{{short description|Weight class in boxing and kickboxing}} '''Light welterweight''', also known as '''junior welterweight'''<ref>[http://ringtv.craveonline.com/ratings/jr-welterweight "Ring Ratings"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151115034737/http://ringtv.craveonline.com/ratings/jr-welterweight |date=2015-11-15 }}. ''The Ring''. Retrieved 2015-06-07.</ref> or '''super lightweight''',<ref>[http://www.wbanews.com/wba-champions "Current WBA Champions"]. WBA. Retrieved 2015-06-07.</ref> is a weight class in combat sports.

==Boxing== ===Professional boxing=== In professional boxing, light welterweight is contested between the lightweight and welterweight divisions, in which boxers weigh above 61.2kg or 135 pounds and up to 63.5&nbsp;kg or 140 Ibs. The first champion of this weight class was Pinky Mitchell in 1922, though he was only awarded his championship by a vote of the readers of the ''Boxing Blade'' magazine.

There was not widespread acceptance of this new weight division in its early years, and the New York State Athletic Commission withdrew recognition of it in 1930. The National Boxing Association continued to recognize it until its champion, Barney Ross relinquished the title in 1935 to concentrate on regaining the welterweight championship.

A few commissions recognized bouts in the 1940s as being for the light welterweight title, but the modern beginnings of this championship date from 1959 when Carlos Ortiz won the vacant title with a victory over Kenny Lane. Both the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the World Boxing Council (WBC) recognized the same champions until 1967, when the WBC stripped Paul Fuji of the title and matched Pedro Adigue and Adolph Pruitt for their version of the championship. Adigue won a fifteen-round decision. The International Boxing Federation (IBF) recognized Aaron Pryor as its first champion in 1984. Hector Camacho became the first World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion with his victory against Ray Mancini in 1989.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Hector_Camacho_vs._Ray_Mancini | title=Hector Camacho vs. Ray Mancini - BoxRec }}</ref>

====Current world champions==== {{main|List of world light-welterweight boxing champions}}

{| class="wikitable" !Sanctioning Body !Reign Began !Champion !Record !Defenses |- |WBA |March 1, 2025 |Gary Antuanne Russell |19–1 (17 KO) |align=center|1 |- |WBC |January 10, 2026 |Dalton Smith |19–0 (14 KO) |align=center|0 |- |IBF |December 7, 2024 |Richardson Hitchins |20–0 (8 KO) |align=center|1 |- |WBO |January 31, 2026 |Shakur Stevenson |25–0 (11 KO) |align=center|0 |- |}

====Current world rankings====

=====''The Ring''===== As of January 31, 2026.<ref name=ring-lww-ratings>{{Cite web|url=https://ringmagazine.com/en/ring-ranking|title=The Ring ratings: light welterweight|access-date=11 August 2025}}</ref>

Keys: :{{Color box|gold|C|border=darkgray}} Current ''The Ring'' world champion

{| class="wikitable" !Rank !Name !Record !Title(s) |- |bgcolor=gold|C |Shakur Stevenson |25–0 (11 KO) |WBO |- |1 |Dalton Smith |19–0 (14 KO) |WBC |- |2 |Richardson Hitchins |20–0 (8 KO) |IBF |- |3 |Alberto Puello |24–1 (10 KO) | |- |4 |Arnold Barboza Jr. |32–1 (11 KO) | |- |5 |Gary Antuanne Russell |18–1 (17 KO) |WBA |- |6 |Sandor Martín |43–4 (15 KO) | |- |7 |Subriel Matías |23–3 (22 KO) | |- |8 |Adam Azim |14–0 (11 KO) | |- |9 |Lindolfo Delgado |23–0 (16 KO) | |- |10 |Andy Hiraoka |24–0 (19 KO) | |}

