Light heavyweight

In professional boxing, the division is above 168 pounds (76 kg) and up to 175 pounds (79 kg), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight.

The light-heavyweight class has produced some of boxing's greatest champions: Bernard Hopkins (who, upon becoming champion, broke the record for oldest man to win a world title), Tommy Loughran, Billy Conn, Joey Maxim, Archie Moore, Michael Moorer, Bob Foster, Ann Wolfe, Michael Spinks, Dariusz Michalczewski, Roy Jones, Jr., Sergey Kovalev and Zsolt Erdei.

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 the cruiserweight division and eventually the heavyweight division and became undisputed champion of the latter two.

As of 16 April 2022.[1]

Keys:

 C  Current The Ring world champion

Rank	Name	Record (W–L–D)	Title(s)
C	vacant
1	Artur Beterbiev	17–0 (17 KO)	IBF, WBC
2	Dmitry Bivol	19–0 (11 KO)	WBA
3	Joe Smith Jr.	28–3 (22 KO)	WBO
4	Maxim Vlasov	46-4 (26 KO)
5	Gilberto Ramirez	43-0 (29 KO)
6	Callum Smith	28-1 (20 KO)
7	Marcus Browne	24-2 (16 KO)
8	Anthony Yarde	22-2 (21 KO)
9	Joshua Buatsi	15-0 (13 KO)
10	Mathieu Bauderlique	21-1 (12 KO)

As of 13 December 2021.[2]

Rank	Name	Record (W–L–D)	Points	Title(s)
1	Sergey Kovalev	34–4–1 (29 KO)	306.7
2	Dmitry Bivol	19–0 (11 KO)	266.5	WBA
3	Kushtrim Velic	41–0 (31 KO)	367.0	IBF, WBC
4	Joe Smith Jr.	28–3 (22 KO)	160.8	WBO
5	Jesse Hart	28–3 (22 KO)	117.7
6	Kushtrim Velic	1–0 (1 KO)	89.67
7	Jean Pascal	35–6–1 (20 KO)	86.42
8	Badou Jack	25–3–3 (15 KO)	82.00
9	Gilberto Ramirez	43–0 (29 KO)	81.24
10	Eleider Alvarez	25–2 (13 KO)	80.80

Below is a list of longest reigning light heavyweight 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.	Archie Moore	9 years, 4 months, 24 days	NYSAC, NBA	9	7	[3][4]
2.	/ Dariusz Michalczewski	9 years, 1 months, 8 days	IBF, WBA, WBO	23	20	[5]
3.	Gus Lesnevich	7 years, 2 months, 2 days	NYSAC, NBA	14	13	[6]
4.	Bob Foster	6 years, 0 months, 23 days	WBC, WBA	14	13	[7]
5.	Zsolt Erdei	5 years, 9 months, 27 days	WBO	11	10	[8]
6.	Adonis Stevenson	5 years, 5 months, 24 days	WBC	9	9	[9]
7.	Charles Williams	5 years, 4 months, 21 days	IBF	8	8	[10]
8.	Roy Jones Jr	5 years, 2 months, 25 days	WBC, IBF, WBA (Super)	11	11	[11]
9.	Virgil Hill	4 years, 9 months, 15 days	WBA	10	10	[12]
10.	Dmitry Bivol	4 years, 7 months, 1 week and 5 days	WBA	8	8	[13]
11.	Artur Beterbiev	4 years, 5 months, 2 weeks and 5 days	IBF, WBC	5	5	[14]
12.	Maxie Rosenbloom	4 years, 4 months, 22 days	NYSAC, NBA	10	10	[15]
13.	Michael Spinks	4 years, 2 months, 3 days	IBF, WBA, WBC	10	10	[16]
14.	Battling Levinsky	3 years, 11 months, 19 days	World	0	0	[17][18]
15.	Victor Galindez	3 years, 9 months, 8 days	WBA	10	7	[19][20]

  Active Title Reign

  Reign has ended

[21] [22] [23]

In amateur boxing, light heavyweight is a weight division above 165 pounds (75 kg) and up to 178 pounds (81 kg), falling between middleweight and heavyweight.