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Heavyweight is a
weight class Weight classes are divisions of competition used to match competitors against others of their own size. Weight classes are used in a variety of sports, especially combat sports (such as boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts and wrestling). Alte ...
in
combat sport A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport that usually involves one-on-one combat. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent, submitting the opponent with a hold, disabling the oppo ...
s and
professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
.


Boxing


Professional

Boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 3 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the
International Boxing Federation The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Cou ...
, the
World Boxing Association The World Boxing Association (WBA), formerly known as the National Boxing Association (NBA), is the oldest and one of four major organizations which sanction professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Council (WBC), International Boxi ...
, and the
World Boxing Organization The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is an organization which sanctions professional boxing bouts. It is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxing ...
. In 2020, the
World Boxing Council The World Boxing Council (WBC) is an international professional boxing organization. It is among the four major organizations which sanction professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation ...
increased their heavyweight classification to 224 pounds (102 kg; 16 st) to allow for their creation of the
bridgerweight Bridgerweight is a weight class in professional boxing created and used by the World Boxing Council (WBC). The weight is named after six-year-old American Bridger Walker, who saved his four-year-old sister from a stray dog in July 2020. History Af ...
division.


Historical development

Because this division had no weight limit, it has been historically vaguely defined. In the 19th century, for example, many heavyweight champions weighed or less (although others weighed 200 pounds). In 1920, the light heavyweight division was formed, with a maximum weight of . Any fighter weighing more than 175 pounds was a heavyweight. The cruiserweight division (first for boxers in the 175–190 pound range) was established in 1979 and recognized by the various boxing organizations in the 1980s with a maximum weight of either or . Later these organizations increased the cruiserweight limit to 200 pounds. Since 1975, the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States and the Soviet Sports Committee established a new concept in international boxing, called "Heavy Duals," an all-heavyweight team contest between the United States and the Soviet Union. As of 2021,
Wladimir Klitschko Wladimir Klitschko; an equivalent English spelling is Vladimir Klichko . His full name in uk, label=Ukrainian is, Володимир Володимирович Кличко, Volodymyr Volodymyrovych Klychko, . ( uk, Володимир Вол� ...
holds the record of most boxers beaten for the world heavyweight title, with 23. Klitschko holds the record for the longest cumulative heavyweight title reign of all time, with 4,382 days as world heavyweight champion.
Joe Louis Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed the Brown Bomber, Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He re ...
has won the most world heavyweight title bouts, with 27. Louis holds the record for most consecutive title defenses at this division, with 26 defenses of the world title. This is also the record for most consecutive title defenses in boxing history.
Michael Moorer Michael Lee Moorer (born November 12, 1967) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2008. He won a world championship on four occasions in two weight classes, having held the WBO light heavyweight title from 1988 t ...
,
Evander Holyfield Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2011. He reigned as the Undisputed championship (boxing), undisputed champion at cruiserweight (boxing), cruiserweight in the late 1 ...
,
Lennox Lewis Lennox Claudius Lewis (born 2 September 1965) is a former professional boxer and boxing commentator who competed from 1989 to 2003. He is a three-time world heavyweight champion, a two-time lineal champion, and the last heavyweight to hol ...
,
Vitali Klitschko Vitali Volodymyrovych Klitschko (; uk, Віта́лій Володи́мирович Кличко́ ; born 19 July 1971) is a Ukrainian politician and former professional boxer who serves as mayor of KyivRuslan Chagaev Ruslan Shamilevich Chagaev ( tt-Cyrl, Руслан Шамил улы Чагаев; uz, Ruslan Shamilovich Chagayev; russian: Руслан Шамилович Чагаев); born 19 October 1978) is an Uzbekistani former professional boxer who c ...
have held various versions of the title belts on three occasions. Four boxers have regained the heavyweight title in an immediate rematch:
Floyd Patterson Floyd Patterson (January 4, 1935 – May 11, 2006) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1952 to 1972, and twice reigned as the world heavyweight champion between 1956 and 1962. At the age of 21, he became the youngest boxer in hi ...
in 1960,
Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, ...
in 1978,
Lennox Lewis Lennox Claudius Lewis (born 2 September 1965) is a former professional boxer and boxing commentator who competed from 1989 to 2003. He is a three-time world heavyweight champion, a two-time lineal champion, and the last heavyweight to hol ...
in 2001, and
Anthony Joshua Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua (born 15 October 1989) is an English professional boxer. He is a two-time former unified world heavyweight champion, having held the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO titles twice between 2016 and 2021. At r ...
in 2019.
George Foreman George Edward Foreman (born January 10, 1949) is an American former professional boxer, entrepreneur, minister and author. In boxing, he was nicknamed "Big George" and competed between 1967 and 1997. He is a two-time world heavyweight champi ...
holds the record for being the oldest heavyweight to ever achieve championship status, becoming champion at the age of 45, while
Mike Tyson Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is con ...
possesses the record for youngest heavyweight champion at 20. Tyson also became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts – WBA, WBC, and IBF as well as The Ring and lineal heavyweight titles at the same time.


Current world champions


Current world rankings


=''The Ring''

= As of December 10, 2022. Keys: : Current '' The Ring'' world champion


=BoxRec

= As of , .


