Bantamweight

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Bantamweight is a weight class in combat sports and weightlifting. For boxing, the range is above 115 lb (52.2 kg) and up to 118 lb (53.5 kg). In kickboxing, a bantamweight fighter generally weighs between 53 and 55 kilograms (117 and 121 lb). In MMA, bantamweight is 126–135 lb (57.2–61.2 kg).

The name for the class is derived from bantam chickens.^[1] Brazilian jiu-jitsu has an equivalent Rooster weight.

The first gloved world title fight in this division was fought between George Dixon and Nunc Wallace on June 27, 1890, with Dixon winning and thus becoming the inaugural world bantamweight champion. At the time, the limit for this weight class was 110 pounds. In 1910, however, the British settled on a limit of 118.^[2]

From 2018 to 2019, an eight-man tournament called the World Boxing Super Series was held to determine the best bantamweight in the world. The tournament was won by Naoya Inoue, who defeated Nonito Donaire in the final.

On December 13, 2022, Naoya Inoue became the first undisputed champion of the division in the four-belt era.

Sanctioning body	Reign began	Champion	Record	Defenses
WBA	Dec 1, 2025	Seiya Tsutsumi	12–0–3 (8 KO)	1
WBC	November 24, 2025	Takuma Inoue	21–2 (5 KO)	0
IBF	December 13, 2025	José Salas	17–0 (11 KO)	0
WBO	May 6, 2024	Christian Medina	26–4 (19 KO)	0

As of September 24, 2025.^[3]

Keys:

 C  Current The Ring world champion

Rank	Name	Record	Title(s)
C	vacant
1	Seiya Tsutsumi	12–0–3 (8 KO)
2	Christian Medina	26–4 (19 KO)	WBO
3	Ryosuke Nishida	10–1 (2 KO)
4	Takuma Inoue	20–2 (5 KO)
5	Daigo Higa	21–3–3 (19 KO)
6	Antonio Vargas	19–1–1–1 (11 KO)	WBA
7	Yoshiki Takei	11–1 (9 KO)
8	Tenshin Nasukawa	7–0 (2 KO)
9	Jason Moloney	27–4 (19 KO)
10	Jeyvier Cintrón	13–1–0–1 (6 KO)

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

	Name	Title reign	Title recognition	Successful defenses	Beaten opponents	Fights
1.	Anselmo Moreno	6 years, 3 months, 26 days	WBA	12	11	[4]
2.	Veeraphol Sahaprom	6 years, 3 months, 17 days	WBC	14	11	[5]
3.	Orlando Canizales	6 years, 3 months, 16 days	IBF	16	15	[6]
4.	Shinsuke Yamanaka	5 years, 9 months, 9 days	WBC	12	11	[7]
5.	Tim Austin	5 years, 6 months, 26 days	IBF	9	9	[8]
6.	Hozumi Hasegawa	5 years, 14 days	WBC	10	10	[9]
7.	Panama Al Brown	4 years, 9 months, 28 days	NYSAC, NBA, IBU	10	8	[10][11]
8.	Naoya Inoue	4 years, 7 months, 13 days	WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO	8	7	[12]
9.	Eder Jofre	4 years, 6 months	NBA, WBA, WBC	8	8	[13]
10.	Manuel Ortiz	4 years, 4 months, 29 days	World	15	11	[14]

  Active Title Reign

  Reign has ended

• George Dixon (1890) Vacated

• Jimmy Barry (1897–1899) Retired

• Terry McGovern (1899) Vacated

• Harry Harris (1901) Vacated

• Harry Forbes (1901–1903)

• Frankie Neil (1903–1904)

• Joe Bowker (1904–1905) Vacated

• Jimmy Walsh (1905–1909)

• Jimmy Reagan (1909)

• Monte Attell (1909–1910)

• Frankie Conley (1910–1911)

• Johnny Coulon (1911–1914)

• Kid Williams (1914–1917)

• Pete Herman (1917–20)

• Joe Lynch (1920-21)

• Pete Herman (1921) (2)

• Johnny Buff (1921-1922)

• Joe Lynch (1922-1924)

• Abe Goldstein (1924)

• Eddie Martin (1924-1925)

• Charley Phil Rosenberg (1925-1927) Vacated

• Al Brown (1931-1935)

• Baltasar Sangchili (1935-1936)

• Tony Marino (1936)

• Sixto Escobar (1936-1937)

• Harry Jeffra (1937-1938)

• Sixto Escobar (1938-1939) (2) Vacated

• Lou Salica (1940-1942)

• Manuel Ortiz (1942-1947)

• Harold Dade (1947)

• Manuel Ortiz (1947-1950)

• Vic Toweel (1950-1952) South Africa

• Jimmy Carruthers (1952-1954) Retired

• Robert Cohen (1954-1956)

