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 professional welterweight boxer's weight is greater than 140 pounds, and no more than 147 pounds (about 63-67kg).
Current world champions
Current champions
| Sanctioning body | Reign began | Champion | Record | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WBA | April 16, 2022 | Errol Spence Jr. | 28–0 (22 KO) | 0 |
| WBC | September 28, 2019 | Errol Spence Jr. | 28–0 (22 KO) | 2 |
| IBF | May 27, 2017 | Errol Spence Jr. | 28–0 (22 KO) | 5 |
| WBO | June 9, 2018 | Terence Crawford | 39–0 (30 KO) | 6 |
Current world rankings
The Ring
As of December, 10, 2022.
Keys:
- C Current The Ring world champion
| Rank | Name | Record | Title(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | vacant | ||
| 1 | Errol Spence Jr. | 28–0 (22 KO) | WBC, IBF, WBA |
| 2 | Terence Crawford | 39–0 (30 KO) | WBO |
| 3 | Jaron Ennis | 30–0–0–1 (27 KO) | |
| 4 | Yordenis Ugás | 27–5 (12 KO) | |
| 5 | Vergil Ortiz Jr. | 19–0 (19 KO) | |
| 6 | Eimantas Stanionis | 14–0–0–1 (9 KO) | |
| 7 | Keith Thurman | 30–1–0–1 (22 KO) | |
| 8 | Conor Benn | 21–0 (14 KO) | |
| 9 | Radzhab Butaev | 14–1–0–1 (11 KO) | |
| 10 | David Avanesyan | 29–4–1 (17 KO) |
BoxRec
As of 11 April 2022.
| Rank | Name | Record | Points | Title(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Terence Crawford | 39–0 (30 KO) | 513.6 | WBO |
| 2 | Errol Spence Jr. | 28–0 (22 KO) | 442.3 | WBC, IBF, WBA |
| 3 | Keith Thurman | 30–1 (22 KO) | 155.7 | |
| 4 | Yordenis Ugas | 27–5 (12 KO) | 139.4 | |
| 5 | Kell Brook | 40–3 (28 KO) | 100.4 | |
| 6 | Mikey Garcia | 40–2 (30 KO) | 82.77 | |
| 7 | Vergil Ortiz Jr. | 19–0 (19 KO) | 79.61 | |
| 8 | Cody Crowley | 21–0 (9 KO) | 71.90 | |
| 9 | David Avanesyan | 29–4–1 (17 KO) | 70.84 | |
| 10 | Jaron Ennis | 30–0–0–1 (27 KO) | 46.31 |
Longest reigning world 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 | Beaten opponents | Fights | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Félix Trinidad | 6 years, 8 months, 14 days | IBF | 15 | 15 | |
| 2. | Errol Spence Jr. | 5 years, 11 months and 3 weeks | IBF, WBC | 6 | 5 | |
| 3. | Antonio Margarito | 5 years, 3 months, 28 days | WBO | 7 | 7 | |
| 4. | Terence Crawford | 4 years, 11 months, 1 week and 2 days | WBO | 6 | 6 | |
| 5. | Ike Quartey | 4 years, 7 months, 30 days | WBA | 7 | 7 | |
| 6. | José Nápoles | 4 years, 6 months, 2 days | WBA, WBC | 10 | 8 | |
| 7. | Sugar Ray Robinson | 4 years, 1 month, 26 days | NYSAC, NBA | 5 | 5 | |
| 8. | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | 4 years, 1 month, 18 days | WBC | 5 | 4 | |
| 9. | Pernell Whitaker | 4 years, 1 month, 6 days | WBC | 8 | 7 | |
| 10. | Pipino Cuevas | 4 years and 16 days | WBA | 11 | 10 |
Top 10 most title defenses
Below is a list of most title defenses of welterweight champions in boxing measured by the individual's reign with the most title defenses. Career total title defenses as champion (for multiple time champions) does not apply.
