BBC SPORT | Boxing | Boxing by the weights

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href="#welterweight" alt="Welterweight" shape="rect" coords="211,17,258,145"/><area href="#middleweight" alt="Middleweight" shape="rect" coords="263,20,311,145"/><area href="#lightheavyweight" alt="Light heavyweight" shape="rect" coords="316,18,360,146"/><area href="#heavyweight" alt="Heavyweight" shape="rect" coords="367,21,412.95,146"/></map><img src="/web/20070116112429im_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/bsp/hi/image_maps/05/9/1128077506/img/image.gif" usemap="#1128077506" border="0"> <p>  <div class="mvb"> <table border="0" width="416" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td valign="bottom"> <div class="mvb"> <span class="byl"> By Alex Trickett </span> </div> </td> </tr> </table><img height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="416" alt="" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20070116112429im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/999999.gif"/><br/> </div>  <p> <b>There is so much more to boxing than the heavyweight champion of the world.</b> <p> True top-weight champions like Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson traditionally take centre stage and command the biggest fight purses. <p> But the epic contests often take place at the lower weights, where speed rather than brute power is often the key. <p>  <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="208" align="right" border="0"> <tr> <td width="5"><img height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="5" alt="" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20070116112429im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif"/></td> <td class="sibtbg"> <div class="miiib">  <div class="arrdo"> <a href="#weightlist" class=""> Full list of boxing weights </a> </div>  </div> </td> </tr> </table>  There are 17 major weight classes in professional boxing. <p> Here we look at the original eight, highlighting what it takes to succeed and picking out the best boxers at their weight. <p> <hr> <p>  <a name="flyweight"></a>   <table cellspacing="0" align="right" border="0" width="203" cellpadding="0"> <tr><td> <div> <img height="152" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="203" alt="Ricardo Lopez" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20070116112429im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41373000/jpg/_41373691_ricardo_lopez_203.jpg"/> <div class="cap">Lopez took KO wins in 38 of 51 fights</div> </div> </td></tr> </table>  <b>Flyweight:</b> The little men still pack big punches. Just ask any opponent of Welshman Jimmy Wilde, thought by many to be the greatest flyweight of all. <p> Brought up fighting heavier opponents in the savage "boxing booths" of early 20th Century Wales, the "Mighty Atom" combined a blockbuster right hand with fleet footwork. <p> At eight stone, speed is of the essence so furious punching flurries and wide ring movement are common. <p> Knockout wins are rarer at the lowest weights, but not for Mexican Ricardo Lopez, who retired unbeaten in 2001 with 38 stoppages in 51 bouts. <p> <b>Five of the best:</b> Jimmy Wilde (1910-23), Pancho Villa (1919-25), Pascual Perez (1952-64), Miguel Canto (1969-82), Ricardo Lopez (1985-2001) <p> <b>Best of British:</b> Wilde, Benny Lynch (1931-38) <p>  <div class="arrup"> <a href="#top" class="bodl">Back to top</a> </div>  <p> <hr> <p>  <a name="bantamweight"></a>   <table cellspacing="0" align="right" border="0" width="203" cellpadding="0"> <tr><td> <div> <img height="152" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="203" alt="Wayne McCullough" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20070116112429im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41373000/jpg/_41373701_wayne_mccullough_203.jpg"/> <div class="cap">Irishman Wayne McCullough became WBC champion in 1995</div> </div> </td></tr> </table>  <b>Bantamweight:</b> Perhaps the best exponent was Eder Jofre, whose crouching style brought him 72 wins and only two losses from 78 fights. <p> The Brazilian was a master boxer with fast hands, perfect balance and tons of stamina. <p> But he met his match in Japan's Fighting Harada, who stepped up to take his crown by split decision in 1965 before also winning their rematch. <p> <b>Five of the best:</b> Manuel Ortiz (1938-55), Eder Jofre (1957-74), Ruben Olivares (1965-88), Carlos Zarate (1970-88), Fighting Harada (1960-70) <p> <b>Best of British:</b> Wayne McCullough (1993-) <p>  <div class="arrup"> <a href="#top" class="bodl">Back to top</a> </div>  <p> <hr> <p>  <a name="featherweight"></a>   <table