=====BoxRec=====

{{As of|2026|01|31}}.<ref name=boxrec-lww-ratings>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/ratings?r%5Brole%5D=proboxer&r%5Bsex%5D=M&r%5Bdivision%5D=Light+Welterweight&r%5Bcountry%5D=&r%5Bstance%5D=&r%5Bstatus%5D=a&r_go=|title=BoxRec ratings: super light, active|access-date=19 May 2025}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" !Rank !Name !Record !Title(s) |- |1 |Shakur Stevenson |25–0 (11 KO) |WBO & The Ring |- |2 |Dalton Smith |19–0 (14 KO) |WBC |- |3 |Keyshawn Davis |14–0 (10 KO) | |- |4 |Teofimo Lopez |22–2 (13 KO) | |- |5 |Richardson Hitchins |20–0 (8 KO) |IBF |- |6 |Adam Azim |14–0 (11 KO) | |- |7 |Arnold Barboza Jr. |32–1 (11 KO) | |- |8 |Arthur Biyarslanov |20–0 (16 KO) | |- |9 |Ernesto Mercado |18–0 (17 KO) | |- |10 |Khariton Agrba |17–1 (9 KO) | |}

===Amateur boxing=== In amateur boxing, light welterweight is a weight class for fighters weighing up to 64 kilograms. For the 1952 Summer Olympics, the division was created when the span from 54 to 67&nbsp;kg was changed from three weight classes (featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight) to four. Perhaps the most famous amateur light welterweight champion is Sugar Ray Leonard, who went on to an impressive professional career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/classic/news/story?id=2824208 |title=Boxing's Greatest Fighters: Sugar Ray Leonard - classic - ESPN |publisher=ESPN |date=2007-04-03 |access-date=2011-12-06}}</ref>

====Olympic Champions==== {{div col|colwidth=22em}} *1952 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Charles Adkins|USA|1952 Summer}} *1956 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Vladimir Yengibaryan|URS|1956 Summer}} *1960 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Bohumil Nemeček|TCH|1960 Summer}} *1964 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Jerzy Kulej|POL|1964 Summer}} *1968 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Jerzy Kulej|POL|1968 Summer}} *1972 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Ray Seales|USA|1972 Summer}} *1976 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Ray Leonard|USA|1976 Summer}} *1980 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Patrizio Oliva|ITA|1980 Summer}} *1984 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Jerry Page|USA|1984 Summer}} *1988 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Vyacheslav Yanovskiy|URS|1988 Summer}} *1992 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Héctor Vinent|CUB|1992 Summer}} *1996 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Héctor Vinent|CUB|1996 Summer}} *2000 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Muhammadqodir Abdullaev|UZB|2000 Summer}} *2004 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Manus Boonjumnong|THA|2004 Summer}} *2008 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Felix Diaz|DOM|2008 Summer}} *2012 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Roniel Iglesias|CUB|2012 Summer}} *2016 – {{FlagIOCathlete|Fazliddin Gaibnazarov|UZB|2016 Summer}} {{div col end}}

===Notable fighters=== {{div col|colwidth=22em}} *Saensak Muangsurin *Saoul Mamby *Tippy Larkin *Aaron Pryor *Carlos Morocho Hernández *Antonio Cervantes *Julio César Chávez *Oscar De La Hoya *Pernell Whitaker *Kostya Tszyu *Duilio Loi *Eddie Perkins *Erik Morales *Ricky Hatton *Manny Pacquiao *Floyd Mayweather Jr. *Amir Khan *Juan Manuel Márquez *Nicolino Locche *Micky Ward *Arturo Gatti *Marijan Beneš *Danny García *Devon Alexander *Ruslan Provodnikov *Alexis Arguello *Timothy Bradley *Wilfred Benítez *Miguel Cotto *Terence Crawford *Julius Indongo *Paulie Malignaggi *Junior Witter *Josh Taylor {{div col end}}

==Kickboxing== * In the International Kickboxing Federation (IKF), Super lightweight is 132.1 - 137&nbsp;lbs or 60.04 - 62.27&nbsp;kg, & Light welterweight is 137.1 - 142&nbsp;lbs or 62.31 - 64.54&nbsp;kg.

==Lethwei== The World Lethwei Championship recognizes the light welterweight division with an upper limit of {{convert|63.5|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. In World Lethwei Championship Antonio Faria is the Light welterweight Champion.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links==

{{Boxing weight classes}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Light Welterweight}} Category:Boxing weight classes Category:Kickboxing weight classes *