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Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations (see Featherweight_(MMA)) and in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Professional boxing

A featherweight boxer weighs in at 126 pounds (57 kilos). In the early days of the division, this limit fluctuated. The British have generally always recognized the limit at 126 pounds, but in America the weight limit was at first 114 pounds. An early champion, George Dixon, moved the limit to 120 and then 122 pounds. Finally, in 1920 the United States fixed the limit at 126 pounds.^[1]

The 1860 fight between Nobby Clark and Jim Elliott is sometimes called the first featherweight championship. However, the division only gained wide acceptance in 1889 after the Ike Weir-Frank Murphy fight.

Notable Featherweights

• Abe Attell
• Alexis Argüello
• Henry Armstrong
• Marco Antonio Barrera
• Manny Pacquiao
• Kid Chocolate
• Wilfredo Gómez
• Naseem Hamed
• Érik Morales
• Juan Manuel Márquez
• Azumah Nelson
• Willie Pep
• Sandy Saddler
• Vicente Saldivar
• Salvador Sánchez
• Chris John

Amateur boxing

In amateur boxing, the weight limit is 54 to 57 kilograms.

Olympic champions

• 1904 –  Oliver Kirk (USA)
• 1908 –  Richard Gunn (GBR)
• 1920 –  Paul Fritsch (FRA)
• 1924 –  Jackie Fields (USA)
• 1928 –  Bep van Klaveren (NED)
• 1932 –  Carmelo Robledo (ARG)
• 1936 –  Oscar Casanovas (ARG)
• 1948 –  Ernesto Formenti (ITA)
• 1952 –  Jan Zachara (TCH)
• 1956 –  Vladimir Safronov (URS)
• 1960 –  Francesco Musso (ITA)
• 1964 –  Stanislav Stepashkin (URS)
• 1968 –  Antonio Roldán (MEX)
• 1972 –  Boris Kuznetsov (URS)
• 1976 –  Ángel Herrera (CUB)
• 1980 –  Rudi Fink (GDR)
• 1984 –  Meldrick Taylor (USA)
• 1988 –  Giovanni Parisi (ITA)
• 1992 –  Andreas Tews (GER)
• 1996 –  Somluck Kamsing (THA)
• 2000 –  Bekzat Sattarkhanov (KAZ)
• 2004 –  Alexei Tichtchenko (RUS)
• 2008 –  Vasyl Lomachenko (UKR)

Pan American Champions

• 1951 – Francisco Núñez (ARG)
• 1955 – Oswaldo Cañete (ARG)
• 1959 – Carlos Aro (ARG)
• 1963 – Rosemiro Mateus (BRA)
• 1967 – Miguel García (ARG)
• 1971 – Juan García (MEX)
• 1975 – Dave Armstrong (USA)
• 1979 – Bernard Taylor (USA)
• 1983 – Adolfo Horta (CUB)
• 1987 – Kelcie Banks (USA)
• 1991 – Arnaldo Mesa (CUB)
• 1995 – Arnaldo Mesa (CUB)
• 1999 – Yudel Johnson (CUB)
• 2003 – Likar Ramos Concha (COL)

Professional Champions

Sanctioning Body	Reign Began	Champion	Record	Defenses
WBA	October 4, 2006	Chris John	42–0-2 (22 KO)	11
WBC	July 14, 2009	Elio Rojas	21–1-0 (13 KO)	0
IBF	October 23, 2008	Cristobal Cruz	38–11-1 (23 KO)	1
WBO	January 23, 2010	Juan Manuel López	28–0-0 (25 KO)	0

For a full list, see List of featherweight boxing champions

Kickboxing Featherweight

• International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) Featherweight (Pro & Amateur) 122.1 lbs. - 127 lbs. or 55.50 kg - 57.72 kg.

See also

• Boxing weight classes
• Reigning boxing champions

References

1. ^ Mullan, Harry (1996). The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Boxing. London, England: Carlton Books. pp. 172. ISBN 0785806415.