Flyweight


Flyweight is a weight class in combat sports.

Boxing

Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing above 49 kg and up to 51 kg.

Professional boxing

The flyweight division was the last of boxing's eight traditional weight classes to be established. Before 1909, anyone below featherweight was considered a bantamweight, regardless of how small the boxer. In 1911, the organization that eventually became the British Boxing Board of Control held a match that crowned Sid Smith as the first flyweight champion of the world. Jimmy Wilde, who reigned from 1916 to 1923, was the first fighter recognized both in Britain and the United States as a flyweight champion.
Other notable flyweights include Pancho Villa, Walter McGowan, Pascual Pérez, Pone Kingpetch, Fighting Harada, Masao Ohba, Chartchai Chionoi, Efren Torres, Erbito Salavarria, Miguel Canto, Dave McAuley, Charlie Magri, Gabriel Bernal, Santos Laciar, Sot Chitalada, Yong-Kang Kim, Yuri Arbachakov, Danny Romero, Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson, Manny Pacquiao, Jorge Arce, Vic Darchinyan, Nonito Donaire, Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, Amnat Ruenroeng, Román González, McWilliams Arroyo, Donnie Nietes and Nicola Adams.

Current world champions

Sanctioning BodyReign BeganChampionRecordDefensesBeaten opponents
WBAFebruary 24, 2018 Artem Dalakian20–0–0 44
WBCDecember 20, 2019 Julio Cesar Martinez16–1–0 11
IBFJuly 15, 2018 Moruti Mthalane39–2–0 33
WBO

Current ''The Ring'' world rankings

As of ,.
Keys:
RankNameRecord Title
C
1 Kosei Tanaka15–0
2 Moruti Mthalane39–2 IBF
3 Julio Cesar Martinez16–1 WBC
4 Artem Dalakian20–0 WBA
5 Charlie Edwards15–1
6 Andrew Selby13–1
7 Masayuki Kuroda30–8–3
8 Junto Nakatani20–0
9 Cristofer Rosales29–5
10 Giemel Magramo24–1

Longest reigning world flyweight champions

Below is a list of longest reigning flyweight champions in boxing measured by the individual's longest reign. Career total time as champion does not apply.
NameTitle reignTitle recognitionSuccessful defensesBeaten opponentsFights
1. Omar Andres Narvaez7 years, 10 monthsWBO1615
2. Jimmy Wilde7 years, 4 months, 4 daysWorld33
3. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam6 years, 4 months, 16 daysWBC1716
4. Irene Pacheco5 years, 8 months, 6 daysIBF66
5. Pascual Perez5 years, 4 months, 20 daysWorld99
6. Yuri Arbachakov5 years, 4 months, 19 daysWBC99
7. Jackie Paterson4 years, 9 months, 4 daysNBA11
8. Miguel Canto4 years, 2 months, 10 daysWBC1411
9. Moruti Mthalane4 years, 1 month, 23 daysIBF44
10. Sot Chitalada3 years, 9 months, 16 daysWBC65

Amateur boxing

Olympic Champions

In kickboxing, a flyweight fighter generally weighs 53 kg or under. The International Kickboxing Federation Flyweight division is 112.1 lbs. – 117 lbs. or 50.95 kg – 53.18 kg.

Mixed Martial Arts

The flyweight division in mixed martial arts – as defined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission combat sports doctrine and by the Association of Boxing Commissions – groups together all competitors 125 lb and below. It sits between Strawweight and Bantamweight.
The flyweight division in mixed martial arts refers to a number of different weight classes:
On February 3, 2009, World Extreme Cagefighting announced they would be adding a flyweight division set at 125 lb, however the division was never instituted. When the UFC and WEC merged, UFC president Dana White indicated that the Ultimate Fighting Championship would likely add a flyweight division in the future. The UFC flyweight division was officially announced in 2011; with the inaugural champion being decided by way of a four-man tournament that began with the semifinal round held at the event in Sydney Australia on March 2, 2012. Joseph Benavidez won his semi-final at UFC on FX 2 while Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall fought to a draw. Johnson and McCall rematched at UFC on FX: Johnson vs. McCall on June 8, 2012 with Johnson advancing. Johnson won the first UFC flyweight championship with his win over Benavidez at UFC 152.

Professional Champions

These tables are not always up to date. Last updated on February 28, 2020.
Men:
OrganizationReign BeganChampionRecordDefenses
UFCJuly 18, 2020 Deiveson Figueiredo18-1 0
ONE ChampionshipJanuary 25, 2019 Adriano Moraes18-3 0
Fight Nights GlobalAugust 31, 2018 Zhalgas Zhumagulov13-3-0 0
Legacy Fighting AllianceNovember 22, 2019 Brandon Royval11-4 0

Women:
OrganizationReign BeganChampionRecordDefenses
UFCDecember 8, 2018 Valentina Shevchenko19-3 3
Bellator MMANovember 3, 2017 Ilima-Lei Macfarlane8-0 4
Invicta FCVacant
KSWMay 27, 2017 Ariane Lipski11-3 2
Legacy Fighting AllianceMay 27, 2017 Sabina Mazo5-0 0