Why boxing has so many divisions
Weight classes limit physical disparities and make matchmaking safer and fairer. Professional boxing uses considerably more divisions than MMA. Additional classes such as super flyweight, super lightweight and super middleweight were added between the historic eight, reducing the size of each step up or down.
The 17 common professional divisions
The table at the beginning of this guide lists the 17 common divisions with their limits in pounds and kilograms. Bridgerweight is included separately because it is a WBC-specific exception rather than a standard shared across the major sanctioning bodies.
Why the names vary
The numerical limit is more reliable than the label. Some bodies and publications use “junior” rather than “super”, making junior welterweight another name for the 140-pound class. Minimumweight may also be called strawweight or mini flyweight. The upper limit remains the same.
The bridgerweight exception
WBC inserts bridgerweight between cruiserweight and heavyweight, with a 224-pound/101.6 kg ceiling; its heavyweight division therefore begins above that mark. This is not a universal standard. WBA eliminated its equivalent division on June 30, 2026, while the published IBF and WBO championship rules do not list it. The sanctioning body is therefore essential context for any title bout.
Weigh-ins and championship bouts
Each figure is the maximum allowed weight for that division. Only heavyweight has no ceiling in the common 17-division structure. Championship rules are set by the sanctioning body together with the relevant commission. Missing the limit may remove championship status or require the bout to proceed under renegotiated terms.
How boxing differs from MMA
Boxing uses narrower steps and more intermediate divisions. Common MMA limits are often ten or 15 pounds apart. Division names are therefore not interchangeable: boxing welterweight ends at 147 pounds, while the familiar MMA limit is 170. See MMA weight classes compared for the full breakdown.