• Mario D'agata (1956-1957)

• Alphonse Halimi (1957-1959)

• Jose Becerra (1959-1960) Retired

• Eder Jofre (1961-1965)

• Masahiko Harada (1965-1968)

• Lionel Rose (1968-1969)

• Ruben Olivares (1969-1970)

• Jesus Castillo (1970-1971)

• Ruben Olivares (1971-1972) (2)

• Rafael Herrera (1972)

• Enrique Pinder (1972-1973)

• Romeo Anaya (1973)

• Arnold Taylor (1973-1974)

• Soo-Hwan Hong (1974-1975)

• Alfonso Zamora (1975-1977)

• Jorge Luján (1977-1980)

• Julian Solis (1980)

• Jeff Chandler (1980-1984)

• Richard Sandoval (1984-1986)

• Jose Canizales (1986)

• Bernardo Piñango (1986-1987) Vacated

• Naoya Inoue (2022-2023) Vacated

In kickboxing, a bantamweight fighter generally weighs between 53 kg (116 lb) and 55 kg (120 lb). However, some governing bodies have slightly different classes. For example, the International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) Bantamweight division (professional and amateur) is 117.1 lbs.–122 lbs. or 53.22 kg–55.45 kg.

In ONE Championship, the bantamweight division limit is 65.8 kg (145 lb).

The bantamweight division limit generally differs among bare-knuckle boxing promotions:

• In Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, the bantamweight division has an upper limit of 135 lb (61 kg).
• In BKB, the bantamweight division has an upper limit of 73 kg (161 lb).

In International Lethwei Federation Japan, the bantamweight division is up to 60 kg (130 lb). In International Lethwei Federation Japan, Yuta Hamamoto is the Bantamweight Champion.

The World Lethwei Championship recognizes the bantamweight division with an upper limit of 54 kg (119 lb). In World Lethwei Championship, Souris Manfredi is the Bantamweight Champion.

In MMA, bantamweight is usually 126–135 pounds (57.2–61.2 kg). In ONE Championship, the bantamweight division limit is 65.8 kg (145 lb). In Shooto, the limit is 56 kg (123.4 lb).

These tables were last updated in December of 2025.

  Active title reign

  Active title reign (interim)

Men:

Organization	Reign Began	Champion	Record	Defenses
UFC	December 6, 2025	Petr Yan	20-5-0 (7KO 1SUB)	0
ONE Championship	December 6, 2025	Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu	14-3-0 (3KO 6SUB)	0
Rizin FF	September 29, 2024	Naoki Inoue	20-4-0 (2KO 9SUB)	2
Absolute Championship Akhmat	February 28, 2025	Josiel Silva	23-7-0 (12KO 2SUB)	1
Brave Combat Federation	November 7, 2025	Borislav Nikolić	15-2-0 (6KO 8SUB)	0
Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki	January 25, 2025	Sebastian Przybysz	14-4-0 (1) (5KO 5SUB)	1
CFFC	July 18, 2025	Sean Mora	7-1-0 (1KO 2SUB)	0
Cage Warriors	November 25, 2023	Liam Gittins	13-5-0 (7KO 3SUB)	2
Pancrase	December 24, 2023	Tokitaka Nakanishi	12-4-0 (1KO 5SUB)	0
Jungle Fight	June 24, 2023	Tiago Pereira	9-0-0 (3KO 3SUB)	3
Legacy Fighting Alliance	November 14, 2025	Artem Belakh	11-2-0 (2KO 7SUB)	0
Shooto	September 21, 2025	Kanata Nagai	9-0-1 (3KO 1SUB)	0
Oktagon MMA	N/A	Vacant	N/A	N/A
DEEP	March 29, 2024	Ryuka Fukuda	25-9-1 (12KO 1SUB)	1

Women:

Organization	Reign Began	Champion	Record	Defenses
UFC	June 7, 2025	Kayla Harrison	19–1–0 (6KO 8SUB)	0
Invicta FC	December 13, 2024	Jennifer Maia	23-10-0 (1) (4KO 5SUB)	0
CFFC	July 18, 2025	Emily Martins	4-1-0 (0KO 4SUB)	0
Deep Jewels	N/A	Vacant	N/A	N/A
Legacy Fighting Alliance	N/A	Vacant	N/A	N/A
Jungle Fight	N/A	Vacant	N/A	N/A
Oktagon MMA	August 9, 2025	Lucia Szabová	10-0-0 (3KO 5SUB)	0

In Muay Thai, bantamweight is 115–118 pounds (52.2-53.5 kg). A notable Muai Thai bantamweight fighter is Randy Thong Phoun Phim.

Wrestling also has similar weight classes including bantamweight.

• Reigning boxing champions