Light heavyweight


Light heavyweight, or junior cruiserweight, is a weight class in combat sports.

Boxing

Professional

In amateur boxing, light heavyweight is a weight division above and up to, falling between middleweight and heavyweight. In professional boxing, the division is above and up to, falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight. The light-heavyweight class has produced some of boxing's greatest champions: Bernard Hopkins, Tommy Loughran, Billy Conn, Joey Maxim, Archie Moore, Michael Moorer, Bob Foster, Ann Wolfe, Michael Spinks, Dariusz Michalczewski, Roy Jones, Jr., Joe Calzaghe and Zsolt Erdei.
Many light heavyweight champions unsuccessfully challenged for the heavyweight crown until Michael Spinks became the first reigning light heavyweight champion to win the heavyweight championship. Bob Fitzsimmons captured the light-heavyweight championship after losing his heavyweight championship. Two all-time great heavyweight champions, Ezzard Charles and Floyd Patterson, started out as light heavyweights. Charles defeated Archie Moore and Joey Maxim several times in non-title bouts before becoming heavyweight champion and Patterson lost an eight-round decision to Joey Maxim before becoming heavyweight champion himself. Evander Holyfield successfully moved up from the light-heavyweight division to the cruiserweight division and eventually the heavyweight division and became undisputed champion of the latter two.

Current world champions

Sanctioning BodyReign BeganChampionRecordDefensesBeaten opponents
WBASep 18, 2017 Dmitry Bivol17–0 66
WBCOct 18, 2019 Artur Beterbiev15–0 00
IBFNov 11, 2017 Artur Beterbiev15–0 33
WBO

Current interim champions
Sanctioning BodyReign BeganChampionRecordDefensesBeaten opponents
WBANov 16, 2019 Dominic Boesel30–1–0 00

Current ''The Ring'' world rankings

As of ,.
Keys:
RankNameRecord Title
C
1 Artur Beterbiev15–0 IBF, WBC
2 Dmitry Bivol17–0 WBA
3 Sergey Kovalev34–4–1
4 Eleider Alvarez25–1
5 Jean Pascal35–6–1
6 Badou Jack22–3–3
7 Marcus Browne23–1
8 Joe Smith Jr.25–3
9 Dominic Boesel30–1
10 Anthony Yarde19–0

Longest reigning world light heavyweight champions

Below is a list of longest reigning light heavyweight champions in boxing measured by the individual's longest reign. Career total time as champion does not apply.
NameTitle ReignTitle RecognitionSuccessful DefensesBeaten opponentsFights
1. Archie Moore9 years, 4 months, 24 daysNYSAC, NBA97
2. / Dariusz Michalczewski9 years, 1 months, 8 daysIBF, WBA, WBO2320
3. Bob Foster6 years, 0 months, 23 daysWBC, WBA1413
4. Zsolt Erdei5 years, 9 months, 27 daysWBO1110
5. Adonis Stevenson5 years, 5 months, 24 daysWBC99
6. Charles Williams5 years, 4 months, 21 daysIBF88
7. Roy Jones Jr5 years, 2 months, 25 daysWBC, IBF, WBA 1111
8. Virgil Hill4 years, 9 months, 15 daysWBA1010
9. Michael Spinks4 years, 2 months, 3 daysIBF, WBA, WBC1010
10. Battling Levinsky3 years, 11 months, 19 daysWorld00
12. Victor Galindez3 years, 9 months, 8 daysWBA107
13. Sergey Kovalev3 years, 3 months, 3 daysIBF, WBA, WBO87

Amateur

Olympic champions

In MMA, the light heavyweight division is from 186 lb to 205 lb.