Welterweight
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 welt, meaning 'to beat severely'.Boxing
Professional boxing
A professional welterweight boxer's weight is greater than 140 pounds, and no more than 147 pounds.Current world champions
Current champions| Sanctioning body | Reign began | Champion | Record | Defenses |
| WBA | August 1, 2025 | Rolando Romero | 17–2 | 0 |
| WBC | June 18, 2024 | Mario Barrios | 29–2–2 | 2 |
| IBF | September 13, 2025 | Lewis Crocker | 22–0 | 0 |
| WBO | November 22, 2025 | Devin Haney | 0 |
Current world rankings
''The Ring''
As of August 11, 2025.Keys:
| Rank | Name | Record | Title |
| C | |||
| 1 | Brian Norman Jr. | 28–0–0–2 | WBO |
| 2 | Eimantas Stanionis | 15–1–0–1 | |
| 3 | Giovani Santillan | 34–1 | |
| 4 | Rohan Polanco | 17–0 | |
| 5 | Shakhram Giyasov | 17–0 | |
| 6 | Alexis Rocha | 25–2–1 | |
| 7 | Raúl Curiel | 16–0–1 | |
| 8 | Mario Barrios | 29–2–2 | WBC |
| 9 | Manny Pacquiao | 62–8–3 | |
| 10 | Ekow Essuman | 22–1 |
''[BoxRec]''
| Rank | Name | Record | Points | Title |
| 1 | Terence Crawford | 40–0 | 513.6 | - |
| 2 | Errol Spence Jr. | 28–1 | 442.3 | |
| 3 | Keith Thurman | 30–1 | 155.7 | |
| 4 | Yordenis Ugas | 27–5 | 139.4 | |
| 5 | Kell Brook | 40–3 | 100.4 | |
| 6 | Mikey Garcia | 40–2 | 82.77 | |
| 7 | Vergil Ortiz Jr. | 19–0 | 79.61 | |
| 8 | Cody Crowley | 21–0 | 71.90 | |
| 9 | David Avanesyan | 29–4–1 | 70.84 | |
| 10 | Jaron Ennis | 30–0–0–1 | 46.31 | IBF |
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 does not apply.| Name | Title reign | Title recognition | Successful defenses | Beaten opponents | Fights | |
| 1. | Terence Crawford | WBO | 7 | 7 | ||
| 2. | Félix Trinidad | 6 years, 8 months, 14 days | IBF | 15 | 15 | |
| 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 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, welterweight .
- International Sport Karate Association, welterweight.
- World Kickboxing Association, welterweight upper limit.
- In Glory promotion, a welterweight division is up to.
- ONE Championship, welterweight upper limit.
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. Since that time, amateur wrestling has named its weight classes by upper weight limit in kilograms.Professional wrestling
In the US and Canada, there was a 145 lb limit in the early 20th century at least until the early 1920s.In Mexico, the lucha libre 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 An earlier system of weight classes with different levels and more divisions - including Welterweight - existed under the 1930 All-In rules.
Catch wrestling
From the 1870s to the 1910s, the weight limit was 10st 8 lb for Lancashire catch-as-catch-can wrestling under the rules of Sporting Chronicle.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 November 15, 2025. Not up to date.| Organization | Reign began | Champion | Record | Title defenses |
| UFC | November 15, 2025 |  abbr|KO|Knockoutsabbr|SUB|SubmissionsOther sportsOther sports to include a welterweight division include the following:
|