Female Boxing Weight Classes

When thinking about boxing, most people probably think of the competitors as men. However, many women have proven very successful at boxing as well. For a long time, female boxing was largely unaccepted around the world. Female boxing was first recognized as a sport in 1902, but it was not until 2001 that the first World Championship for female boxing was held. Until then, most countries banned the sport. Female boxing gained most of its popularity in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, when female boxers such as Cathy Davis, Christy Martin, Cora Webber and Ivonne Caples were featured on television and in magazines. Just as in male boxing, the International Boxing Federation divides female boxers into several different weight classes.

Weight categories for female boxers

There are 13 separate weight classes for female boxers. The smallest is pinweight, which is anyone up to 101 pounds. Light flyweight and flyweight are next, and include boxers up to106 and 110 pounds, respectively. Light bantamweight and bantamweight come next. These classes are for boxers that weigh 114 and 119 pounds, respectively. Featherweight boxers must weigh 125 pounds, while women in the lightweight class can weigh up to 132 pounds. Light welterweight and welterweight boxers must weigh 138 or 145 pounds, respectively. Light middleweight boxers weigh 154 pounds and middleweight boxers weigh 165 pounds. The final classes are light heavyweight and heavyweight. Light heavyweight boxers weigh 176 pounds. Heavyweight boxers are those boxers who weigh more than 189 pounds.

Female boxers must train as hard as male boxers and carefully monitor their bodies in order to stay fit and at the correct weight for their class. Watching female boxing, or becoming involved in the sport, is both exciting and interesting.