Welterweight is aweight class incombat sports. Originally the termwelterweight was used only inboxing, but other combat sports likemuay Thai,taekwondo, andmixed martial arts also use it for their own weight division system to classify the opponents. If used, welterweight is typically betweenlightweight andmiddleweight.
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 earlierwelter, 'heavyweight horseman or boxer' from 1804, possibly fromc. 15th centurywelt, meaning 'to beat severely'.[1]
A professional welterweight boxer's weight is greater than 140 pounds, and no more than 147 pounds (about 63.5–66.7 kg).[2]
Current champions
| Sanctioning body | Reign began | Champion | Record | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WBA | August 1, 2025 | Rolando Romero | 17–2 (13 KO) | 0 |
| WBC | June 18, 2024 | Mario Barrios | 29–2–2 (18 KO) | 2 |
| IBF | September 13, 2025 | Lewis Crocker | 22–0 (11 KO) | 0 |
| WBO | November 22, 2025 | Devin Haney | 33–0–0–1 (15 KO) | 2 |
As of August 11, 2025.[3]
Keys:
| Rank | Name | Record | Title(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | vacant | ||
| 1 | Brian Norman Jr. | 28–0–0–2 (22 KO) | WBO |
| 2 | Eimantas Stanionis | 15–1–0–1 (9 KO) | |
| 3 | Giovani Santillan | 34–1 (18 KO) | |
| 4 | Rohan Polanco | 17–0 (10 KO) | |
| 5 | Shakhram Giyasov | 17–0 (10 KO) | |
| 6 | Alexis Rocha | 25–2–1 (16 KO) | |
| 7 | Raúl Curiel | 16–0–1 (14 KO) | |
| 8 | Mario Barrios | 29–2–2 (18 KO) | WBC |
| 9 | Manny Pacquiao | 62–8–3 (39 KO) | |
| 10 | Ekow Essuman | 22–1 (8 KO) |
As of 29 July 2023[update].[4]
| Rank | Name | Record | Points | Title(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Terence Crawford | 40–0 (31 KO) | 513.6 | |
| 2 | Errol Spence Jr. | 28–1 (22 KO) | 442.3 | |
| 3 | Keith Thurman | 30–1 (22 KO) | 155.7 | |
| 4 | Yordenis Ugas | 27–5 (12 KO) | 139.4 | |
| 5 | Kell Brook | 40–3 (28 KO) | 100.4 | |
| 6 | Mikey Garcia | 40–2 (30 KO) | 82.77 | |
| 7 | Vergil Ortiz Jr. | 19–0 (19 KO) | 79.61 | |
| 8 | Cody Crowley | 21–0 (9 KO) | 71.90 | |
| 9 | David Avanesyan | 29–4–1 (17 KO) | 70.84 | |
| 10 | Jaron Ennis | 30–0–0–1 (27 KO) | 46.31 | IBF |
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. | Terence Crawford | 7 years, 5 months, 2 weeks and 1 day | WBO | 7 | 7 | [5] |
| 2. | Félix Trinidad | 6 years, 8 months, 14 days | IBF | 15 | 15 | [6] |
| 3. | Errol Spence Jr. | 6 years, 2 months and 3 days | IBF, WBC | 6 | 5 | [7] |
| 4. | Antonio Margarito | 5 years, 3 months, 28 days | WBO | 7 | 7 | [8] |
| 5. | Ike Quartey | 4 years, 7 months, 30 days | WBA | 7 | 7 | [9] |
| 6. | Freddie Cochrane | 4 years, 7 months, 03 days | NYSAC, NBA | 0 | 0 | [10] |
| 7. | José Nápoles | 4 years, 6 months, 2 days | WBA, WBC | 10 | 8 | [11] |
| 8. | Sugar Ray Robinson | 4 years, 1 month, 26 days | NYSAC, NBA | 5 | 5 | [12] |
| 9. | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | 4 years, 1 month, 18 days | WBC | 5 | 4 | [13] |
| 10. | Pernell Whitaker | 4 years, 1 month, 6 days | WBC | 8 | 7 | [14] |
| 11. | Pipino Cuevas | 4 years and 16 days | WBA | 11 | 10 | [15] |
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 | [16] |
| 2. | Félix Trinidad | 6 years, 8 months, 14 days | IBF | 15 | 15 | [6] |
| 3. | Pipino Cuevas | 4 years and 16 days | WBA | 11 | 10 | [15] |
| 4. | José Nápoles | 4 years, 6 months, 2 days | WBA, WBC, Ring | 10 | 8 | [11] |
| 5. | Jack Britton | 3 years, 7 months, 13 days | World | 9 | 8 | [17][18] |
| 6. | Pernell Whitaker | 4 years, 1 month, 6 days | WBC | 8 | 7 | [14] |
| 7. | Simon Brown | 3 years, 7 months, 6 days | IBF | 8 | 8 | [19] |
| 8. | Kid Gavilán | 3 years, 5 months, 2 days | NYSAC, NBA, Ring | 7 | 6 | [19] |
| 9. | Donald Curry | 3 years, 7 months, 14 days | WBA | 7 | 7 | [20] |
| 10. | Ike Quartey | 4 years, 7 months, 30 days | WBA | 7 | 7 | [9] |
The currentOlympic male welterweight division is set at 63.5–71 kg (140–157 lb).[2]
The weight division system is different in each organisation, so the kickboxing weight divisions of some international organizations vary:
The limit for welterweight generally differs among promotions in bare-knuckle boxing:
Prior to 1996, the weight limit for welterweight was 74 kg/163 lb in Olympic wrestling.[25] Since that time, amateur wrestling has namedits weight classes by upper weight limit in kilograms.
In the US and Canada, there was a 145 lb limit in the early 20th century at least until the early 1920s.[25]
In Mexico, thelucha libre commission's definition of thewelterweight weight class is between 70 kg (150 lb) and 78 kg (172 lb).
In the United Kingdom, the 1947Admiral-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 (165 lb or ~75 kg)[26][27] An earlier system of weight classes with different levels and more divisions - including Welterweight - existed under the1930 All-In rules.[28]
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 ofSporting Chronicle (Manchester, England).[25]
The welterweight limit, as defined by theNevada State Athletic Commission[29] and theAssociation of Boxing Commissions[30] is 155 to 170 lb (70.3 to 77.1 kg).
This table is not always up to date. Last updated November 15, 2025. Not up to date.
| Organization | Reign began | Champion | Record | Title defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UFC | November 15, 2025 |  Islam Makhachev | 28–1 (5KO 13SUB) | 0 |
| Bellator MMA | June 22, 2024 | Ramazan Kuramagomedov | 13–0 (2KO 6SUB) | 0 |
| ONE Championship | October 25, 2019 |  Kiamrian Abbasov | 23–5 (8KO 4SUB) | 1 |
| Fight Nights Global | April 6, 2019 | Dmitry Bikrev | 13–3 (9KO 1SUB) | 3 |
| KSW | April 22, 2023 |  Adrian Bartosiński | 16–1 (11KO 2SUB) | 3 |
| Titan FC | March 15, 2019 |  Michael Graves | 9–1 (4KO 2SUB) | 1 |
| ACA | April 26, 2019 | Albert Tumenov | 22–4 (14KO) | 1 |
| Legacy Fighting Alliance | August 21, 2020 | Jaleel Willis | 13–2 (5KO) | 0 |
| Cage Warriors | April 26, 2025 |  Justin Burlinson | 10-2 (3KO 7SUB) | 0 |
Other sports to include a welterweight division include the following: