Cruiserweight (boxing)

The current weight limit for the division is 200 pounds (90.7 kg; 14 st 4.0 lb). When originally established, the weight limit was 190 pounds (86.2 kg; 13 st 8.0 lb). The division was established in order to accommodate smaller heavyweight boxers who could not compete with the growing size of boxers in that division. While many great heavyweight champions (such as Rocky Marciano and Joe Louis) weighed around 190 pounds in their career, during the 1970s it became fairly standard that fit heavyweight boxers weighed at least 210 pounds (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb). It was felt by many boxing authorities that asking men weighing between 176 pounds (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb) and 190 pounds (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) to fight these larger men was unfair.

The WBC was the first boxing organization to recognize the cruiserweight division when it sanctioned a bout between Marvin Camel and Mate Parlov on December 8, 1979, for their version of the title. That fight was a draw, but in the rematch in March 1980 Camel won and became the first cruiserweight champion. In 1982 the World Boxing Association recognized Ossie Ocasio as their first cruiserweight champion when he defeated South African Robbie Williams (although at that time the WBA called the division "junior heavyweight"). The International Boxing Federation followed suit in 1983 when it matched former WBC champion Marvin Camel against Rick Sekorski for their inaugural title. Camel won and became the first IBF cruiserweight champion.

Several boxers moved up to heavyweight after winning world titles at cruiserweight. Evander Holyfield unified the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles to become undisputed champion, the first to do so, and then moved up to the heavyweight division in 1988. The second man to become undisputed champion was O’Neil Bell in 2006 who was later stripped of the IBF title.

Other notable champions in the division have been Bobby Czyz, Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Tomasz Adamek, Virgil Hill, Al Cole, Orlin Norris, James Toney, David Haye and Oleksandr Usyk.

Current world champions

Main article: List of world cruiserweight boxing champions

Sanctioning Body	Reign Began	Champion	Record	Defenses	Beaten opponents
WBA	May 31, 2019	Arsen Goulamirian	24–0–0 (16 KO)	2	2
WBC	January 31, 2020	Ilunga Makabu	28–2–0 (25 KO)	1	1
IBF	September 26, 2020	Mairis Briedis	27–1–0 (19 KO)	0	0
WBO		vacant

The Ring

As of February 4, 2021.[1]

Keys:

 C  Current The Ring world champion

Rank	Name	Record (W–L–D)	Title(s)
C	Mairis Briedis	27–1 (19 KO)	IBF
1	Yuniel Dorticos	24–2 (22 KO)
2	Ilunga Makabu	28–2 (25 KO)	WBC
3	Krzysztof Glowacki	31–2 (19 KO)
4	Kevin Lerena	25–1 (12 KO)
5	Andrew Tabiti	17–1 (13 KO)
6	Lawrence Okolie	15–0 (12 KO)
7	Arsen Goulamirian	26–0 (18 KO)	WBA
8	Thabiso Mchunu	22–5 (13 KO)
9	Alexei Papin	12–1 (11 KO)
10	Michal Cieslak	19–1 (13 KO)

BoxRec

As of February 4, 2021.[2]

Rank	Name	Record (W–L–D)	Points	Title(s)
1	Mairis Briedis	27–1 (19 KO)	298.3	IBF
2	Ilunga Makabu	28–2 (25 KO)	92.87	WBC
3	Yuniel Dorticos	24–2 (22 KO)	92.87
4	Thabiso Mchunu	22–5 (13 KO)	85.81
5	Krzysztof Glowacki	31–2 (19 KO)	83.51
6	Arsen Goulamirian	26–0 (18 KO)	75.42	WBA
7	Michal Cieslak	19–1 (13 KO)	39.75
8	Lawrence Okolie	15–0 (12 KO)	38.31
9	Alexei Papin	12–1 (11 KO)	30.31
10	Krzysztof Wlodarczyk	58–4–1 (39 KO)	26.06

Longest reigning world cruiserweight champions

Below is a list of longest reigning cruiserweight 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.	Johnny Nelson	7 years, 5 months, 26 days	WBO	13	13	[3]
2.	Marco Huck	5 years, 11 months, 17 days	WBO	13	10	[4]
3.	Krzysztof Włodarczyk	4 years, 4 months, 12 days	WBC	6	5	[5]
4.	Denis Lebedev	4 years, 1 month, 3 days	WBA, IBF	5	5	[6]
4.	Guillermo Jones	4 years, 1 month, 3 days	WBA	2	2	[7]
6.	Juan Carlos Gómez	3 years, 11 months, 29 days	WBC	10	10	[8]
7.	Anaclet Wamba	3 years, 11 months, 17 days	WBC	7	7	[9]
8.	Yoan Pablo Hernández	3 years, 11 months, 2 weeks and 5 days	IBF	4	4	[10]
9.	Vassiliy Jirov	3 years, 10 months, 21 days	IBF	5	5	[11]
10.	Oleksandr Usyk	4 years, 4 months, 2 weeks and 4 days	WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO	6	6	[12]
11.	Jean-Marc Mormeck	3 years, 10 months, 15 days	WBA, WBC	4	4	[13]
12.	Ossie Ocasio	2 years, 9 months, 18 days	WBA	3	3	[14]
13.	Evander Holyfield	2 years	WBA, WBC, IBF	5	5	[15]

  Active reign

  Reign has ended

[16] [17] [18] [19] [20]

In kickboxing, a cruiserweight fighter generally weighs between 82 kg (181 lb) and 88 kg (195 lb). However, some governing bodies have slightly different classes. For example, the International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) Cruiserweight (professional and amateur) division is 186.1 lb–195 lb or 84.6 kg–88.6 kg.

In World Lethwei Championship, Dave Leduc is the Cruiserweight Champion.