Light heavyweight
Encyclopedia
In boxing
, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight
and cruiserweight. The light heavyweight class has produced some of boxing's greatest champions: Evander Holyfield
, Tommy Loughran
, Billy Conn
, Joey Maxim
, Archie Moore
, Jonathan Oakey
, Bob Foster, Michael Spinks
, Roy Jones Jr and Bernard Hopkins
to name a few.
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 both the cruiser and eventually heavyweight divisions and became undisputed champion of both.
, a light heavyweight fighter generally weighs between 77 kg (171 lb) and 82 kg (180 lb).
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight
Super middleweight
Super Middleweight is a boxing and Muay Thai weight division that has a weight limit of 168 pounds .- 1960s–1983 :There was interest in a division between Middleweight and Light Heavyweight in the late 1960s, the mid-1970s, and the early 1980s...
and cruiserweight. The light heavyweight class has produced some of boxing's greatest champions: Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
, Tommy Loughran
Tommy Loughran
Thomas Patrick Loughran was the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world.Loughran's effective use of coordinated foot work, sound defense and swift, accurate counter punching is now regarded as a precursor to the techniques practiced in modern boxing...
, Billy Conn
Billy Conn
William David Conn , better known as Billy Conn, was an American Light-Heavyweight boxing champion famed for his fights with Joe Louis. He had a professional boxing record of 63 wins, 11 losses and 1 draw, with 14 wins by knockout...
, Joey Maxim
Joey Maxim
Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli was an American boxer. He was a light heavyweight champion of the world. He took the ring-name Joey Maxim from the Maxim gun, the world's first self-acting machine gun, based on his ability to rapidly throw a large number of left jabs.-Early career:Maxim was born in...
, Archie Moore
Archie Moore
Archie Moore, born Archibald Lee Wright , was light heavyweight world boxing champion who had one of the longest professional careers in the history of that sport....
, Jonathan Oakey
Jonathan Oakey
Jonathan 'JayJay' Oakey is a British professional boxer. He is currently one of the youngest professional boxers in the UK.Oakey, who is nephew of professional rugby player and england coach Ellery Hanley , is mostly known for his huge professional classification change, after beginning his...
, Bob Foster, Michael Spinks
Michael Spinks
Michael Spinks is a retired American boxer who was a world champion in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions...
, Roy Jones Jr and Bernard Hopkins
Bernard Hopkins
Bernard Hopkins Jr, known as The Executioner is an American boxer and the current Ring Magazine and WBC light heavyweight champion...
to name a few.
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
Bob Fitzsimmons
Robert James "Bob" Fitzsimmons , was a British boxer who made boxing history as the sport's first three-division world champion. He also achieved fame for beating Gentleman Jim Corbett, the man who beat John L. Sullivan, and is in The Guinness Book of World Records as the Lightest heavyweight...
captured the light heavyweight championship after losing his heavyweight championship. Two all-time great heavyweight champions, Ezzard Charles
Ezzard Charles
Ezzard Mack Charles was an African-American professional boxer and former world heavyweight champion. He holds wins over numerous Hall of Fame fighters in three different weight classes. Charles retired with a record of 93 wins, 25 losses and 1 draw.-Career:He was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia,...
and Floyd Patterson
Floyd Patterson
Floyd Patterson was an American heavyweight boxer and former undisputed heavyweight champion. At 21, Patterson became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight title. He was also the first heavyweight boxer to regain the title. He had a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by...
, 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
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
successfully moved up from the light-heavyweight division to both the cruiser and eventually heavyweight divisions and became undisputed champion of both.
Olympic champions
- 1920Boxing at the 1920 Summer OlympicsThese are the results of the boxing competition at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. Medals were awarded in 8 weight classes. The competitions were held from August 21, 1920 to August 24, 1920.-Medal summary:-Medal table:-References:*...
– - 1924Boxing at the 1924 Summer OlympicsThese are the results of the boxing competition at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. Medals were awarded in 8 weight classes. The competitions were held from 15 July 1924 to 20 July 1924.-Medal summary:-Participating nations:...
– - 1928Boxing at the 1928 Summer OlympicsThese are the results of the boxing competition at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. Medals were awarded in 8 weight classes. The competitions were held from August 7, 1928 to August 12, 1928.-Medal summary:-Participating nations:...
– - 1932Boxing at the 1932 Summer OlympicsThese are the results of the boxing competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Medals were awarded in 8 weight classes. The competitions were held from August 9, 1932 to August 13, 1932.-Medal summary:-Participating nations:...
– - 1936Boxing at the 1936 Summer OlympicsThese are the results of the boxing competition at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Medals were awarded in 8 weight classes. The competitions were held from August 10, 1936 to August 15, 1936....
– - 1948Boxing at the 1948 Summer Olympics-Medal table:-Medal summary:...
– - 1952Boxing at the 1952 Summer OlympicsFinal results for the Boxing competition at the 1952 Summer Olympics. The events were held at Messuhalli.-Medal table:- Flyweight :- Bantamweight :- Featherweight :- Lightweight :...
