Light flyweight
Light flyweight, also known as junior flyweight or super strawweight, is a weight class in boxing.
Professional boxing
[edit]The weight limit at light flyweight in professional boxing is 108 pounds (49 kilograms). When New York legalized boxing in 1920, the law stipulated a "junior flyweight" class, with a weight limit of 99 pounds. When the National Boxing Association was formed in 1921, it also recognized this weight class. However, on January 19, 1922, the NBA decided to withdraw recognition of the junior flyweight division. On December 31, 1929, the New York State Athletic Commission also abolished the junior flyweight class. No champion had been crowned in this division prior to its abolition.[1]
The World Boxing Council (WBC) decided to resurrect this division in the 1970s. The first champion in this division was Franco Udella, who won the WBC title in 1975. The World Boxing Association also crowned its first champion in 1975, when Jaime Rios defeated Rigoberto Marcano via fifteen-round decision. The first International Boxing Federation champion was Dodie Boy Peñalosa, who won the belt in 1983.
The first light flyweight "superfight" took place on March 13, 1993, when Michael Carbajal, the IBF champion, knocked out WBC champion Humberto González to unify the championship. Their rematch, on February 19, 1994, was the first time a light flyweight fighter (Carbajal) made a million dollar purse.
Current world champions
[edit]| Sanctioning body | Reign began | Champion | Record | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WBA | Vacant | |||
| WBC | Vacant | |||
| IBF | October 12, 2024 | Masamichi Yabuki | 17–4 (16 KO) | 0 |
| WBO | October 13, 2024 | Shokichi Iwata | 14–1 (11 KO) | 0 |
Current The Ring world rankings
[edit]As of October 14, 2024.[2]
Keys:
- C Current The Ring world champion
| Rank | Name | Record | Title(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | vacant | ||
| 1 | Masamichi Yabuki | 17–4 (16 KO) | IBF |
| 2 | Shokichi Iwata | 14–1 (11 KO) | WBO |
| 3 | Sivenathi Nontshinga | 13–2 (10 KO) | |
| 4 | Adrian Curiel | 24–6–1 (5 KO) | |
| 5 | Elwin Soto | 21–3 (13 KO) | |
| 6 | Carlos Cañizales | 27–2–1 (19 KO) | |
| 7 | Christian Araneta | 24–2 (19 KO) | |
| 8 | Thanongsak Simsri | 36–1 (33 KO) | |
| 9 | Regie Suganob | 15–1 (5 KO) | |
| 10 | Erick Rosa | 7–0 (2 KO) |
Amateur boxing
[edit]At the Summer Olympic Games, the division is defined as up to 49 kilograms.
Olympic champions
[edit]- 1968 –
Francisco Rodríguez (VEN)
- 1972 –
György Gedó (HUN)
- 1976 –
Jorge Hernández (CUB)
- 1980 –
Shamil Sabirov (URS)
- 1984 –
Paul Gonzales (USA)
- 1988 –
Ivailo Marinov (BUL)
- 1992 –
- 1996 –
Daniel Petrov (BUL)
- 2000 –
Brahim Asloum (FRA)
- 2004 –
- 2008 –
Zou Shiming (CHN)
- 2012 –
- 2016 –
Hasanboy Dusmatov (UZB)
European champions
[edit]- 1969 –
György Gedó (HUN)
- 1971 –
- 1973 –
Vladislav Sasypko (URS)
- 1975 –
- 1977 –
Henryk Średnicki (POL)
- 1979 –
- 1981 –
Ismail Mustafov (BUL)
- 1983 –
- 1985 –
René Breitbarth (GDR)
- 1987 –
- 1989 –
- 1991 –
- 1993 –
- 1996 –
- 1998 –
Sergey Kazakov (RUS)
- 2000 –
Valeriy Sydorenko (UKR)
- 2002 –
- 2004 –
- 2006 –
- 2008 –
Hovhannes Danielyan (ARM)
- 2010 –
Paddy Barnes (IRL)
- 2011 –
Salman Alizade (AZE)
- 2013 –
Pan American champions
[edit]- 1971 –
Rafael Carbonell (CUB)
- 1975 –
- 1979 –
- 1983 –
Rafael Ramos (PUR)
- 1987 –
- 1991 –
- 1995 –
Edgar Velázquez (VEN)
- 1999 –
- 2003 –
- 2007 –
Luis Yáñez (USA)
- 2011 –
Joselito Velázquez (MEX)
Notable light flyweights
[edit]- Iván Calderón
- Michael Carbajal
- Jung-Koo Chang
- Luis Estaba
- Leo Gamez
- Humberto González
- Yoko Gushiken
- Louisa Hawton
- Yuh Myung-woo
- Donnie Nietes
- Saman Sorjaturong
- Román González
- Naoya Inoue
- Ryoichi Taguchi
- Adrián Hernández
- Ricardo Lopez
- Franco Udella
References
[edit]- ^ Goldman, Herbert (June 1980), "Junior Divisions", The Ring, 59, no. 4: 74, 75
- ^ "The Ring ratings: junior flyweight". Retrieved 14 October 2024.