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Super middleweight, or light cruiserweight, 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.


Boxing

In professional boxing, super middleweight is contested between the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, in which boxers can weigh between 160 pounds (73 kg) and . The class first appeared in 1967.


History


1960s–1983

There was interest in a division between middleweight and light heavyweight in the late 1960s, the mid-1970s, and the early 1980s. A few states briefly recognized a "Junior Light Heavyweight" division at and the fringe World Athletic Association (WAA) later inaugurated a "super middleweight" division at . On April 3, 1967, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Don Fullmer, a brother of former world middleweight champion Gene Fullmer, won the first version by stopping previously unbeaten Joe Hopkins in six rounds. He never defended it. On November 25, 1974, in Columbus, Ohio, Billy Douglas, the father of future world heavyweight champion James "Buster" Douglas, halted Danny Brewer in two rounds to win the Ohio Commission's version of the world junior light heavyweight title. He too never made a defense of the title. Then, on April 3, 1982, in Denver, Colorado, Jerry "Wimpy" Halstead stopped Ron Brown in six rounds to win the WAA's inaugural super middleweight title bout. Halstead made one defense, knocking out Darren Encline in one round on May 29, 1982, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Following that fight, Halstead moved up to the light heavyweight class and eventually campaigned as a heavyweight. The media and most commissions did not recognize Fullmer's, Douglas', or Halstead's titles. Nor did they recognize the division during this period.


1984–1989

The current super middleweight division traces its beginning to 1984, when Murray Sutherland defeated Ernie Singletary for the International Boxing Federation version of the title. The World Boxing Association created its version of the super middleweight title when reigning ''Lineal'' champion
Chong Pal Park Chong-Pal Park (Hangul: 박종팔, Hanja: 朴鍾八; born 11 August 1958) is a South Korean former professional boxer who held the IBF super-middleweight title from 1984 to 1988 and the WBA super-middleweight title from 1987 to 1988. Professio ...
defeated Jesus Gallardo in 1987 (Park had been IBF champion before relinquishing the title to fight for the inaugural WBA version). The World Boxing Council crowned its first champion in 1988 when Sugar Ray Leonard defeated Donny Lalonde in a fight that was also for its version of the light heavyweight title.


1990–2007

Since the early 1990s, there has been a highly competitive super middleweight division in Britain and Ireland, including the rivalry between Nigel Benn,
Chris Eubank Christopher Livingstone Eubank (born 8 August 1966) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 1998. He held the WBO middleweight and super-middleweight titles between 1990 and 1995, and is ranked by BoxRec as the thir ...
, and
Michael Watson Michael Watson (born 15 March 1965) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 1991. He held the Commonwealth middleweight title from 1989 to 1991, and challenged three times for a world title between 1990 and 1991. Wats ...
, which included two memorable fights and the tragic injury to Watson, followed by the emergence of Steve Collins, who defeated Benn and Eubank, before retiring and vacating the title, as well as the 10-year reign of Joe Calzaghe. In addition, fellow Brits Richie Woodhall and Robin Reid also held versions of the title between 1996–97 and 1997–98. During this decade, Americans James Toney and Roy Jones Jr. also reigned as champions. In 2007, two champions of the division, the undefeated Calzaghe and the likewise undefeated Mikkel Kessler, had a title unification fight which Calzaghe won by a unanimous decision to become the unified super middleweight champion of the world.


2008–present

At the end of the 2000s and start of the 2010s the division was one of the most active in boxing with the likes of Lucian Bute, Andre Ward,
Andre Dirrell Andre Dirrell (born September 7, 1983) is an American professional boxer who held the IBF interim super middleweight title from 2017 to 2018. As an amateur, he won a bronze medal in the middleweight division at the 2004 Olympics. His younger bro ...
, Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler, Anthony Mundine, Arthur Abraham, Robert Stieglitz,
Sakio Bika Sakio Bika (born 18 April 1979) is a Cameroonian-born Australian professional boxer. He held the WBC super-middleweight title from 2013 to 2014, and previously the IBO super-middleweight title from 2008 to 2010. In 2015 he challenged once for ...
, Allan Green, Jesse Brinkley,
Librado Andrade Librado Andrade Ornelas (born September 2, 1978) is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1999 to 2013, and challenged three times for a super middleweight world title between 2007 and 2009. His brother Enrique Ornelas is also a ...
, Edison Miranda and Jermain Taylor. This was showcased with Showtime's, Super Six World Boxing Classic that sought out to find the best super middleweight in the world at the time. Andre Ward went on to defeat Carl Froch by unanimous decision and win the tournament in late 2011. On November 6, 2021, Canelo Álvarez became the first undisputed champion of the division.


Current world champions


Current world interim champions


Current world rankings


''The Ring''

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


BoxRec

.


Longest reigning world super middleweight champions

Below is a list of longest reigning super middleweight champions in boxing measured by the individual's longest reign. Career total time as champion (for multiple title reigns) does not apply. : Active reign : Reign has ended IBF Super Middleweight Champions
Retrieved on 28 December 2012.


Kickboxing

* International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) Super Middleweight (Pro & Amateur) 165.1 - 172 lb (75.1 - 78.2 kg)


Mixed martial arts

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 ...
, the Super middleweight division is from 186 lbs (84 kg) to 195 lb (88 kg).


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Super Middleweight Boxing weight classes Kickboxing weight classes *