– - 1956Boxing at the 1956 Summer OlympicsBoxing at the 1956 Summer Olympics took place in the new stadium at West Melbourne. A total number of 164 competitors entered from 35 nations, of whom 161 from 34 nations weighed-in and boxing was held eight nights and five afternoons. The boxing schedule began on November 23 and ended on December 1...
– - 1960Boxing at the 1960 Summer OlympicsIn the 1960 Summer Olympics, Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. won the gold medal in the boxing light heavyweight division for the United States.-Medals:- Flyweight :-Quarterfinals:...
– - 1964Boxing at the 1964 Summer OlympicsFinal results for the Boxing competition at the 1964 Summer Olympics:It was held October 11 to 23.-Medal table:-Medal summary:Final results for the Boxing competition at the 1964 Summer Olympics:It was held October 11 to 23....
– - 1968Boxing at the 1968 Summer Olympics-Medal table:- Light Flyweight :-First Round:* Tahar Aziz def. David Nata , 4:1* Hubert Skrzypczak def. Mohamed Sohem , 5:0* Joseph Donovan def. György Gedó , TKO-2...
– - 1972Boxing at the 1972 Summer OlympicsFinal results for the Boxing competition at the 1972 Summer Olympics:It was held August 27 to September 10, with the participation of 357 fighters from 81 countries.-Medal table:-Light Flyweight :-First Round:...
– - 1976Boxing at the 1976 Summer OlympicsThere were eleven boxing events at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Light Flyweight :-First Round:* Armando Guevara def. Eduardo Baltar , 5:0* Li Byong-Uk def. Sidney McKnight , KO-1...
– - 1980Boxing at the 1980 Summer OlympicsBoxing at the 1980 Summer Olympics took place in the Indoor Stadium of the Olympiski Sports Complex in Moscow. The boxing schedule began on 20 July and ended on 2 August...
– - 1984Boxing at the 1984 Summer OlympicsBoxing at the 1984 Summer Olympics took place in the Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. The boxing schedule began on July 29 and ended on August 11. Twelve men's boxing events were contested.-Light Flyweight :...
– - 1988Boxing at the 1988 Summer OlympicsBoxing at the 1988 Summer Olympics took place in the Chamshil Students' Gymnasium in Seoul. The boxing schedule began on September 17 and ended on October 2. Twelve boxing events were contested, with the participation of 441 athletes and 159 officials from 106 countries...
– - 1992Boxing at the 1992 Summer OlympicsBoxing at the 1992 Summer Olympics took place in the old Pavelló Club Joventut de Badalona in Barcelona. The boxing schedule began on July 26 and ended on August 9...
– - 1996Boxing at the 1996 Summer Olympics-Qualification:The following tournaments were used as qualification tournaments for boxing at the 1996 Summer Olympics.Africa* All-Africa Games in Harare, Zimbabwe from September 13 to September 23, 1995* Qualification Tournament in April/May? 1996...
– - 2000Boxing at the 2000 Summer OlympicsThe boxing competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney was held over a period of sixteen days at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour...
– - 2004Boxing at the 2004 Summer OlympicsBoxing at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place in the Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall. The event was only open to men and bouts were contested over four rounds of two minutes each...
– - 2008Boxing at the 2008 Summer OlympicsThe boxing program of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China was held at the Workers Indoor Arena.Medals were awarded in eleven events, with each event corresponding to a recognized weight division of male boxers...
–
Current champions
| Sanctioning Body | Reign Began | Champion | Record | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WBA World Boxing Association The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962... |
January 29, 2010 |  Beibut ShumenovBeibut Shumenov Beibut Shumenov, is a Kazakh professional boxer who fights in the light heavyweight division. He is the current WBA Light Heavyweight Champion.-Amateur career:Shumenov represented Kazakhstan in the 2004 Summer Olympics... |
12-1 (8 KO) | 3 |
| WBC World Boxing Council The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo... |
May 21, 2011 |  Bernard HopkinsBernard Hopkins Bernard Hopkins Jr, known as The Executioner is an American boxer and the current Ring Magazine and WBC light heavyweight champion... |
52-6-2-1 (32 KO) | 1 |
| IBF International Boxing Federation The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :... |
August 28, 2009 | Tavoris Cloud Tavoris Cloud Tavoris Karod Cloud is an American professional boxer born in Tallahassee, Florida, USA, and the current IBF light heavyweight champion.-Early life:... |
23-0 (19 KO) | 3 |
| WBO World Boxing Organization The World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the... |
May 19, 2011 |  Nathan CleverlyNathan Cleverly Nathan Cleverly is a British professional boxer from Wales and current WBO light heavyweight world champion. He is also the former European, British and Commonwealth light heavyweight champion... |
23-0 (11 KO) | 2 |
Kickboxing
In kickboxingKickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
, a light heavyweight fighter generally weighs between 77 kg (171 lb) and 82 kg (180 lb).