| Name | Title reign | Title recognition | Successful defenses | Beaten opponents | Fights | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Henry Armstrong | 2 years, 4 months, 3 days | NYSAC, NBA, Ring | 19 | 15 | |
| 2. | Félix Trinidad | 6 years, 8 months, 14 days | IBF | 15 | 15 | |
| 3. | Pipino Cuevas | 4 years and 16 days | WBA | 11 | 10 | |
| 4. | José Nápoles | 4 years, 6 months, 2 days | WBA, WBC, Ring | 10 | 8 | |
| 5. | Jack Britton | 3 years, 7 months, 13 days | World | 9 | 8 | |
| 6. | Pernell Whitaker | 4 years, 1 month, 6 days | WBC | 8 | 7 | |
| 7. | Simon Brown | 3 years, 7 months, 6 days | IBF | 8 | 8 | |
| 8. | Kid Gavilán | 3 years, 5 months, 2 days | NYSAC, NBA, Ring | 7 | 6 | |
| 9. | Donald Curry | 3 years, 7 months, 14 days | WBA | 7 | 7 | |
| 10. | Ike Quartey | 4 years, 7 months, 30 days | WBA | 7 | 7 |
Amateur boxing
Olympic champions
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 64.5–66.7 kg.
- International Sport Karate Association (ISKA), welterweight 142.1–147 lb or 64.5–66.7 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.
- ONE Championship, welterweight upper limit 83.9 kg (185 lb).
Bare-knuckle boxing
The limit for welterweight generally differs among promotions in bare-knuckle boxing:
- In Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, the welterweight division has an upper limit of 165 lb (75 kg).
- In BKB™, the welterweight division has an upper limit of 83 kg (183 lb).
Wrestling
Olympic wrestling
Prior to 1996, the weight limit for welterweight was 74kg/163lb in Olympic wrestling. Since that time, amateur wrestling has named its weight classes by upper weight limit in kilograms.
Professional wrestling
In the U.S. and Canada there was a 145lb limit in the early 20th century at least until the early 1920s.
In Mexico, the lucha libre commission's definition of the welterweight weight class is between 70 kg (150 lb) and 78 kg (172 lb).
In the United Kingdom the 1947 Admiral-Lord Mountevans rules set out seven weight divisions with maximum weight limits and called for champions to be crowned of each limit. This included Welterweight 11st 11 lb (165 lb or ~75 kg) An earlier system of weight classes with different levels and more divisions - including Welterweight - existed under the 1930 All-In rules.
Catch wrestling
From the 1870s to the 1910s, the weight limit was 10st 8lb (148lb) for Lancashire catch-as-catch-can wrestling under the rules of Sporting Chronicle (Manchester, England).
Mixed martial arts
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 18, 2023.
| Organization | Reign began | Champion | Record | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UFC | August 20, 2022 |
 Leon Edwards
|
21–3 (7KO 3SUB) | 1 |
| Bellator MMA | June 11, 2021 |
 Yaroslav Amosov
|
26–0 (9KO 10SUB) | 0 |
| ONE Championship | October 25, 2019 |
 Kiamrian Abbasov
|
23–5 (8KO 4SUB) | 1 |
| Fight Nights Global | April 6, 2019 |
 Dmitry Bikrev
|
13–3 (9KO 1SUB) | 3 |
| KSW | October 6, 2018 |
 Roberto Soldić
|
20–3 (17KO 1SUB) | 2 |
| Titan FC | March 15, 2019 |
 Michael Graves
|
9–1 (4KO 2SUB) | 1 |
| ACA | April 26, 2019 |
Albert Tumenov
|
22–4 (14KO) | 1 |
| Legacy Fighting Alliance | August 21, 2020 |
Jaleel Willis
|
13–2 (5KO) | 0 |
| Cage Warriors | August 21, 2020 |
 Tyler Cummmings
|
20–3 (7KO 3SUB) |
12 |
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).