If you are new to the sport (or even if you aren’t) understanding boxing can be difficult, with its global associations, weight divisions and belts / titles.
According to our friends at DAZN:
There are 17 weight classes in professional boxing, and five major recognised belts for each of the divisions:
- The WBA (World Boxing Association)
- WBC (World Boxing Council)
- IBF (International Boxing Federation)
- WBO (World Boxing Organization)
- The Ring.
There are four recognised major bodies in boxing
- WBA
- WBC
- IBF
- WBO.
- The Ring title is awarded by American boxing magazine, The Ring, and has been done since 1922.
The mixture of belts and champions means that there is only a rare occasion when a class can be fully unified to produce an undisputed champion.
Why so many weight classes?
According to The Bleacher Report:
Bleacher Report:
In theory, this creates a safer environment for competitive boxing matches and offers a chance for fighters who would otherwise be a tad too small or a tad too large for one of the original divisions to become champions.