cellspacing="0" align="right" border="0" width="203" cellpadding="0"> <tr><td> <div> <img height="152" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="203" alt="Marco Antonio Barrera" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20070116112429im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41373000/jpg/_41373683_marco_barrera_203.jpg"/> <div class="cap">Barrera has edged a thrilling trilogy against Erik Morales</div> </div> </td></tr> </table>  <b>Featherweight:</b> A four-part scrap between Willie Pep and Sandy Saddler showcased everything that featherweight boxing has to offer. <p> As myth had it, defensive artist Pep - aka "Will 'O the Wisp" - could win rounds without throwing a punch. <p> But he was knocked out by Saddler, who was freakishly tall and powerful for his weight. <p> Pep hit back to win the rematch with his guile, before Saddler prevailed in their last two bouts, both marred by foul play. <p> <b>Five of the best:</b> Willie Pep (1940-66), Sandy Saddler (1944-56), Alexis Arguello (1968-95), Salvador Sanchez (1975-82), Marco Antonio Barrera (1989-2005) <p> <b>Best of British:</b> Naseem Hamed (1992-2002), Barry McGuigan (British citizen although he was born in the Republic of Ireland) <p>  <div class="arrup"> <a href="#top" class="bodl">Back to top</a> </div>  <p> <hr> <p>  <a name="lightweight"></a>   <table cellspacing="0" align="right" border="0" width="203" cellpadding="0"> <tr><td> <div> <img height="152" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="203" alt="Roberto Duran" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20070116112429im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41373000/jpg/_41373693_roberto_duran_203.jpg"/> <div class="cap">Roberto Duran dominated at lightweight during the 1970s</div> </div> </td></tr> </table>  <b>Lightweight:</b> Master boxers, brawlers and knockout specialists, the lightweight division has known them all. <p> But two great Central Americans, Roberto Duran (Panama) and Julio Cesar Chavez (Mexico) stand out. <p> "Hands of Stone" Duran ruled the division for six years, imposing his indomitable will on opponents with fury and skill. <p> Chavez had his say 10 years later en route to the welterweight division where he met and drew with another jumped-up lightweight great Pernell Whitaker. <p> <b>Five of the best:</b> Joe Gans (1891-1909), Benny Leonard (1911-32), Roberto Duran (1968-2001), Julio Cesar Chavez (1980-), Pernell Whitaker (1984-2001) <p> <b>Best of British:</b> Ken Buchanan (1965-82), Jim Watt (1968-81) <p>  <div class="arrup"> <a href="#top" class="bodl">Back to top</a> </div>  <p> <hr> <p>  <a name="welterweight"></a>   <table cellspacing="0" align="right" border="0" width="203" cellpadding="0"> <tr><td> <div> <img height="152" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="203" alt="Sugar Ray Leonard" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20070116112429im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41373000/jpg/_41373697_ray_leonard_203.jpg"/> <div class="cap">Ray Leonard almost lived up to the reputation of the other 'Sugar'</div> </div> </td></tr> </table>  <b>Welterweight:</b> Light enough to keep their silky skills and heavy enough to do serious damage, welterweight has long been a glamorous division. <p> And for many years, it hosted arguably the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of them all, "Sugar" Ray Robinson. <p> Famed for throwing deadly combinations - a mixture of punches in quick succession - Robinson had the speed to dominate opponents, the resilience to take their best shot and the power to put them on the canvas. <p> He was the great boxing all-rounder, in a division that demands versatility in its champions. <p> <b>Five of the best:</b> Barney Ross (1929-38), Henry Armstrong (1931-1945), Sugar Ray Robinson (1940-65), Jose Napoles (1958-77), Sugar Ray Leonard (1977-1997) <p> <b>Best of British:</b> Lloyd Honeyghan (1980-95) <p>  <div class="arrup"> <a href="#top" class="bodl">Back to top</a> </div>  <p> <hr> <p>  <a name="middleweight"></a>   <table cellspacing="0" align="right" border="0" width="203" cellpadding="0"> <tr><td> <div> <img height="152" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="203" alt="Marvin Hagler" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20070116112429im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41373000/jpg/_41373689_marvin_hagler_203.jpg"/> <div class="cap">Hagler was the supreme athlete</div> </div> </td></tr> </table>  <b>Middleweight:</b> For fight fans of the 1980s, this was the division to watch. <p> "Sugar" Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Duran stepped up in weight to try their