{{Short description|Weight class used in combat sports}} '''Super middleweight''' is a weight class in combat sports.<ref>[http://boxrec.com/ratings.php?country=&sex=m&division=Super+Middleweight&status=A&SUBMIT=Go "BoxRec Boxing Records"]. BoxRec. Retrieved 2015-06-07.</ref>
==Boxing== In professional boxing, super middleweight is contested between the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, in which boxers can weigh between 160 pounds (73 kg) and {{convert|168|lb|kg}}. The class first appeared in 1967.
===History=== ====1960s–1983==== There was interest in a division between middleweight and light heavyweight in the late 1960s, the mid-1970s, and the early 1980s. A few states briefly recognized a "Junior Light Heavyweight" division at {{convert|167|lb|kg}} and the fringe World Athletic Association (WAA) later inaugurated a "super middleweight" division at {{convert|168|lb|kg}}. On April 3, 1967, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Don Fullmer, a brother of former world middleweight champion Gene Fullmer, won the first version by stopping previously unbeaten Joe Hopkins in six rounds. He never defended it. On November 25, 1974, in Columbus, Ohio, Billy Douglas, the father of future world heavyweight champion James "Buster" Douglas, halted Danny Brewer in two rounds to win the Ohio Commission's version of the world junior light heavyweight title. He too never made a defense of the title. Then, on April 3, 1982, in Denver, Colorado, Jerry "Wimpy" Halstead stopped Ron Brown in six rounds to win the WAA's inaugural super middleweight title bout. Halstead made one defense, knocking out Darren Encline in one round on May 29, 1982, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Following that fight, Halstead moved up to the light heavyweight class and eventually campaigned as a heavyweight. The media and most commissions did not recognize Fullmer's, Douglas', or Halstead's titles. Nor did they recognize the division during this period.<ref>{{cite book | last = Mullan | first = Harry | title = The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Boxing | publisher = Carlton Books | year = 1996 | location = London, England | isbn = 0-7858-0641-5 | page = 150}}</ref>
====1984–1989==== The current super middleweight division traces its beginning to 1984, when Murray Sutherland defeated Ernie Singletary for the International Boxing Federation version of the title. The World Boxing Association created its version of the super middleweight title when reigning ''Lineal'' champion Chong Pal Park defeated Jesus Gallardo in 1987 (Park had been IBF champion before relinquishing the title to fight for the inaugural WBA version). The World Boxing Council crowned its first champion in 1988 when Sugar Ray Leonard defeated Donny Lalonde in a fight that was also for its version of the light heavyweight title.
====1990–2007==== Since the early 1990s, there has been a highly competitive super middleweight division in Britain and Ireland, including the rivalry between Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, and Michael Watson, which included two memorable fights and the tragic injury to Watson, followed by the emergence of Steve Collins, who defeated Benn and Eubank, before retiring and vacating the title, as well as the 10-year reign of Joe Calzaghe. In addition, fellow Brits Richie Woodhall and Robin Reid also held versions of the title between 1996–97 and 1997–98. During this decade, Americans James Toney and Roy Jones Jr. also reigned as champions. In 2007, two champions of the division, the undefeated Calzaghe and the likewise undefeated Mikkel Kessler, had a title unification fight which Calzaghe won by a unanimous decision to become the unified super middleweight champion of the world.
====2008–present==== At the end of the 2000s and start of the 2010s the division was one of the most active in boxing with the likes of Lucian Bute, Andre Ward, Andre Dirrell, Carl Froch, George Groves, Mikkel Kessler, Anthony Mundine, Arthur Abraham, Robert Stieglitz, Sakio Bika, Allan Green, Jesse Brinkley, Librado Andrade, Edison Miranda and Jermain Taylor. This was showcased with Showtime's, Super Six World Boxing Classic that sought out to find the best super middleweight in the world at the time. Andre Ward went on to defeat Carl Froch by unanimous decision and win the tournament in late 2011.
On November 6, 2021, Canelo Álvarez became the first undisputed champion of the division in the four belt era.
