Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing

Boxing

Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

, but other combat sports like kickboxing

Kickboxing

Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....

, taekwondo

Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...

 and mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

 also began to use it for their own weight division system. In most sports that use it, welterweight is heavier than lightweight

Lightweight

Light-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....

 but lighter than middleweight

Middleweight

Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...

.

Professional boxing

A welterweight boxer's weight is greater than 140 pounds (63.5 kilos), but not greater than 147 pounds (66.7kilos).

Henry Armstrong

Henry Armstrong

Henry Jackson Jr. was a world boxing champion who fought under the name Henry Armstrong. He is universally regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all time by many boxing critics and fellow professionals.Henry Jr...

 holds the division record for most title defenses at 18. Felix Trinidad

Félix Trinidad

Félix 'Tito' Trinidad, Jr. is a Puerto Rican professional boxer, considered one of the best in Puerto Rico's history. After winning five National Amateur Championships in Puerto Rico, he debuted as a professional when he was 17. He won his first world championship when he defeated Maurice Blocker...

 was the longest reigning champion, holding the IBF title six years, eight months, and fourteen days. Sugar Ray Robinson

Sugar Ray Robinson

Sugar Ray Robinson was an African-American professional boxer. Frequently cited as the greatest boxer of all time, Robinson's performances in the welterweight and middleweight divisions prompted sportswriters to create "pound for pound" rankings, where they compared fighters regardless of weight...

 is generally considered to be the greatest welterweight of all time.
Notable fighters who have fought as welterweights include Barney Ross

Barney Ross

Barney Ross , born Beryl David Rosofsky, was a world champion boxer in three weight divisions and decorated veteran of World War II.-Early life:...

, Jackie Fields

Jackie Fields

Jackie Fields was an American professional boxer who won two world championship titles.-Personal life:...

, Johar Abu Lashin

Johar Abu Lashin

Johar Abu Lashin is a former lightweight and welterweight boxer, who was the first Israeli to win a world championship and was described in 2001 as "Israel's most successful boxer".-Personal life:...

, Ted "Kid" Lewis, Jimmy McLarnin

Jimmy McLarnin

James McLarnin, known as Jimmy McLarnin , was an Irish Canadian professional boxer who became two-time welterweight world champion and an International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee.-Background:McLarnin was born in Hillsborough, County Down, Ireland, into a large Methodist family who emigrated...

, Jack Britton

Jack Britton

Jack Britton was three-time world welterweight boxing champion, born William J. Breslin in Clinton, New York....

, Henry Armstrong

Henry Armstrong

Henry Jackson Jr. was a world boxing champion who fought under the name Henry Armstrong. He is universally regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all time by many boxing critics and fellow professionals.Henry Jr...

, Fritzie Zivic

Fritzie Zivic

Fritzie Zivic , born as Ferdinand Henry John Zivcich , was an American boxer.-Biography:...

, Sugar Ray Robinson

Sugar Ray Robinson

Sugar Ray Robinson was an African-American professional boxer. Frequently cited as the greatest boxer of all time, Robinson's performances in the welterweight and middleweight divisions prompted sportswriters to create "pound for pound" rankings, where they compared fighters regardless of weight...

, Kid Gavilan

Kid Gavilan

Gerardo González , better known in the boxing world as Kid Gavilan, was a former world welterweight champion from Cuba...

, Carmen Basilio

Carmen Basilio

Carmine Basilio better known in the boxing world as Carmen Basilio, is an American former professional boxer who was a two weight world boxing champion...

, Emile Griffith

Emile Griffith

Emile Alphonse Griffith is a former boxer who was the first fighter from the U.S. Virgin Islands ever to become a world champion. He is perhaps best known for his controversial third fight with Benny Paret in 1962 for the welterweight world championship...

, José Nápoles

José Napoles

José Ángel Nápoles, nicknamed Mantequilla , is a Cuban-Mexican boxer and former world welterweight champion, who is frequently ranked as one of the greatest fighters of all time in that division...

, Sugar Ray Leonard

Sugar Ray Leonard

Sugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...

, Thomas Hearns

Thomas Hearns

Thomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...

, Roberto Durán

Roberto Durán

Roberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....

