In professional
boxing, boxers in the minimumweight division may weigh no more than . This is a relatively new weight category for professionals, first inaugurated by the major boxing sanctioning bodies between 1987 and 1990.
History The minimumweight division was originally introduced in 1968 for the
Summer Olympic Games under the name light flyweight. However, the division was not recognized by any of the four most widely regarded sanctioning bodies until the
International Boxing Federation (IBF) in June 1987, when
Kyung-Yung Lee knocked out Masaharu Kawakami to become the inaugural champion. The division was then later recognized by the
World Boxing Council (WBC) in October 1987, the
World Boxing Association (WBA) in January 1988, and the
World Boxing Organization (WBO) in August 1989, while
Ring magazine did not begin ranking minimumweights until 1997 under the name strawweights and would not name a
champion until 2024, when
Oscar Collazo knocked out
Knockout CP Freshmart. Historically, the weight class has been dominated by
Latin Americans and
Asians, with only a limited amount of success coming from other nationalities.
Late 1980s (1987–1989) In the early years of the division, fighters such as
Napa Kiatwanchai found success defending the WBC belt.
Hiroki Ioka also started out in the division, winning the WBC belt before finding success at light flyweight, flyweight, and super flyweight. Other notable champions of this period included
Nico Thomas,
Jum-Hwan Choi, and
Leo Gamez. Other successful fighters of this period include: •
Ricardo López - defended his WBC title against record-breaking 21 opponents. •
Ratanapol Sor Vorapin - IBF title-holder for most of the decade. •
Chana Porpaoin - held WBA title until losing the title to
Rosendo Álvarez, who then held it until 1998 for failing to make weight for his unification rematch with Ricardo Lopez (he lost by split decision). The division also saw its first champions not from Latin America or Asia when Scotland's
Paul Weir won the vacant WBO title over Fernando Martinez in May 1993. This was followed by South Africa's Zolani Petelo who won the IBF title in December 1997. Other notable fighters of this period included,
Hi-Yong Choi,
Hideyuki Ohashi,
Alex Sánchez,
Wandee Chor Chareon, Rocky Lin,
Ala Villamor, Kermin Guardia, Noel Arambulet,
Songkram Porpaoin, and
Osvaldo Guerrero.
2000s In the early part of the decade,
José Antonio Aguirre and
Iván Calderón were the most decorated champions.
Muhammad Rachman,
Yutaka Niida, and
Eagle Kyowa became champions. José Antonio Aguirre began to decline, but Iván Calderón continued to defend his WBO title until August 2007, when he moved up to light flyweight. In the later part of the decade,
Oleydong Sithsamerchai,
Donnie Nietes,
Raúl García, and
Román González were champions.
2010s In the early part of the decade, many of the fighters from the end of the 2000s continued to find success. However, new faces have included
Denver Cuello and
Kazuto Ioka (nephew of 1980s champion
Hiroki Ioka). In the latter part of the decade,
Thai boxers returned to dominance with
Knockout CP Freshmart and
Wanheng Menayothin winning titles and staying undefeated for some time.
Professional boxing Current world champions Current The Ring world rankings As of December 28, 2025. Keys: : Current
The Ring world champion
Amateur boxing Since 1968, the
Summer Olympic Games has featured the 48 kilogram division under the name light flyweight .
Olympic champions •
1968 – •
1972 – •
1976 – •
1980 – •
1984 – •
1988 – •
1992 – •
1996 – •
2000 – •
2004 – •
2008 – •
2012 –
European Champions •
1969 –
György Gedó (
HUN) •
1971 –
György Gedó (
HUN) •
1973 – Vladislav Sasypko (
URS) •
1975 –
Aleksandr Tkachenko (
URS) •
1977 –
Henryk Średnicki (
POL) •
1979 –
Shamil Sabirov (
URS) •
1981 –
Ismail Mustafov (
BUL) •
1983 –
Ismail Mustafov (
BUL) •
1985 –
René Breitbarth (
GDR) •
1987 –
Nszan Munczian (
URS) •
1989 –
Ivailo Marinov (
BUL) •
1991 –
Ivailo Marinov (
BUL) •
1993 –
Daniel Petrov (
BUL) •
1996 –
Daniel Petrov (
BUL) •
1998 –
Sergey Kazakov (
RUS) •
2000 –
Valeriy Sydorenko (
UKR) •
2002 –
Sergey Kazakov (
RUS) •
2004 –
Sergey Kazakov (
RUS) •
2006 –
David Ayrapetyan (
RUS)
Pan American Champions •
1971 –
Rafael Carbonell (
CUB) •
1975 –
Jorge Hernández (
CUB) •
1979 –
Hector Ramírez (
CUB) •
1983 –
Rafael Ramos (
PUR) •
1987 –
Luis Román Rolón (
PUR) •
1991 –
Rogelio Marcelo (
CUB) •
1995 –
Edgar Velázquez (
VEN) •
1999 –
Maikro Romero (
CUB) •
2003 –
Yan Bartelemí Varela (
CUB)
Notable minimumweights •
Iván Calderon •
Ricardo López •
Rosendo Álvarez •
Alex Sánchez •
Donnie Nietes •
Eagle Kyowa •
Chana Porpaoin •
Ratanapol Sor Vorapin •
Yutaka Niida •
Muhammad Rachman •
Román González ==Kickboxing==