Boxing is divided into weight classes so that competitors fight opponents of roughly equivalent physical size. Unlike most other sports, boxing's weight class system is extraordinarily detailed — professional boxing recognises 17 weight divisions, while amateur boxing uses a somewhat different set. Understanding weight classes helps you know where you'd compete, understand televised fights, and make sense of weight cuts and rehydration debates you hear about in professional boxing.
The Professional Boxing Weight Classes (Lightest to Heaviest)
| Division | Maximum Weight |
|---|---|
| Minimumweight (Strawweight) | 47.6 kg (105 lb) |
| Light Flyweight | 49.9 kg (110 lb) |
| Flyweight | 50.8 kg (112 lb) |
| Super Flyweight (Jr. Bantamweight) | 52.2 kg (115 lb) |
| Bantamweight | 53.5 kg (118 lb) |
| Super Bantamweight (Jr. Featherweight) | 55.3 kg (122 lb) |
| Featherweight | 57.2 kg (126 lb) |
| Super Featherweight (Jr. Lightweight) | 59.0 kg (130 lb) |
| Lightweight | 61.2 kg (135 lb) |
| Super Lightweight (Jr. Welterweight) | 63.5 kg (140 lb) |
| Welterweight | 66.7 kg (147 lb) |
| Super Welterweight (Jr. Middleweight) | 69.9 kg (154 lb) |
| Middleweight | 72.6 kg (160 lb) |
| Super Middleweight | 76.2 kg (168 lb) |
| Light Heavyweight | 79.4 kg (175 lb) |
| Cruiserweight | 90.7 kg (200 lb) |
| Heavyweight | No limit |
Amateur Boxing Weight Classes
Amateur boxing (Olympic, Commonwealth Games, and Australian Championships) uses different weight divisions that are periodically adjusted by World Boxing and the IOC. The amateur system has fewer divisions and uses slightly different weight limits — check Boxing Australia's current competition regulations for the specific weight classes used in Australian amateur competition.
Why Weight Classes Matter for Training
For fitness boxers who don't compete, weight classes are less relevant — but understanding them helps you understand what professional and amateur boxing you watch. For those who want to compete, knowing your weight class helps you understand whether you're training at a weight that makes sense for competition, or whether you might need to gain or lose weight to compete at a division where you'll be optimally sized.
Weight Cutting
Weight cutting — dehydrating to make a lower weight class, then rehydrating — is a controversial practice. At the elite level, significant weight cuts are common. At the amateur and junior level, extreme weight cutting is increasingly prohibited and monitored. Beginning boxers should focus on competing at their natural walk-around weight rather than attempting significant cuts.
Boxing glove weight guide → | Boxing beginner guide → | Shop boxing gloves →