Light heavyweight, also known as junior cruiserweight or light cruiserweight, is a weight division used in combat sports. It took a long time for the new weight divisions, also known as "tweener divisions," to be fully accepted as legitimate weight categories in boxing. These divisions are typically identified with the prefixes "super," "light," or "junior."
The ranking system of professional boxing lacks centralization due to the existence of four major sanctioning bodies - the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO, each of which has its own champions. The rankings released by these organizations share the trait of not ranking the champions of the other organizations.
In addition to the rankings released by the major sanctioning bodies, the TBRB and The Ring each release their own independent rankings, which do not leave out any organization's champions. The goal of both the TBRB and The Ring is to name a single champion for each division.
Boxing Light Heavyweight Overview
Light Heavyweight, which falls between super middleweight and cruiserweight in professional boxing, is defined as weighing over 168 pounds (76 kg) and up to 175 pounds (79 kg). A number of the greatest boxing champions have come from the light-heavyweight division.
Archie Moore was the first oldest man to win a championship, breaking the record held by Bernard Hopkins. Other notable fighters are Archie Moore, Joey Maxim, Tommy Loughran, Billy Conn, Michael Moorer, Bob Foster, Ann Wolfe, Michael Spinks, Dariusz Michalczewski, Roy Jones Jr., Sergey Kovalev, and Zsolt Erdei.
History of the Light Heavyweight Class in Pro Boxing
Before Michael Spinks became the first reigning light heavyweight champion to win the heavyweight championship, many light heavyweight champions unsuccessfully sought to defend their heavyweight titles.
Following the loss of his heavyweight championship, Bob Fitzsimmons won the light-heavyweight title. Ezzard Charles and Floyd Patterson, two of the all-time greatest heavyweight champions, began their careers as light heavyweights.
Before winning the heavyweight championship, Charles defeated Joey Maxim and Archie Moore several times in non-title matches, while Patterson was defeated by Joey Maxim in an eight-round decision before winning the title.
From the light-heavyweight class, Evander Holyfield successfully advanced to the cruiserweight class, then the heavyweight class, where he eventually won the title of undisputed champion.
List of Pro Boxing Light Heavyweight Champions
| Division/ Weight | WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO | IBO |
| Light Heavyweight | Dmitry Bivol | Artur Beterbiev | Artur Beterbiev | Artur Beterbiev | Dmitry Bivol |
Latest Results from Light Heavyweight Pro Boxing
On January 13, 2024, Artur Beterbiev defend his unified WBC, IBF, and WBO light heavyweight titles against Callum Smith.
On June 1, 2024, Dmitry Bivol defeated Malik Zinad to retain the WBA (Super) and IBO light-heavyweight titles.
Pro Boxing Light Heavyweight Rankings 2024
| Rank | BoxRec | TBRB | The Ring | WBA | WBC | IBF | WBO |
| C | — | Artur Beterbiev | vacant | Dmitry BivolDavid Morrell (R) | Artur BeterbievDavid Benavidez (I) | Artur Beterbiev | Artur Beterbiev |
| 1 | Dmitry Bivol | Dmitry Bivol | Dmitry Bivol | Joshua Buatsi | Joshua Buatsi | Michael Eifert | Callum Smith |
| 2 | Artur Beterbiev | Joshua Buatsi | Artur Beterbiev | Albert Ramírez | Oleksandr Gvozdyk | vacant | Joshua Buatsi |
| 3 | Joshua Buatsi | Callum Smith | Callum Smith | Anthony Yarde | Anthony Yarde | Joshua Buatsi | Dan Azeez |
| 4 | Callum Smith | Joe Smith Jr. | Gilberto Ramírez | Craig Richards | Callum Smith | Anthony Yarde | Joe Smith Jr. |
| 5 | Oleksandr Gvozdyk | Gilberto Ramírez | Joe Smith Jr. | Radivoje Kalajdzic | Albert Ramírez | Ali Izmailov | Andre Dirrell |
| 6 | Ali Ismayilov | Anthony Yarde | Anthony Yarde | Dan Azeez | Dan Azeez | Albert Ramírez | Anthony Yarde |
| 7 | Dan Azeez | Jean Pascal | Joshua Buatsi | Malik Zinad | Willy Hutchinson | Conor Wallace | Radivoje Kalajdzic |
| 8 | Malik Zinad | Craig Richards | Dan Azeez | Conor Wallace | Conor Wallace | Jerome Pampellone | Ali Izmailov |
| 9 | Albert Ramírez | Igor Mikhalkin | Craig Richards | Lawrence King | Robert Krasniqi | Willy Hutchinson | Lyndon Arthur |
| 10 | Robin Krasniqi | Ali Izmailov | Michael Eifert | Luis Antonio Tejeda | Ahmed Elbiali | Dan Azeez | Gilberto Ramírez |
Pro-Boxing Weight Divisions
- Heavyweight
- Cruiserweight
- Super middleweight
- Middleweight
- Super Welterweight
- Welterweight
- Super Lightweight
- Lightweight
FAQs On Pro-Boxing Light Heavyweight
A. The light heavyweight division in professional boxing ranges from over 168 pounds (76 kg) up to 175 pounds (79 kg).
A. Artur Beterbiev is the current reigning champion of the light heavyweight division under three organizations.
A. Dmitry Bivol represents Russia in professional boxing.
A. Artur Beterbiev is a citizen of both Russia and Canada.
![When Joe Rogan recalled world-class boxer detailing unnerving experience of sparring Artur Beterbiev: "[He's] one of the craziest specimens"](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/10244-17398745769496-1920.jpg?h=166)