luck in a weight class ruled by Marvin Hagler, who looked like the ultimate fighting machine. <p> Middleweights are still quick and agile, but - at 11st 6lb - the focus starts to shift towards pure power. <p> In one of the division's greatest bouts, "Marvellous" Marvin and "Hit Man" Hearns went toe-to-toe at Caesars Palace in 1985. <p> The fight did not last long - it ended in round three with a Hagler KO win - but was as brutal and frenzied as boxing gets. <p> In Britain, the Chris Eubank v Nigel Benn showdowns were nearly as compelling. <p> <b>Five of the best:</b> Harry Greb (1913-26), Sugar Ray Robinson (1940-65), Carlos Monzon (1963-77), Marvin Hagler (1973-1987), Bernard Hopkins (1988-) <p> <b>Best of British:</b> Randy Turpin (1946-64), Chris Eubank (1985-98), Nigel Benn (1987-96) <p>  <div class="arrup"> <a href="#top" class="bodl">Back to top</a> </div>  <p> <hr> <p>  <a name="lightheavyweight"></a>   <table cellspacing="0" align="right" border="0" width="203" cellpadding="0"> <tr><td> <div> <img height="152" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="203" alt="Roy Jones Jr" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20070116112429im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41373000/jpg/_41373699_roy_jones_203.jpg"/> <div class="cap">Jones started at middleweight and still excelled at light heavy</div> </div> </td></tr> </table>  <b>Light heavyweight:</b> In recent years, light heavyweight has been a stepping stone (at Olympic or pro level) for boxers looking to succeed at the top weight. <p> But some great champions have made their home at the weight, including "Old Mongoose" Archie Moore during an incredible career of almost 30 years. <p> Moore had the power and guile to drop heavyweight great Rocky Marciano. He went on to lose that bout in 1955, but Marciano retired soon afterwards. <p> Of late, marauding middleweights like Roy Jones Jr and James Toney have had success at light heavy. <p> <p> <b>Five of the best:</b> Archie Moore (1936-63), Ezzard Charles (1940-59), Bob Foster (1961-78), Michael Spinks (1977-88), Roy Jones Jr (1989-) <p> <b>Best of British:</b> John Conteh (1971-80) <p>  <div class="arrup"> <a href="#top" class="bodl">Back to top</a> </div>  <p> <hr> <p>  <a name="heavyweight"></a>   <table cellspacing="0" align="right" border="0" width="203" cellpadding="0"> <tr><td> <div> <img height="152" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="203" alt="Muhammad Ali" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20070116112429im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41373000/jpg/_41373703_muhammad_ali_203.jpg"/> <div class="cap">Ali: The most skilful heavyweight ever to lace up gloves</div> </div> </td></tr> </table>  <b>Heavyweight:</b> The only no-limit weight class can suffer from slowness at times as the heavy protagonists plod around the ring. <p> And holding and clinching is common, particularly when fatigue sets in towards the end of latter rounds. <p> But at its explosive best, heavyweight boxing can be dazzling. <p> Anyone who watched Mike Tyson knock out Michael Spinks or Trevor Berbick would have been amazed that a man could generate such power. <p> And the incomparable Muhammad Ali - fleet of foot and quick of hand - proved that grace and style will always have a part to play even at the top weight. <p> <b>Five of the best:</b> Jack Johnson (1897-1938), Joe Louis (1934-51), Rocky Marciano (1947-55), Muhammad Ali (1960-81), Larry Holmes (1973-1999) <p> <b>Best of British:</b> Lennox Lewis (1989-2003) <p>  <div class="arrup"> <a href="#top" class="bodl">Back to top</a> </div>  <p> <hr> <p>  <a name="weightlist"></a>  <b>Boxing weight limits:</b><br/> Heavyweight - over 200lb (+91kg)<br/> Cruiserweight - 200lb (91kg)<br/> Light heavyweight - 175lb (79kg)<br/> Super middleweight - 168lb (76.2kg)<br/> Middleweight - 160lb (72.5kg)<br/> Light middleweight (super welter) - 154lb (70kg)<br/> Welterweight - 147lb (66.7kg)<br/> Light welterweight (super light) - 140lb (63.5kg)<br/> Lightweight - 135lb (61.2kg)<br/> Super featherweight (junior light) - 130lb (59kg)<br/> Featherweight - 126lb (57.1kg)<br/> Super bantamweight (junior feather) -122lb (55.3kg)<br/> Bantamweight - 118lb (53.5kg)<br/> Super flyweight (junior bantam) - 115lb (52.1kg)<br/> Flyweight - 112lb (51kg)<br/> Light flyweight - 108lb (49kg)<br/> Strawweight (mini fly or minimum) -105lb (47.6kg) <p>  <div class="arrup"> <a href="#top" class="bodl">Back to top</a> </div>   </font> <br/><br clear="all"/> <div class="mvtb"><table cellspacing="0" width="416" border="0" cellpadding="0"><tr> <td width="213"><a 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