Light welterweight

In professional boxing, light welterweight is contested between the lightweight and welterweight divisions, in which boxers weigh above 61.2kg or 135 pounds and up to 63.5 kg or 140 pounds. The first champion of this weight class was Pinky Mitchell in 1946, though he was only awarded his championship by a vote of the readers of the Boxing Blade magazine.

There was not widespread acceptance of this new weight division in its early years, and the New York State Athletic Commission withdrew recognition of it in 1930. The National Boxing Association continued to recognize it until its champion, Barney Ross relinquished the title in 1935 to concentrate on regaining the welterweight championship.

A few commissions recognized bouts in the 1940s as being for the light welterweight title, but the modern beginnings of this championship date from 1959 when Carlos Ortiz won the vacant title with a victory over Kenny Lane. Both the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the World Boxing Council (WBC) recognized the same champions until 1967, when the WBC stripped Paul Fuji of the title and matched Pedro Adigue and Adolph Pruitt for their version of the championship. Adigue won a fifteen-round decision. The International Boxing Federation (IBF) recognized Aaron Pryor as its first champion in 1984. Hector Camacho became the first World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion with his victory against Ray Mancini in 1989.[3]

As of 24 April 2022.[4]

Keys:

 C  Current The Ring world champion

Rank	Name	Record	Title(s)
C	Josh Taylor	19–0 (13 KO)	IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO
1	Regis Prograis	27–1 (23 KO)
2	José Ramírez	27–1 (17 KO)
3	Jose Zepeda	36–2–0–2 (28 KO)
4	Jack Catterall	26-1 (13 KO)
5	Subriel Matías	18-1 (18 KO)
6	Arnold Barboza Jr.	26-0 (10 KO)
7	Shojkahon Ergashev	21-0 (19 KO)
8	Batyr Akhmadov	9-1 (8 KO)
9	Gary Antuanne Russell	15-0 (15 KO)
10	Sandor Martin	40-2 (13 KO)

As of 28 February 2022.[5]

Rank	Name	Record	Points	Title(s)
1	Josh Taylor	19–0 (13 KO)	288.7	IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO
2	Regis Prograis	26–1 (23 KO)	260.1
3	Jose Zepeda	35–2–0–2 (27 KO)	207.5
4	José Ramírez	26–1 (17 KO)	205.9
5	Jose Pedraza	29–3 (14 KO)	98.21
6	Robert Easter Jr.	23–1–1 (14 KO)	89.42
7	Arnold Barboza Jr.	26–0 (10 KO)	69.63
8	Viktor Postol	31–3 (12 KO)	69.37
9	Mario Barrios	26–1 (17 KO)	62.69
10	Jack Catterall	26–1 (13 KO)	48.52

In amateur boxing, light welterweight is a weight class for fighters weighing up to 64 kilograms. For the 1952 Summer Olympics, the division was created when the span from 54–67 kg was changed from three weight classes (featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight) to four. Perhaps the most famous amateur light welterweight champion is Sugar Ray Leonard, who went on to an impressive professional career.[6]