About Featherweight Boxing

Featherweight boxing has a long and storied history. Featherweight boxers compete in amateur competition, the Olympic games and the professional ranks. Featherweight boxing has four recognized world champions. Sanctioned world titles are awarded by The International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Organization (WBO), World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC). The Ring magazine awarded a Ring World Championship in an attempt to award one recognized champion in the featherweight division.

  1. History

    • The first featherweight boxing world champion was recognized in 1890, when New Zealander Torpedo Billy Murphy defeated Ike Weir by a 14th round knockout in San Francisco, California. Some legends of the sport of boxing who have held the featherweight world title include Willie Pep, Prince Naseem Hamed and Manny Pacquiao. Willie Pep held the featherweight world title for seven years, while Hamed held the WBO, WBC and IBF versions of the world featherweight title. Manny Pacquiao was recognized in 2009 as the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

    Weight Limit

    • Featherweight boxing requires the fighters to weigh in the day before the fight. A fighter must weigh between 126 pounds (57.153kg) and 129 pounds to compete in a sanctioned featherweight fight. A world champion who fails to make weight for a fight will be forced to vacate his featherweight title. If a challenger fails to make the weight, the fight may go ahead if the champion agrees, but the title would not be on the line during the fight. In recent times, boxers have been fined for not making the weight.

    Rules

    • Featherweight boxing fights take place under the Marquis of Quensbury rules, with additional rules and regulations provided by the governing body sanctioning the fight. Marquis of Queensbury rules require a fight to take place in a ring that is a square measuring 24 feet or close to that mark. Featherweight fighters must wear protective gloves and striking with the fists is the only form of attack permitted. A fighter who is knocked down must get up unassisted for the fight to continue. A fight takes place in three-minute rounds with one minute rest between each round.

    Styles

    • Great featherweight fighters are renowned for their craft, speed and skill rather than brute strength. BBC Sport reported on a legendary world featherweight title fight between Willie Pep and Sandy Sadler, stating the fight showcased all the skills featherweight boxing has to offer. Defensive artist Pep was reported to have won rounds without throwing a punch.

    Risks

    • Featherweight fighters are known to go to extreme measures to make the weight. Making the weight can sometimes lead to a fighter entering the ring dehydrated and drained. After former featherweight world champion Davey Moore tragically died during a fight, making the weight was cited as a possible cause.