, Julio César Chávez

Julio César Chávez

Julio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...

, Pernell Whitaker

Pernell Whitaker

Pernell Whitaker , nicknamed "Sweet Pea", is a professional boxing trainer and retired American professional boxer...

, Félix Trinidad

Félix Trinidad

Félix 'Tito' Trinidad, Jr. is a Puerto Rican professional boxer, considered one of the best in Puerto Rico's history. After winning five National Amateur Championships in Puerto Rico, he debuted as a professional when he was 17. He won his first world championship when he defeated Maurice Blocker...

, Oscar De La Hoya

Oscar de la Hoya

Oscar De La Hoya is a retired American boxer of Mexican descent. Nicknamed "The Golden Boy", De La Hoya won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games shortly after graduating from Garfield High School. De La Hoya comes from a boxing family. His grandfather Vicente, father Joel Sr., and brother...

, Ike Quartey

Ike Quartey

Ike "Bazooka" Quartey is a former WBA Welterweight champion boxer. He has fought numerous world champion boxers including Oscar De La Hoya, Fernando Vargas, Vernon Forrest and Ronald "Winky" Wright.-Biography:...

, Shane Mosley

Shane Mosley

“Sugar” Shane Mosley is an American professional boxer from Pomona, California who has held world titles in three weight divisions.-Amateur career:Mosley was an amateur standout, capturing various amateur titles, including:...

, Vernon Forrest

Vernon Forrest

Vernon Forrest, nicknamed "The Viper", was an American professional boxer who became a world champion in the welterweight and light middleweight divisions and noted for his two victories over Shane Mosley and upset losses to Ricardo Mayorga.- Early years and amateur career :Forrest began boxing at...

, Zab Judah

Zab Judah

Zabdiel Judah is an American professional boxer. Judah has won five world titles between the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions, and is a former undisputed welterweight champion....

, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Floyd Joy Mayweather, Jr. is an American professional boxer. He is a five-division world champion, where he has won seven world titles, as well as the lineal championship in three different weight classes...

, Ricky Hatton

Ricky Hatton

Richard John Hatton MBE, more commonly known as Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton, , is a former British professional boxer, and currently a promoter....

, Micky Ward

Micky Ward

Micky Ward , nicknamed Irish, is a retired American junior welterweight professional boxer and a former WBU champion from Lowell, Massachusetts...

, Arturo Gatti

Arturo Gatti

Arturo "Thunder" Gatti was a Canadian professional boxer. Born in Cassino, Italy, and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Gatti relocated to Jersey City, United States as a teenager...

, Miguel Cotto

Miguel Cotto

Miguel Ángel Cotto Vázquez is a Puerto Rican professional boxer and the reigning WBA light middleweight champion. He is the younger brother of contender Jose Miguel Cotto and cousin of Abner Cotto...

, Victor Ortiz

Victor Ortíz

Victor Ortiz is an American professional boxer of Mexican descent and the former WBC welterweight champion.He was previously in the light welterweight division, where he held the USBA & NABO title....

, and Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao

Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao, PLH is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world champion; having won six world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the...

.

Olympic champions

• 1904
  Boxing at the 1904 Summer Olympics
  At the 1904 Summer Olympics, seven boxing events were contested. Only American boxers competed. The competitions were held on Wednesday, September 21, 1904 and on Thursday, September 22, 1904. Contestants in lighter weight classes could also compete in heavier classes...
  
   –
• 1920
  Boxing at the 1920 Summer Olympics
  These are the results of the boxing competition at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. Medals were awarded in 8 weight classes. The competitions were held from August 21, 1920 to August 24, 1920.-Medal summary:-Medal table:-References:*...
  
   –
• 1924
  Boxing at the 1924 Summer Olympics
  These are the results of the boxing competition at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. Medals were awarded in 8 weight classes. The competitions were held from 15 July 1924 to 20 July 1924.-Medal summary:-Participating nations:...
  
   –
• 1928
  Boxing at the 1928 Summer Olympics
  These are the results of the boxing competition at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. Medals were awarded in 8 weight classes. The competitions were held from August 7, 1928 to August 12, 1928.-Medal summary:-Participating nations:...
  
