The WBC has added an eighteenth weight class, the [horribly named] bridgerweight division to its official rankings. Bridgerweight will sit between heavyweight and cruiserweight, with a division limit of 200 - 224 pounds. According to the WBC, the sanctionig body "will contact through the month of November boxers who compete in cruiserweight and heavyweight to confirm in which category they wish to be listed. However, there will be a six-month grace period to handle correctly each situation and any fighter listed in bridgerweight may compete in the heavyweight division... [the] new division... is the necessary bridge to serve the large number of boxers who are between 200 and 224 pounds. This name is inspired by that hero of humanity, that 6 year-old boy who during the pandemic heroically saved his 4 year-old sister from an attack by a wild dog…Yes, this new division is inspired by Bridger Walker!"
Modern boxing was born in England in the 1800s. After some rules were stablished boxing continued and eventually the the National Sporting Club created the eight original divisions to group into categories by weight in search of similar competition level between the contenders, these being the following:
Fly 112
Bantam 118
Feather 126
Light 135
Welter 147
Middle 160
Light heavy 175
Heavy 176 and above
The New York Boxing Commission implemented three more divisions in 1909:
Super bantam 122
Super feather 130 and
Junior welter 140
Eventually the World Boxing Council introduced six more divisions addressing the urgent need to reduce the difference in weight between divisions which demanded great physical sacrifices with dangerous practices of dehydration, or the fact that going up to the next division meant giving away a lot of advantage having to face much heavier and stronger boxers. The additions were:
Straw 105
Light fly 108
Super fly 115
Junior middle 154
Super middle 168 and
cruiser (originally 190, now) 200.
While the problem in most divisions was largely addressed, the natural growth of humanity has generated important changes in the major divisions. 10 years ago, the WBC decided to move the cruiserweight limit from 190 to 200 pounds considering the weight of the athletes, as they have grown impressively.
The major division, the heavyweight means the maximum glory. The world heavyweight champion has traditionally been recognized as the most important athlete in the world, the invincible, the gladiator. The heavyweight world champion, initially started at 176 pounds;
Analyzing the following data , it is clearly shown that in the 20th century there were champions with weights well below the current weights in the heavyweight division (Not a complete list of champions):
Jack Dempsey: 187 lbs
Gene Tunney: 189 lbs
Max Schmelling: 188 lbs
Jack Sharkey: 205 lbs.
Max Baer: 209 lbs
Jim Braddock: 193 lbs
Joe Louis: 197 lbs
Ezzard Charles: 181 lbs.
Joe Walcott Jersey: 194 lbs
Rocky Marciano: 184 lbs,
Floyd Patterson: 182 lbs.
Ingemar Johannson: 196 lbs
Sonny Liston: 214 lbs.
Muhammad Ali: 210 lbs.
Joe Frazier: 205 lbs
George Foreman: 217 lbs.
Leon Spinks: 197 lbs.
Larry Holmes: 209 lbs.
Michael Spinks: 200lbs
Mike Tyson: 221 lbs
Buster Douglas: 231 lbs
Evander Holyfiled: 208 lbs
Riddick Bowe: 235 LBS.
Lennox Lewis: 235 lbs
Now in the 21st century we see the different weights on the heavyweight division
Hasim Rahman: 238 lbs
Lennox Lewis: 253 lbs
Oleg Maskaev: 238 lbs
Sam Peter: 250lbs
Vitali Klitschko: 247lbs.
Bermaine Stiverne: 239 lbs.
Deontay Wilder: 219lbs
Tyson Fury: 273 lbs.