===Current world champions=== {{main|List of world super-middleweight boxing champions}}
{| class="wikitable" !Sanctioning body !Reign began !Champion !Record !Defenses |- |WBA |May 2, 2026 |Jaime Munguía |46–2 (35 KO) |align=center|0 |- |WBC |January 27, 2026 |Christian M'billi |29–0–1 (24 KO) |align=center|0 |- |IBF |April 9, 2026 |Osleys Iglesias |15–0 (14 KO) |align=center|0 |- |WBO |May 23, 2026 |Hamzah Sheeraz |23–0–1 (19 KO) |align=center|0 |}
===Current world rankings===
====''The Ring''==== As of May 30, 2026.<ref name=ring-smw-ratings>{{Cite web|url=https://ringmagazine.com/en/ring-ranking|title=The Ring ratings: super middleweight|access-date=15 September 2025}}</ref>
Keys: :{{Color box|gold|C|border=darkgray}} Current ''The Ring'' world champion
{| class="wikitable" !Rank !Name !Record (W–L–D) !Title(s) |- |bgcolor=gold|C |{{font color|gray|vacant}} | | |- |1 |Canelo Álvarez |63–3–2 (39 KO) | |- |2 |Osleys Iglesias |15–0 (14 KO) |IBF |- |3 |Christian M'billi |29–0–1 (24 KO) |WBC |- |4 |Lester Martínez |20–0–1 (16 KO) |WBC (Interim) |- |5 |Jaime Munguia |46–2 (35 KO) |WBA |- |6 |Diego Paheco |25–0 (18 KO) | |- |7 |Armando Resendiz |16–3 (11 KO) | |- |8 |Jacob Bank |19–0 (11 KO) | |- |9 |Hamzah Sheeraz |23–0–1 (19 KO) |WBO |- |10 |Caleb Plant |23–3 (14 KO) | |}
====BoxRec==== {{As of|2026|05|30}}.<ref name=boxrec-smw-ratings>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/ratings?r%5Brole%5D=proboxer&r%5Bsex%5D=M&r%5Bdivision%5D=Super+Middleweight&r%5Bcountry%5D=&r%5Bstance%5D=&r%5Bstatus%5D=a&r_go=|title=BoxRec ratings: super middleweight, active|access-date=12 February 2022}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" !Rank !Name !Record (W–L–D) !Title(s) |- |1 |Saul Álvarez |63–3–2 (39 KO) | |- |2 |Hamzah Sheeraz |23–0–1 (19 KO) |WBO |- |3 |Osleys Iglesias |15–0 (14 KO) |IBF |- |4 |Diego Pacheco |25–0 (18 KO) | |- |5 |Jermall Charlo |34–0 (23 KO) | |- |6 |Christian M'Billi |29–0–1 (24 KO) |WBC |- |7 |Jaime Munguia |46–3 (35 KO) |WBA |- |8 |Jacob Bank |19–0 (11 KO) | |- |9 |Kévin Lele Sadjo |28–1 (25 KO) | |- |10 |Lester Martínez |20–0–1 (16 KO) |WBC (Interim) |}
===Longest reigning world super middleweight champions=== Below is a list of longest reigning super middleweight champions in boxing measured by the individual's longest reign. Career total time as champion (for multiple title reigns) does not apply. {|class="sortable wikitable" |- !!!Name!!Title reign!!Title recognition!!Successful defenses!!Beaten opponents!!Fights |- | 1. || Joe Calzaghe || 10 years, 11 months, 22 days || WBO ||align="center" | 21 || align="center" | 20 || <ref name=calzaghe-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/005364|title=Professional boxing record: Joe Calzaghe|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref> |- | 2. || Andre Ward || 5 years, 11 months, 21 days || WBA (Super) || align="center" | 6 || align="center" | 6 || <ref name=ward-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/281958|title=Professional boxing record: Andre Ward|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref> |- | 3. || Sven Ottke || 5 years, 5 months, 3 days || IBF || align="center" | 21 || align="center" | 20 || <ref name=ottke-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/7203|title=Professional boxing record: Sven Ottke|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref> |- | 4. || Frankie Liles || 4 years, 10 months, 0 days || WBA || align="center" | 7 || align="center" | 7 || <ref name=liles-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/1473|title=Professional boxing record: Frankie Liles|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref> |- | 5. || Canelo Álvarez || 4 years, 8 months, 26 days || WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO || align="center" | 9 || align="center" | 9 || <ref name=Alvarez-record>{{cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/348759|title=Professional boxing record: Canelo Álvarez|access-date=25 December 2023}}</ref> |- | 6. || Lucian Bute || 4 years, 7 months, 7 days || IBF || align="center" | 9 || align="center" | 8 || <ref name=bute-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/223046|title=Professional boxing record: Lucian Bute|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref> |- | 7. || Chris Eubank || 4 years, 4 months, 0 days || WBO || align="center" | 14 || align="center" | 13 || <ref name=eubank-sr-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/000804|title=Professional boxing record: Chris Eubank Sr.|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref> |- | 8. || Park Chong-pal || 3 years, 7 months, 17 days || IBF, WBA || align="center" | 10 || align="center" | 8 || <ref name=chong-pal-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/029828|title=Professional boxing record: Park Chong-pal|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref> |- | 9. || Nigel Benn || 3 years, 4 months, 28 days || WBC || align="center" | 9 || align="center" | 9 || <ref name=benn-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/739|title=Professional boxing record: Nigel Benn|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref> |- | 10. || Gilberto Ramirez || 3 years, 1 month, 5 days || WBO || align="center" |5 || align="center" | 4 || <ref name=ramirez-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/509666|title=Professional boxing record: Gilberto Ramirez|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref> |- | 11. || Robert Stieglitz || 3 years, 0 months, 3 days || WBO || align="center" | 6 || align="center" | 6 || <ref name=stieglitz-record>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/39345|title=Professional boxing record: Robert Stieglitz|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref> |- |} :{{Color box|#B2FFFF|border=darkgray}} Active reign :{{Color box|transparent|border=darkgray}} Reign has ended
<ref>[http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Super_middleweight Super Middleweight Division] Retrieved on 28 December 2012.</ref> <ref>[http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/WBC_Super_Middleweight_Champion WBC Super Middleweight Champions] Retrieved on 28 December 2012.</ref> <ref>[http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/WBO_Super_Middleweight_Champion WBO Super Middeweight Champions] Retrieved on 28 December 2012.</ref> <ref>[http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/IBF_Super_Middleweight_Champion IBF Super Middleweight Champions] Retrieved on 28 December 2012.</ref>
==Kickboxing== * International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) Super Middleweight (Pro & Amateur) 165.1 - 172 lb (75.1 - 78.2 kg)
==Mixed martial arts== {{main|Super middleweight (MMA)}} In MMA, the Super middleweight division is from 186 lbs (84 kg) to 195 lb (88 kg).
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Boxing weight classes}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Super Middleweight}} Category:Boxing weight classes Category:Kickboxing weight classes *