Middleweight

Middleweight is a weight class in combat sports.

Professional
In professional boxing, the middleweight division is contested above 154 lb and up to 160 lb.

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 1867. Chandler won, becoming known as the American middleweight champion. The first middleweight fight with gloves may have been between George Fulljames and Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey (no relation to the more famous heavyweight Jack Dempsey).

The Ring
As of October 14, 2023.

Keys:
 * Current The Ring world champion

BoxRec
As of July 29, 2024.

Longest reigning world middleweight champions
Below is a list of longest reigning middleweight champions in boxing measured by the individual's longest reign. Career total time as champion (for multiple time champions) is not counted.


 * Active Title Reign
 * Reign has ended

Olympic champions

 * 1904:
 * 1908:
 * 1920:
 * 1924:
 * 1928:
 * 1932:
 * 1936:
 * 1948:
 * 1952:
 * 1956:
 * 1960:
 * 1964:
 * 1968:
 * 1972:
 * 1976:
 * 1980:
 * 1984:
 * 1988:
 * 1992:
 * 1996:
 * 2000:
 * 2004:
 * 2008:
 * 2012:
 * 2016:
 * 2020:

Kickboxing

 * International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) Middleweight (Pro & Amateur) 159.1–165 lb. or 72.4–75 kg
 * In Glory promotion, a middleweight division is up to 85 kg (187 lb).
 * In Bellator Kickboxing promotion, a middleweight division is up to 85 kg (187 lb).
 * In ONE Championship, the middleweight division limit is 93 kg.

Bare-knuckle boxing
The limit for middleweight generally differs among promotions in bare-knuckle boxing:
 * In Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, the middleweight division has an upper limit of 175 lb.
 * In BYB Extreme Fighting Series, the middleweight division has an upper limit of 160 lb.
 * In BKB™, the middleweight division has an upper limit of 89 kg.

Lethwei
The World Lethwei Championship recognizes the middleweight division with an upper limit of 75 kg. In World Lethwei Championship, Naimjon Tuhtaboyev is the Middleweight Champion.

Mixed Martial Arts
In MMA, the middleweight division is from 171 lb (77.5 kg) to 185 lb (84 kg).

Anderson Silva is considered to be the greatest Middleweight MMA fighter of all time.