Longest-reigning world heavyweight champions

Keys: : Active title reign : Reign has ended :Note 1: WBA (Regular) champions are not included :Note 2: WBO heavyweight title bouts before August 1997 are not includedSeveral IBHOF inductees’ professional boxing records printed in the organization's official record books indicate that IBHOF did not recognize WBO as a major organization until at least August 23, 1997: * IBHOF official record book, 1997 edition **
Sugar Ray Leonard Ray Charles Leonard (born May 17, 1956), best known as "Sugar" Ray Leonard, is an American former professional boxer, motivational speaker, and occasional actor. Often regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, he competed professional ...
's opponent
Thomas Hearns Thomas Hearns (born October 18, 1958) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 2006. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra", and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns's tall, slender build and oversized arms and shoulders allowe ...
, who was defending the WBO super middleweight title against him on 12 June 1989, is not marked as World Champion * IBHOF official record book, 1999 edition ** Sugar Ray Leonard's opponent Thomas Hearns, who was defending the WBO super middleweight title against him on 12 June 1989, is not marked as World Champion * IBHOF official record book, 2002 edition ** Sugar Ray Leonard's opponent Thomas Hearns, who was defending the WBO super middleweight title against him on 12 June 1989, is not marked as World Champion * IBHOF official record book, 2006 edition ** Sugar Ray Leonard's opponent Thomas Hearns, who was defending the WBO super middleweight title against him on 12 June 1989, is not marked as World Champion **
Michael Carbajal Michael Carbajal (born September 17, 1967) is an American five-time world boxing champion of Mexican descent. His nickname was "Little Hands Of Stone," after his favorite boxer,"Hands Of Stone" Roberto Durán. Amateur career Carbajal had an amat ...
's opponent Josue Camacho, who was defending the WBO junior flyweight title against him on 15 July 1994, is not marked as World Champion ** Michael Carbajal’s opponent
Jorge Arce Jorge Armando Arce Armenta (; born July 27, 1979), best known as Jorge Arce, is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2014. He is a multiple-time world champion, and the second boxer from Mexico to win world titles in ...
, who was defending the WBO junior flyweight title against him on 31 July 1999, is marked as World Champion * IBHOF official record book, 2011 edition ** Sugar Ray Leonard's opponent Thomas Hearns, who was defending the WBO super middleweight title against him on 12 June 1989, is not marked as World Champion ** Michael Carbajal's opponent Josue Camacho, who was defending the WBO junior flyweight title against him on 15 July 1994, is not marked as World Champion ** Ricardo Lopez's opponent Alex Sanchez, who was defending the WBO minimumweight title against him on 23 August 1997, is marked as World Champion ** Michael Carbajal’s opponent Jorge Arce, who was defending the WBO junior flyweight title against him on 31 July 1999, is marked as World Champion
:Note 3: The names in ''italics'' are champions that did not win ''The Ring'' championship/lineal championship (August 29, 1885–July 2, 1921)/undisputed championship (July 2, 1921–present)


= Combined reign

= The list does not include ''The Ring'' and lineal championship fights after 1921. ''As of 22 February 2020''.


= Individual reign

= Below is a list of longest reigning heavyweight champions in boxing measured by the individual's longest reign. The list includes both ''The Ring'' and lineal championships. Career total time as champion (for multiple time champions) does not apply. :Note: The names in ''italics'' are champions that did not win ''The Ring'' championship/lineal championship (August 29, 1885–July 2, 1921)/undisputed championship (July 2, 1921–present) during the reign


Amateur

The lower limit for heavyweight was established in 1948 at . A weight class named "super heavyweight" was established in 1984, and with it a maximum for the heavyweight division.


Kickboxing

* In
kickboxing Kickboxing is a combat sport focused on kicking and punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is practiced for self-defense, general ...
, a heavyweight fighter generally weighs between . The fighters over are considered super heavyweights. *
International Kickboxing Federation The International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) is a sanctioning body for kickboxing and Muay Thai based in the United States. The IKF sanctions and regulates all aspects of these sports from Semi Contact IKF Point Kickboxing (IKF/PKB)) to Full Co ...
(IKF) Heavyweight (Pro & Amateur) . * In Glory promotion, a heavyweight division is over and no upper weight limit. * In
ONE Championship ONE Championship (formerly ONE Fighting Championship) is a Singaporean combat sports promotion. Founded on 14 July 2011 by entrepreneur Chatri Sityodtong and former ESPN Star Sports senior executive Victor Cui, its events have featured mixed ...
, the heavyweight division has an upper limit of .


Mixed martial arts

The heavyweight division in
MMA Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incor ...
generally groups fighters between . Heavyweight is also the title of a documentary film that documented the fight camp of
Fabrício Werdum Fabrício Werdum (; born 30 July 1977) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC Heavyweight Champion who competes in the Heavyweight division. He is also a 4-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, a two-time Abu Dhabi Combat Club Wo ...
when he became the UFC Heavyweight Champion.


Wrestling

The term " world heavyweight" in modern wrestling generally refers to a champion wrestler who is seen as a prominent competitor, rather than an adherent to a particular weight class. The World Heavyweight Championship in wrestling is usually considered the main title in a given promotion. Prior to the wrestling industry publicly acknowledging the predetermined nature of the sport, a Heavyweight title was generally competed for by larger wrestlers while smaller wrestlers competed as (among other names and classifications) " Junior Heavyweights" and "Light-Heavyweights".


Analogous uses

The word "heavyweight" is sometimes used in other fields (''e.g.'' politics) to denote a person who is especially powerful or influential. Other boxing analogies include "punching above his
heir Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Offic ...
weight" to denote a person or entity (''e.g.'' a country) whose influence is arguably greater than his/its basic attributes would suggest.


References


External links


Barry Hugman's Boxing
{{Boxing weight classes Boxing weight classes Kickboxing weight classes Professional wrestling weight classes Taekwondo weight classes Wrestling weight classes * *