   –
• 1932
  Boxing at the 1932 Summer Olympics
  These are the results of the boxing competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Medals were awarded in 8 weight classes. The competitions were held from August 9, 1932 to August 13, 1932.-Medal summary:-Participating nations:...
  
   –
• 1936
  Boxing at the 1936 Summer Olympics
  These are the results of the boxing competition at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Medals were awarded in 8 weight classes. The competitions were held from August 10, 1936 to August 15, 1936....
  
   –
• 1948
  Boxing at the 1948 Summer Olympics
  -Medal table:-Medal summary:...
  
   –
• 1952
  Boxing at the 1952 Summer Olympics
  Final results for the Boxing competition at the 1952 Summer Olympics. The events were held at Messuhalli.-Medal table:- Flyweight :- Bantamweight :- Featherweight :- Lightweight :...
  
   –
• 1956
  Boxing at the 1956 Summer Olympics
  Boxing at the 1956 Summer Olympics took place in the new stadium at West Melbourne. A total number of 164 competitors entered from 35 nations, of whom 161 from 34 nations weighed-in and boxing was held eight nights and five afternoons. The boxing schedule began on November 23 and ended on December 1...
  
   –
• 1960
  Boxing at the 1960 Summer Olympics
  In the 1960 Summer Olympics, Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. won the gold medal in the boxing light heavyweight division for the United States.-Medals:- Flyweight :-Quarterfinals:...
  
   –
• 1964
  Boxing at the 1964 Summer Olympics
  Final results for the Boxing competition at the 1964 Summer Olympics:It was held October 11 to 23.-Medal table:-Medal summary:Final results for the Boxing competition at the 1964 Summer Olympics:It was held October 11 to 23....
  
   –
• 1968
  Boxing at the 1968 Summer Olympics
  -Medal table:- Light Flyweight :-First Round:* Tahar Aziz def. David Nata , 4:1* Hubert Skrzypczak def. Mohamed Sohem , 5:0* Joseph Donovan def. György Gedó , TKO-2...
  
   –
• 1972
  Boxing at the 1972 Summer Olympics
  Final results for the Boxing competition at the 1972 Summer Olympics:It was held August 27 to September 10, with the participation of 357 fighters from 81 countries.-Medal table:-Light Flyweight :-First Round:...
  
   –
• 1976
  Boxing at the 1976 Summer Olympics
  There were eleven boxing events at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Light Flyweight :-First Round:* Armando Guevara def. Eduardo Baltar , 5:0* Li Byong-Uk def. Sidney McKnight , KO-1...
  
   –
• 1980
  Boxing at the 1980 Summer Olympics
  Boxing at the 1980 Summer Olympics took place in the Indoor Stadium of the Olympiski Sports Complex in Moscow. The boxing schedule began on 20 July and ended on 2 August...
  
   –
• 1984
  Boxing at the 1984 Summer Olympics
  Boxing at the 1984 Summer Olympics took place in the Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. The boxing schedule began on July 29 and ended on August 11. Twelve men's boxing events were contested.-Light Flyweight :...
  
   –
• 1988
  Boxing at the 1988 Summer Olympics
  Boxing at the 1988 Summer Olympics took place in the Chamshil Students' Gymnasium in Seoul. The boxing schedule began on September 17 and ended on October 2. Twelve boxing events were contested, with the participation of 441 athletes and 159 officials from 106 countries...
  
   –
• 1992
  Boxing at the 1992 Summer Olympics
  Boxing at the 1992 Summer Olympics took place in the old Pavelló Club Joventut de Badalona in Barcelona. The boxing schedule began on July 26 and ended on August 9...
  
   –
• 1996
  Boxing at the 1996 Summer Olympics
  -Qualification:The following tournaments were used as qualification tournaments for boxing at the 1996 Summer Olympics.Africa* All-Africa Games in Harare, Zimbabwe from September 13 to September 23, 1995* Qualification Tournament in April/May? 1996...
  
   –
• 2000
  Boxing at the 2000 Summer Olympics
  The boxing competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney was held over a period of sixteen days at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour...
  
   –
• 2004
  Boxing at the 2004 Summer Olympics
  Boxing at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place in the Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall. The event was only open to men and bouts were contested over four rounds of two minutes each...
  
