Direct answer: Professional boxing has 17 traditional weight classes, from 105 lb (47.6 kg) up to heavyweight. The WBC adds an 18th, bridgerweight, which ends at 224 lb (101.6 kg), so a WBC heavyweight starts above 224 lb, while at the WBO and IBF heavyweight starts above 200 lb (90.7 kg). Names differ too: the WBC and WBA say “super”, the WBO and IBF say “junior”. Olympic boxing uses its own kilogram categories.
The table below takes its limits from the WBC, WBO and IBF’s own pages, checked on 8 November 2026. Further down is the part most weight-class pages skip: what a promoter has to line up for weigh-in day and fight night, including the title belts.
How many weight classes are there in professional boxing?
There are 17 divisions that all four major sanctioning bodies share. The WBC’s list of divisions adds an 18th, bridgerweight, which the WBC created in November 2020 for boxers between cruiserweight and heavyweight. The WBC’s announcement of the new division describes it as spanning 200 to 224 lb, and the WBC’s ratings still listed a bridgerweight champion in 2026.
The WBO, IBF and WBA do not have bridgerweight. That’s why you’ll see both “17” and “18” quoted, and why heavyweight has two different lower limits depending on which belt is at stake.
Boxing weight classes in order, lightest to heaviest
Limits are the maximum weight for each division (“up to and including”). Pounds are the official figure; kilograms are converted and rounded to one decimal place, because each body rounds slightly differently.
| # | Division (WBC name) | Limit (lb) | Limit (kg) | Other names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Strawweight | 105 | 47.6 | Mini flyweight (WBO, IBF), Minimum (WBA) |
| 2 | Light flyweight | 108 | 49.0 | Junior flyweight (WBO, IBF) |
| 3 | Flyweight | 112 | 50.8 | — |
| 4 | Super flyweight | 115 | 52.2 | Junior bantamweight (WBO, IBF) |
| 5 | Bantamweight | 118 | 53.5 | — |
| 6 | Super bantamweight | 122 | 55.3 | Junior featherweight (WBO, IBF; also used by the WBC) |
| 7 | Featherweight | 126 | 57.2 | — |
| 8 | Super featherweight | 130 | 59.0 | Junior lightweight (WBO, IBF) |
| 9 | Lightweight | 135 | 61.2 | — |
| 10 | Super lightweight | 140 | 63.5 | Junior welterweight (WBO, IBF) |
| 11 | Welterweight | 147 | 66.7 | — |
| 12 | Super welterweight | 154 | 69.9 | Junior middleweight (WBO, IBF) |
| 13 | Middleweight | 160 | 72.6 | — |
| 14 | Super middleweight | 168 | 76.2 | — |
| 15 | Light heavyweight | 175 | 79.4 | — |
| 16 | Cruiserweight | 200 | 90.7 | Junior heavyweight (WBO) |
| 17 | Bridgerweight (WBC only) | 224 | 101.6 | — |
| 18 | Heavyweight | No limit | No limit | Over 224 lb at the WBC; over 200 lb at the WBO and IBF |
Sources: the WBC’s list of divisions, the WBO regulations (Section 3) and the IBF’s published champions list, all checked 8 November 2026. The WBA’s ranking page lists the same 17 divisions by name, without limits.
Why do the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO use different names?
Each body writes its own rules, and the naming habits stuck. The weights are the same; only the labels change.
| Weight | WBC | WBA | WBO and IBF |
|---|---|---|---|
| 105 lb | Strawweight | Minimum | Mini flyweight |
| 108 lb | Light flyweight | Light flyweight | Junior flyweight |
| 122 lb | Super bantamweight | Super bantamweight | Junior featherweight |
| 154 lb | Super welterweight | Super welterweight | Junior middleweight |
| 200 lb | Cruiserweight | Cruiserweight | Cruiserweight (IBF), Junior heavyweight (WBO) |
The practical point for anyone printing fight cards, posters or belts: use the name of the body that sanctions the bout. A “junior middleweight” title on a WBC card reads wrong to the people who follow it.
What are the amateur and Olympic boxing weight categories?
Amateur boxing works in kilograms, and the categories don’t line up with the professional ones, so you can’t convert one to the other.
World Boxing now runs the Olympic boxing competition. Its LA28 announcement sets seven categories each for men and women:
| Men | kg | Women | kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bantamweight | 50–55 | Flyweight | 48–51 |
| Lightweight | 55–60 | Bantamweight | 51–54 |
| Welterweight | 60–65 | Featherweight | 54–57 |
| Light middleweight | 65–70 | Lightweight | 57–60 |
| Light heavyweight | 70–80 | Welterweight | 60–65 |
| Heavyweight | 80–90 | Light middleweight | 65–70 |
| Super heavyweight | 90+ | Middleweight | 70–75 |
Outside the Olympics, World Boxing’s competition rules (November 2024 edition) use ten elite categories for men (up to 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85 and 90 kg, then 90+) and ten for women (48 to 80 kg, then 80+). In England, club and championship categories are set in the England Boxing Rule Book, which was updated for 2026. Check the current edition before you plan an amateur card.
