1986)
  • United States Stevie Cruz (1986-1987)
  • Venezuela Antonio Esparragoza (1987-1991)
  • South Korea Yong-Kyun Park (1991-1993)
  • Venezuela Eloy Rojas (1993-1996)
  • Puerto Rico Wilfredo Vazquez (1996-1998)
  • England Naseem Hamed (1998-2001)
  • Mexico Marco Antonio Barerra (2001-2003)
  • Philippines Manny Pacquiao (2003-2005) Vacated

Olympic champions

Men’s

Pan American Champions

Notable featherweights

Kickboxing

In kickboxing, a featherweight fighter generally weighs between 55 and 59 kg (121 and 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 (55.4–57.6 kg).

In Glory promotion, a featherweight division is up to 65 kg (143 lb).[17]

In Bellator Kickboxing promotion, a featherweight division is up to 66 kg (146 lb).

In ONE Championship, the featherweight division limit is 70.3 kg (155 lb).

Bare-knuckle boxing

The limit for featherweight generally differs among promotions in bare-knuckle boxing:

  • In Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, the featherweight division has an upper limit of 145 lb (66 kg).
  • In BKB™, the featherweight division has an upper limit of 76 kg (168 lb).

Lethwei

International Lethwei Federation Japan has a featherweight division with an upper limit of 65 kg (143 lb). In International Lethwei Federation Japan, Thar A Thae Ta Pwint is the Featherweight Champion.

In World Lethwei Championship, the featherweight division has an upper limit of 57 kg (126 lb).

Mixed Martial Arts

Main article: Featherweight (MMA)

In MMA, within the UFC company and most other MMA companies the featherweight range is from 136 to 145 lb (62 to 66 kg).

Current champions

These tables were last updated in February 2024.

Men:

Organization Reign Began Champion Record Defenses
UFC February 17, 2024 Georgia (country) Ilia Topuria 15–0 (5KO 8SUB) 1
Bellator MMA April 15, 2022 Brazil Patrício Pitbull 33–5 (11KO 12SUB) 1
ONE Championship August 26, 2022 China Tang Kai 15–2 (12KO 0SUB) 0
ACA July 22, 2022 Russia Alikhan Suleymanov 15–2 (1KO 10SUB) 0
Cage Warriors November 4, 2022 England Paul Hughes 9–1 (3KO 3SUB) 0
M-1 Global Vacant
AMC Fight Nights October 14, 2022 Russia Gleb Khabibulin 7–1–2 (4KO 3SUB) 0
Brave Combat Federation October 22, 2022 Russia Roman Bogatov 13–1 (1KO 5SUB) 0
Titan FC August 6, 2021 Jordan Ali al-Qaisi 12–5 (2KO 4SUB) 0
Legacy Fighting Alliance Vacant
Road FC December 18, 2022 South Korea Hae Jin Park 10–2 (1KO 4SUB) 0
KSW December 18, 2021 France Salahdine Parnasse 17–1–1 (2KO 6SUB) 1

Women:

Organization Reign Began Champion Record Defenses
Bellator MMA January 25, 2020 Brazil Cris Cyborg 29–2 (1) (20KO 1SUB) 4
UFC December 29, 2018 Brazil Amanda Nunes 21–5 (13KO 3SUB) 2
Invicta FC Vacant

See also

References

  1. ^ Mullan, Harry (1996). The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Boxing. London, England: Carlton Books. p. 172. ISBN 0-7858-0641-5.
  2. ^ "The Ring ratings: featherweight". Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  3. ^ "Professional boxing record: Johnny Kilbane". Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Johnny Kilbane, p. 172" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Professional boxing record: Chris John". Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Professional boxing record: Abe Attell". Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Eusebio Pedrosa, p. 668" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Professional boxing record: Gary Allen Russell Jr". Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  9. ^ "Professional boxing record: Sandy Saddler". Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Sandy Saddler, p. 720" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  11. ^ "Professional boxing record: Léo Santa Cruz". Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Professional boxing record: Naseem Hamed". Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  13. ^ "Professional boxing record: George Dixon". Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  14. ^ "George Dixon, p. 118" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  15. ^ "Professional boxing record: Antonio Esparragoza". Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  16. ^ "Professional boxing record: Davey Moore". Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  17. ^ OFFICIAL GLORY RANKING Archived 2014-01-18 at the Wayback Machine