   –
• 2008
  Boxing at the 2008 Summer Olympics
  The boxing program of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China was held at the Workers Indoor Arena.Medals were awarded in eleven events, with each event corresponding to a recognized weight division of male boxers...
  
   –

Commonwealth champions

• 2010 –   Patrick Gallagher
  Paddy Gallagher (Boxer)
  Paddy Gallagher is an amateur boxer from Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland who won the welterweight gold at the 2010 Commonwealth games...
  
   (NIR
  Northern Ireland at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
  Northern Ireland were represented at the 2010 Commonwealth Games by the Commonwealth Games Council for Northern Ireland. The team went by the abbreviation NIR and used the Ulster Banner as its flag and Londonderry Air as the victory anthem.-Medalists:...
  
  )

Current champions

Sanctioning Body	Reign Began	Champion	Record	Defenses
WBA World Boxing Association The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...	April 10, 2009	Vyacheslav Senchenko Vyacheslav Senchenko Vyacheslav Senchenko is a professional boxer from Ukraine. He resides in Donetsk. His professional record includes 30 fights: 30 wins...	32-0 (21 KO)	3
WBC World Boxing Council The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...	September 17, 2011	Floyd Mayweather, Jr.	42-0 (26 KO)	0
IBF International Boxing Federation The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...		Vacant
WBO World Boxing Organization The World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the...	November 14, 2009	Manny Pacquiao Manny Pacquiao Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao, PLH is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world champion; having won six world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the...	54-3-2 (38 KO)	3

• List of welterweight boxing champions

Kickboxing

The weight division system is different in each organisation. So the kickboxing weight divisions of some international organisations vary:

• International Kickboxing Federation
  International Kickboxing Federation
  The International Kickboxing Federation is a kickboxing sanctioning body. The IKF World Headquarters in the USA oversees IKF World Operations with the rest of the IKF World Team.-Styles:...
  
   (IKF) Welterweight (Pro & Amateur) 142.1 lbs. - 147 lbs.(64.6 kg - 66.8 kg).
• World Kickboxing Association
  World Kickboxing Association
  The World Kickboxing Association is one of the oldest and the largest amateur and professional sanctioning organizations of kickboxing in the world for the sport. Its official name is "World Kickboxing and Karate Association"....
  
   (WKA) fixed 140–147 pounds (63.5–67 kg) for welterweight.
• International Sport Karate Association
  International Sport Karate Association
  The International Sport Karate Association is one of the major international bodies regulating karate and kickboxing matches, and is based in the United States...
  
   (ISKA) set 142.1–147 pounds (64.6–66.8 kg) for welterweight.

Muay Thai

Muay Thai

Muay Thai

Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...

 has fixed its weight division as similar to boxing. According to World Muay Thai Council (WMC), its welter weight is from 140 pounds (63.5 kg) to 147 pounds (66.6 kg). And World Muay Thai Federation (WMF) which is the official amateur organization fixed from 63.5 to 67 kg for adult. The Junior category is the same as adult.

• International Kickboxing Federation
  International Kickboxing Federation
  The International Kickboxing Federation is a kickboxing sanctioning body. The IKF World Headquarters in the USA oversees IKF World Operations with the rest of the IKF World Team.-Styles:...
  
   (IKF) Muay Thai Welterweight (Pro & Amateur) 142.1 lbs. - 147 lbs.(64.59 kg - 66.8 kg).

Shoot boxing

The official rules of shoot boxing

Shoot boxing

Shoot boxing is both a combat sport and a stand-up fighting promotion company based in Tokyo, Japan. The organization was founded by former kickboxer Caesar Takeshi in 1985....

 define welterweights as between 65 and 67 kg (143.3 to 147.7 lb).

Mixed martial arts

• International Sport Combat Federation ISCF: Welterweight: 155.1 to 170 lbs. / 70.45.1 kg - 77.27 kg

Taekwondo

In the sport of olympic taekwondo, welterweight falls between 74 and 80 kg. At the weight classes for the olympic games it is between 68 and 80 kg.

Bodybuilding

According to the National Physique Association, in bodybuilding

Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...

a welterweight weighs more than 154.25 lbs and not more than 165.25 lbs.