Welterweight

Welterweight is a weight class in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like Muay Thai, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts also use it for their own weight division system to classify the opponents. In most sports that use it, welterweight is heavier than lightweight but lighter than middleweight.

Etymology

The first known instance of the term is from 1831, meaning "heavyweight horseman," later "boxer or wrestler of a certain weight" by 1896. This sense comes from earlier "welter" "heavyweight horseman or boxer" from 1804, possibly from "welt", meaning "to beat severely", from c. 15th century

Boxing

Professional boxing

A welterweight boxer's weight is greater than 63.5 kg (140 lb), but no more than 66.7 kg (147 lb).

Henry Armstrong holds the record for the most consecutive title defenses at this division, with 19 defenses of the lineal title.

Professional champions

Main article: List of welterweight boxing champions

Current champions

Sanctioning body	Reign began	Champion	Record	Defenses
WBA	July 20, 2019	Manny Pacquiao	62–7–2 (39 KO)	0
WBC	September 29, 2019	Errol Spence Jr.	26-0 (21 KO)	0
IBF	May 27, 2017	Errol Spence Jr.	26–0 (21 KO)	3
WBO	June 9, 2018	Terence Crawford	35–0 (26 KO)	2

Current TBRB welterweight rankings Updated as of August 2019

Rank	Name	Record	Title(s)
1	Manny Pacquiao	62–7–2 (39 KO)	WBA (super)
2	Errol Spence Jr.	25–0 (21 KO)	IBF
3	Terence Crawford	35–0 (26 KO)	WBO
4	Shawn Porter	30–2–1 (17 KO)	WBC
5	Keith Thurman	29–1 (22 KO)
6	Yordenis Ugás	24–4 (11 KO)
7	Danny García	35–2 (21 KO)
8	Sergey Lipinets	16–1 (12 KO)
9	Qudratillo Abduqaxorov	16–0 (9 KO)
10	Egidijus Kavaliauskas	21–0–1 (17 KO)

Current The Ring welterweight rankings Updated as of August 2019

Rank	Name	Record	Title(s)
1	Errol Spence Jr.	25–0 (21 KO)	IBF
2	Terence Crawford	35–0 (26 KO)	WBO
3	Manny Pacquiao	62–7–2 (39 KO)	WBA (super)
4	Keith Thurman	29–1 (22 KO)
5	Shawn Porter	30–2–1 (17 KO)	WBC
6	Danny García	35–2 (21 KO)
7	Yordenis Ugás	24–4 (11 KO)
8	Egidijus Kavaliauskas	21–0–1 (17 KO)
9	Sergey Lipinets	16–1 (12 KO)
10	Qudratillo Abduqaxorov	16–0 (9 KO)

Longest reigning welterweight champions

Below is a list of longest reigning welterweight 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.	Felix Trinidad	6 years, 8 months, 14 days	IBF	15
2.	Antonio Margarito	5 years, 3 months, 28 days	WBO	7
3.	José Nápoles	4 years, 6 months, 2 days	WBA, WBC	11
4.	Keith Thurman	4 years, 5 months, 23 days	WBA	5
5.	Floyd Mayweather Jr.	4 years, 1 month, 18 days	WBC	5
6.	Pernell Whitaker	4 years, 1 month, 6 days	WBC	8
7.	Pipino Cuevas	4 years and 16 days	WBA	11
8.	Sugar Ray Robinson	3 years, 7 months, 19 days	World	5
9.	Donald Curry	3 years, 7 months, 14 days	WBA	7
10.	Jack Britton	3 years, 7 months, 13 days	World	4

Amateur boxing

Olympic champions

Main article: List of Olympic medalists in welterweight boxing

The current Olympic male welterweight division is set at 64–69 kg (141–152 lb).

Kickboxing

The weight division system is different in each organisation, so the kickboxing weight divisions of some international organizations vary:

• International Kickboxing Federation (IKF), welterweight (Pro & Amateur) 142.1–147 lb or 64.59–66.8 kg.
• International Sport Karate Association (ISKA), welterweight 142.1–147 lb or 64.6–66.8 kg.
• World Kickboxing Association (WKA), welterweight (Pro) upper limit 147.7 lb or 67.0 kg.
• In Glory promotion, a welterweight division is up to 170 lb or 77 kg.

Mixed martial arts

Main article: Welterweight (MMA)

The welterweight limit, as defined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and the Association of Boxing Commissions is 155 to 170 lb (70.3 to 77.1 kg).

Current champions

This table is not always up to date. Last updated March 15, 2019.

Organization	Reign Began	Champion	Record	Defenses
UFC	March 3, 2019	Kamaru Usman	15-1 (6KO 2SUB)	0
Bellator MMA	January 20, 2018	Douglas Lima	20-4 (7KO 7SUB)	0
ONE Championship	October 25, 2019	Kiamrian Abbasov	22-4 (7KO 4SUB)	0
British Association of Mixed Martial Arts	March 9,2018	Terry Brazier	10-1 (4KO 2SUB)	0
Fight Nights Global	May 19, 2017	Georgy Kichigin	18-5 (1KO 15SUB)	1
KSW	April 14, 2018	Dricus Du Plessis	12-1 (4KO 8SUB)	0
Titan FC	June 29, 2018	Uroš Jurišic	9-0 (4KO 4SUB)	0
ACB	August 19, 2017	Mukhamed Berkhamov	12-0 (2KO 8SUB)	0
Legacy Fighting Alliance	September 22, 2017	James Nakashima	8-0	0
Cage Warriors	Oct 20, 2018	Ross Houston	8 - 0	0

Other sports

Other sports to include a welterweight division include the following,

• Muay Thai has fixed its weight division similarly to boxing.
  • International Kickboxing Federation (IKF): Muay Thai Welterweight (Pro & Amateur) 142.1-147 lb or 64.59-66.8 kg
  • World Muay Thai Council (WMC), welterweight range is from 140 to 147 lb or 63.5 to 66.6 kg
  • World Muay Thai Federation (WMF), the official amateur organization, fixed welterweight from 65.0 to 67.0 kg (143.3 to 147.7 lb) for adult; the junior category is the same as adult
• The official rules of shoot boxing define welterweights as between 65 and 67 kg (143 and 148 lb).
• In Olympic taekwondo, welterweight falls between 74 and 80 kg (163 and 176 lb). At the weight classes for the Olympic games it is between 68 and 80 kg (150 and 176 lb).