Which weight classes need a title belt on your card?
One belt per title bout, plus any extra awards you choose to give. If your card has three title fights in three divisions, you need three belts, and each needs the right division name engraved for the body or promotion that sanctions it.
That last part catches people out. Settle the division names from the table above before artwork starts, because changing an engraved plate after approval means remaking it.
Promoter’s weigh-in checklist
This is a planning list, not a rulebook. Weigh-in timing, scale requirements and tolerances come from your sanctioning body or local commission, so confirm them with them first.
- Confirm the rules. Get the weigh-in time, place and any weight tolerance in writing from the sanctioning body.
- Confirm the scale. Check what the body requires of the scale and who supplies it.
- Prepare the weigh-in sheet. List each bout, both boxers and the contracted weight for every bout.
- Plan the stage. Set out the backdrop, the lighting and the space for face-offs and photos.
- Plan the belt display. Decide whether the title belts appear at the weigh-in for photos. If they do, they need to arrive before weigh-in day, not fight night.
- Have a fallback. Know what happens to the bout if a boxer misses weight, as the sanctioning body’s rules set out.
Belt checklist: from order to fight night
Belts are usually the last item on a fight-night supply list that can’t be fixed with a quick local purchase. Here’s the timeline we plan around for custom championship belts:
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| At least 40 days before the event | Place the order. This is our recommended minimum, not a guarantee. |
| Before production | Approve the artwork. One round of revisions is included; AI, PSD or SVG source files help. |
| Production | About 20 working days for a sample, about 30 for a standard batch, and about 40 in peak season. These are planning figures, not delivery guarantees, and we can’t rush them. |
| Before dispatch | Where applicable, we send photos or video of the finished belts so you can compare them with the approved artwork. |
| Shipping and customs | This is a separate stage from production. Belts ship FOB; VAT and duties are the buyer’s unless agreed in writing. |
| Weigh-in day or fight night | Count the belts against the card and check each division name. |
The 40-day figure comes from a real job. A batch of 10 belts had to be remade after a supplier quality problem. Even with the supplier expediting the remake, the shipment was then held at EU customs because the private recipient didn’t have VAT/EORI details. It missed the event. The client used old belts on the night, and we compensated them afterwards. The details are in our anonymised case record, and our guide on how early to order belts before your event covers the planning in full.
What does a belt per division cost, and what’s the minimum order?
Our standard minimum order is 10 belts. Single belts are possible, but they follow a different quote route and carry an extra fee. If your card has only two or three title fights, read single belt vs ten-belt order first.
As a price guide, per belt and excluding shipping: about US$170 for iron, US$250 for brass and US$1,300 for gold plating, plus a one-off US$3,500 tooling fee for the gold-plated design. Prices move with the design. We don’t offer a fixed volume discount; orders above 10 are quoted individually. Our guide to what changes a belt quote breaks this down.
Where we’re weaker
We make custom belts to your design. We don’t supply official WBC, WBA, IBF or WBO title belts. We can’t rush production. A minimum of 10 belts is a lot for a small show with one title fight, and the single-belt route costs more per belt. If your event is less than about 40 days away, tell us the date first so we can say honestly whether it’s realistic.
Related reading
- The full fight night supply checklist
- Event awards procurement checklist for boxing promotions
- Custom championship belt artwork approval guide
- Competition glove weights by division
Planning a card with title fights? Send us your divisions and event date and we’ll quote the belts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the lightest weight class in boxing?
In professional boxing, it’s the 105 lb (47.6 kg) division. The WBC calls it strawweight, the WBO and IBF call it mini flyweight, and the WBA calls it minimum.
What is the heaviest weight class in boxing?
Heavyweight, which has no upper limit. At the WBC it starts above 224 lb (101.6 kg), because bridgerweight sits below it; at the WBO and IBF it starts above 200 lb (90.7 kg).
How many weight classes are there in boxing?
Professional boxing has 17 traditional divisions, and the WBC recognises an 18th, bridgerweight. Olympic boxing at LA28 has seven categories for men and seven for women.
What is the difference between “super” and “junior” weight classes?
Nothing but the name. The WBC and WBA use “super” (super welterweight), and the WBO and IBF use “junior” (junior middleweight) for the same 154 lb limit.
What is the minimum order for custom championship belts?
Our standard minimum is 10 belts. Single belts are possible through a separate quote route with an extra fee.
Editorial note: Product specifications and commercial rules are stated only where verified. Published and updated dates come from the WordPress post record.