FAQs About Boxing

The sport of boxing has a history that dates back literally thousands of years. Millions of people follow modern boxing, but it is still sometimes hard for new fans to get a grip on everything the sport entails. Below are some of the questions most frequently asked about professional boxing.

Q: What are the main boxing organizations?

A: The International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) is the leading authority on all things boxing. The IBHOF recognizes four main professional boxing organizations: the World Boxing Council (WBC), the World Boxing Association (WBA), the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and the International Boxing Federation (IBF). While the majority of the top-level bouts across all four organizations are held in the United States, all of these organizations incorporate fighters and bouts from all over the world. In fact, most top fighters compete in more than one of these organizations, and many of the best fighters, like the legendary Mike Tyson, hold titles in several organizations.

Q: How many weight groups are there in professional boxing?

A: The heavyweight division is easily the most recognized boxing division, so many new boxing fans are surprised to learn that professional boxing actually offers world champion titles in 17 different weight divisions across all four boxing organizations. Different organizations use different terms for the super/junior/light divisions, but the weight cutoffs for these classes are standard across the board. As an example, here are the 17 weight classes incorporated in the WBA by order of heaviest to lightest: heavyweight, cruiserweight, light heavyweight, super middleweight, middleweight, super welterweight, welterweight, super lightweight, lightweight, super featherweight, featherweight, super bantamweight, bantamweight, super flyweight, flyweight, light flyweight and minimumweight. There is no maximum weight for the heavyweight division, but the maximum in the lowest class is a mere 105 pounds.

Q: How does a boxer become a world champion?

A: Traditionally, the only way to win a world championship in boxing is to beat the defending champion in a title match. Beating the world champion in a non-title match does not earn a fighter the title. Each organization chooses which fighters can compete for a shot at a title every year. In some cases, organizations like the WBA elevate repeat winners to the Super Champion title, leaving the regular weight class title open. The organization then determines the two best fighters in that division and arranges a title match to determine the new world champion of that class. Most fighters are expected to sustain a winning record for years before they are given a shot at a world title.