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. If used, welterweight is typically between lightweight and 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 15th century , meaning 'to beat severely'.
Boxing Professional boxing A professional welterweight boxer's weight is greater than 140 pounds, and no more than 147 pounds (about 63.5–66.7 kg).
Current world champions
Current champions Sanctioning body Reign beganChampionRecordDefensesWBAAugust 22, 2026Teofimo Lopez23–2 (13 KO)0WBCFebruary 21, 2026Ryan Garcia26–2–0–1 (21 KO)1IBFJune 24, 2026Liam Paro28–1 (16 KO)0WBONovember 22, 2025Devin Haney (15 KO)0
Current world rankings
The Ring As of February 28, 2026.
Keys: Current The Ring world champion
RankNameRecordTitle(s)C1Devin Haney33–0 (1) (15 KO)WBO2Brian Norman Jr.28–1 (22 KO)3Eimantas Stanionis16–1 (1) (9 KO)4Ryan Garcia25–2 (1) (20 KO)WBC5Rolando Romero17–3 (13 KO)WBA6Rohan Polanco17–0 (10 KO)7Shakhram Giyasov18–0 (11 KO)8Raúl Curiel17–0–1 (14 KO)9Jack Catterall32–2 (14 KO)10Tiger Johnson16–0 (7 KO)
BoxRec
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RankNameRecordTitle(s)1Devin Haney33–0 (1) (15 KO)WBO2Liam Paro28–1 (16 KO)IBF3Brian Norman Jr.28–1 (1) (22 KO)4Jack Catterall32–2 (14 KO)5Rohan Polanco17–0 (10 KO)6Karen Chukhadzhian26–3 (14 KO)7Rolando Romero17–2 (13 KO)WBA8Vadim Musaev14–0 (9 KO)9Ryan Garcia25–2 (1) (20 KO)WBC10Julian Rodriguez25–1 (15 KO)
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. Felix Trinidad IBF 15 15 2. Terence Crawford 6 years, 2 months, 14 days WBO 7 7 3. Errol Spence Jr. 6 years, 2 months and 3 days IBF, WBC 6 5 4. Antonio Margarito 5 years, 3 months, 28 days WBO 7 7 5. Ike Quartey 4 years, 7 months, 30 days WBA 7 7 6. Freddie Cochrane 4 years, 7 months, 03 days NYSAC, NBA 0 0 7. José Nápoles 4 years, 6 months, 2 days WBA, WBC 10 8 8. Sugar Ray Robinson 4 years, 1 month, 26 days NYSAC, NBA 5 5 9. Floyd Mayweather Jr. 4 years, 1 month, 18 days WBC 5 4 10. Pernell Whitaker 4 years, 1 month, 6 days WBC 8 7 11. Pipino Cuevas 4 years and 16 days WBA 11 10
Top 10 most title defenses Below is a list of most title defenses by 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 .
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) . International Sport Karate Association (ISKA), welterweight . World Kickboxing Association (WKA), welterweight (Pro) upper limit . In Glory promotion, a welterweight division is up to . ONE Championship, welterweight upper limit .
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 . In BKB™, the welterweight division has an upper limit of .
Wrestling Olympic wrestling Prior to 1996, the weight limit for welterweight was 74 kg/163 lb in Olympic wrestling.Weight Divisions in Professional Wrestling Wrestling-Titles.com Retrieved March 31 2023 Since that time, amateur wrestling has named its weight classes by upper weight limit in kilograms.
Professional wrestling In the United States and Canada, there was a 145 lb limit in the early 20th century at least until the early 1920s. In Mexico, the wrestling commission's definition of the welterweight weight class is between and .
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 ()The Wrestling Furnace Picture Gallery: Classic British Professional Wrestling: THE WEIGHT DIVISIONS in British Professional Wrestling An earlier system of weight classes with different levels and more divisions - including Welterweight - existed under the 1930 All-In rules.Blue Blood on the Mat - Atholl Oakeley, S Paul, 1971 - Appendix:Rules of All In Professional Wrestling
Catch wrestling From the 1870s to the 1910s, the weight limit was 10st 8 lb (148 lb) 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 .
Current champions This table is not always up to date. Last updated September 15th 2026
Organization Reign began Champion Record Title defenses UFC November 15, 2025 Islam Makhachev 29–1 (5 13) 1 Professional Fighters League July 25, 2026 Thad Jean 12–0 (6KO 1SUB) 0 ONE Championship November 19, 2022 Christian Lee 18–4 (13KO 4SUB) 1 Fight Nights Global April 6, 2019 Dmitry Bikrev 16–4 (11KO 1SUB) 3 KSW April 22, 2023 Adrian Bartosiński 16–1 (11KO 2SUB) 3 Titan FC June 2, 2023 Will Brooks 26–5 (7KO 6SUB) 1 ACA Dec 5, 2025 Zhakshylyk Myrzabekov 15–2 (6KO 2SUB) 4 Legacy Fighting Alliance May 21, 2026 Vacant 0 Cage Warriors April 26, 2025 Justin Burlinson 10-2 (3KO 7SUB)0
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 and 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 for adult and junior The official rules of shoot boxing define welterweights as between . In Olympic taekwondo, welterweight falls between . At the weight classes for the Olympic games it is between .
References
External links