Light heavyweight

Light heavyweight, also referred to as junior cruiserweight or light cruiserweight, is a weight class in combat sports.

Boxing

Professional

In professional boxing, the division is above 168 pounds (76 kg) and up to 175 pounds (79 kg), 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), Archie Moore was the FIRST oldest man to become champion Tommy Loughran, Billy Conn, Joey Maxim, Archie Moore, Michael Moorer, Bob Foster, Ann Wolfe, Michael Spinks, Dariusz Michalczewski, Roy Jones Jr., Sergey Kovalev and Zsolt Erdei.

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.

Current world champions

Main article: List of world light-heavyweight boxing champions

Sanctioning Body	Reign Began	Champion	Record	Defenses
WBA	September 18, 2017	Dmitry Bivol	21–0 (11 KO)	10
WBC	October 18, 2019	Artur Beterbiev	18–0 (18 KO)	3
IBF	November 11, 2017	Artur Beterbiev	18–0 (18 KO)	6
WBO	June 18, 2022	Artur Beterbiev	18–0 (18 KO)	0

Current world rankings

The Ring

As of 5 November 2022^[update].^[1]

Keys:

 C  Current The Ring world champion

Rank	Name	Record (W–L–D)	Title(s)
C	vacant
1	Dmitry Bivol	21–0 (11 KO)	WBA
2	Artur Beterbiev	18–0 (18 KO)	IBF, WBC, WBO
3	Callum Smith	29–1 (21 KO)
4	Gilberto Ramírez	44–1 (30 KO)
5	Marcus Browne	24–2 (16 KO)
6	Joe Smith Jr.	28–4 (22 KO)
7	Joshua Buatsi	16–0 (13 KO)
8	Anthony Yarde	22–2 (21 KO)
9	Jean Pascal	36–6–1 (20 KO)
10	Craig Richards	17–3–1 (10 KO)

BoxRec

As of 24 May 2022^[update].^[2]

Rank	Name	Record (W–L–D)	Points	Title(s)
1	Dmitry Bivol	20–0 (11 KO)	591.9	WBA
2	Artur Beterbiev	18–0 (18 KO)	194.0	WBC, IBF, WBO
3	Callum Smith	28–1 (20 KO)	188.5
4	Gilberto Ramirez	43–0 (29 KO)	144.2
5	Joe Smith Jr.	28–3 (22 KO)	127.2
6	Maxim Vlasov	46–4 (26 KO)	70.65
7	Jean Pascal	36–6–1 (20 KO)	63.58
8	Marcus Browne	24–2 (16 KO)	58.90
9	Joshua Buatsi	15–0 (13 KO)	38.34
10	Sullivan Barrera	22–4 (14 KO)	29.16

Longest reigning world 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	Beaten opponents	Fights
1.	Archie Moore	9 years, 4 months, 24 days	NYSAC, NBA	9	7	^[3]^[4]
2.	Dariusz Michalczewski	9 years, 1 months, 8 days	IBF, WBA, WBO	23	20	^[5]
3.	Gus Lesnevich	7 years, 2 months, 2 days	NYSAC, NBA	5	3	^[6]
4.	Bob Foster	6 years, 0 months, 23 days	WBC, WBA	14	13	^[7]
5.	Zsolt Erdei	5 years, 9 months, 27 days	WBO	11	10	^[8]
6.	Adonis Stevenson	5 years, 5 months, 24 days	WBC	9	9	^[9]
7.	Charles Williams	5 years, 4 months, 21 days	IBF	8	8	^[10]
8.	Dmitry Bivol	5 years, 3 months, 4 weeks and 1 day	WBA	10	10	^[11]
9.	Roy Jones Jr.	5 years, 2 months, 25 days	WBC, IBF, WBA (Super)	11	11	^[12]
10.	Artur Beterbiev	5 years, 2 months and 5 days	IBF, WBC, WBO	6	6	^[13]
11.	Virgil Hill	4 years, 9 months, 15 days	WBA	10	10	^[14]
12.	Maxie Rosenbloom	4 years, 4 months, 22 days	NYSAC, NBA	7	6	^[15]
13.	Michael Spinks	4 years, 2 months, 3 days	IBF, WBA, WBC	10	10	^[16]
14.	Battling Levinsky	3 years, 11 months, 19 days	World	1	1	^[17]^[18]
15.	Victor Galindez	3 years, 9 months, 8 days	WBA	10	7	^[19]^[20]

  Active Title Reign

  Reign has ended

^[21][22][23]

Amateur

In amateur boxing, light heavyweight is a weight division above 165 pounds (75 kg) and up to 178 pounds (81 kg), falling between middleweight and heavyweight.

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 (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)
• 2016 –   Julio César La Cruz (CUB)
• 2020 –   Arlen López (CUB)

Kickboxing

• In kickboxing, a light heavyweight fighter generally weighs between 77 kg (171 lb) and 82 kg (180 lb).
• In International Kickboxing Federation (IKF), a light heavyweight division is 172.1 – 179 lb (78.3 – 81.4 kg).
• In Glory promotion, a light heavyweight division is up to 95 kg (209 lb).^[24]
• In Bellator Kickboxing promotion, a light heavyweight division is up to 95 kg (209 lb).
• In ONE Championship, the light heavyweight division is up to 102.1 kg (225 lb).

Mixed martial arts

Main article: Light heavyweight (MMA)

In MMA, the light heavyweight division is from 186 lb (84 kg) to 205 lb (93 kg).

References

1. "The Ring ratings: light heavyweight". Retrieved 16 April 2022.
2. "BoxRec ratings: light heavyweight, active". Retrieved 13 December 2021.
3. "Professional boxing record: Archie Moore". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
4. "Archie Moore, p. 612" (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: Dariusz Michalczewski". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
6. "Please login".
7. "Professional boxing record: Bob Foster". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
8. "Professional boxing record: Zsolt Erdei". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
9. "Professional boxing record: Adonis Stevenson". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
10. "Professional boxing record: Charles Williams". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
11. "Professional boxing record: Dmitry Bivol". Retrieved 13 December 2020.
12. "Professional boxing record: Roy Jones Jr". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
13. "Professional boxing record: Artur Beterbiev". Retrieved 13 December 2020.
14. "Professional boxing record: Virgil Hill". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
15. "Please login".
16. "Professional boxing record: Michael Spinks". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
17. "Professional boxing record: Battling Levinsky". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
18. "Battling Levinsky, p. 184" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
19. "Professional boxing record: Victor Galindez". Retrieved 10 April 2020.
20. "Victor Galindez, p. 468" (pdf). The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall Of Fame Official Record Book. International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
21. BoxRec Light Heavyweight Ratings Retrieved on 27 December 2012.
22. BoxRec WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Retrieved on 27 December 2012.
23. BoxRec Light Heavyweight Division Retrieved on 27 December 2012.
24. Official Glory Ranking 2014-01-10 at the Wayback Machine