Light flyweight
Template:Short description Light flyweight, also known as junior flyweight or super strawweight, is a weight class in boxing.
Professional boxing
The weight limit at light flyweight in professional boxing is 108 pounds (49 kilograms). When New York legalized boxing in 1920, the law stipulated a "junior flyweight" class, with a weight limit of 99 pounds. When the National Boxing Association was formed in 1921, it also recognized this weight class. However, on January 19, 1922, the NBA decided to withdraw recognition of the junior flyweight division. On December 31, 1929, the New York State Athletic Commission also abolished the junior flyweight class. No champion had been crowned in this division prior to its abolition.[1]
The World Boxing Council (WBC) decided to resurrect this division in the 1970s. The first champion in this division was Franco Udella, who won the WBC title in 1975. The World Boxing Association also crowned its first champion in 1975, when Jaime Rios defeated Rigoberto Marcano via fifteen-round decision. The first International Boxing Federation champion was Dodie Boy Peñalosa, who won the belt in 1983.
The first light flyweight "superfight" took place on March 13, 1993, when Michael Carbajal, the IBF champion, knocked out WBC champion Humberto González to unify the championship. Their rematch, on February 19, 1994, was the first time a light flyweight fighter (Carbajal) made a million dollar purse.
Current world champions
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| Sanctioning body | Reign began | Champion | Record | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WBA | December 17, 2025 | René Santiago | 15–4 (9 KO) | 0 |
| WBC | March 15, 2026 | Shokichi Iwata | 15–2 (11 KO) | 0 |
| IBF | June 19, 2025 | Thanongsak Simsri | 39–1 (34 KO) | 0 |
| WBO | March 13, 2025 | René Santiago | 15–4 (9 KO) | 1 |
Current The Ring world rankings
As of December 28, 2025.[2]
Keys:
- Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content. C Current The Ring world champion
| Rank | Name | Record | Title(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | vacant | ||
| 1 | René Santiago | 15–4 (9 KO) | WBO, WBA |
| 2 | Carlos Cañizales | 28–3–1 (20 KO) | WBC |
| 3 | Thanongsak Simsri | 39–1 (34 KO) | IBF |
| 4 | Kyosuke Takami | 10–1 (8 KO) | |
| 5 | Shokichi Iwata | 14–2 (11 KO) | |
| 6 | Regie Suganob | 16–1 (6 KO) | |
| 7 | Christian Araneta | 25–3 (6 KO) | |
| 8 | Erick Badillo | 17–0 (8 KO) | |
| 9 | Masataka Taniguchi | 19–5 (13 KO) | |
| 10 | Sivenathi Nontshinga | 13–2 (10 KO) |
Amateur boxing
At the Summer Olympic Games, the division is defined as up to 49 kilograms.
Olympic champions
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- 1968 – Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1972 – Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1976 – Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1980 – Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1984 – Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1988 – Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1992 – Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 1996 – Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 2000 – Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 2004 – Template:FlagIOCathlete
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- 2012 – Template:FlagIOCathlete
- 2016 – Template:FlagIOCathlete
European champions
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- 1969 – Template:Flagicon György Gedó (HUN)
- 1971 – Template:Flagicon György Gedó (HUN)
- 1973 – Template:Flagicon Vladislav Sasypko (URS)
- 1975 – Template:Flagicon Aleksandr Tkachenko (URS)
- 1977 – Template:Flagicon Henryk Średnicki (POL)
- 1979 – Template:Flagicon Shamil Sabirov (URS)
- 1981 – Template:Flagicon Ismail Mustafov (BUL)
- 1983 – Template:Flagicon Ismail Mustafov (BUL)
- 1985 – Template:Flagicon René Breitbarth (GDR)
- 1987 – Template:Flagicon Nszan Munczian (URS)
- 1989 – Template:Flagicon Ivailo Marinov (BUL)
- 1991 – Template:Flagicon Ivailo Marinov (BUL)
- 1993 – Template:Flagicon Daniel Petrov (BUL)
- 1996 – Template:Flagicon Daniel Petrov (BUL)
- 1998 – Template:Flagicon Sergey Kazakov (RUS)
- 2000 – Template:Flagicon Valeriy Sydorenko (UKR)
- 2002 – Template:Flagicon Sergey Kazakov (RUS)
- 2004 – Template:Flagicon Sergey Kazakov (RUS)
- 2006 – Template:Flagicon David Ayrapetyan (RUS)
- 2008 – Template:Flagicon Hovhannes Danielyan (ARM)
- 2010 – Template:Flagicon Paddy Barnes (IRL)
- 2011 – Template:Flagicon Salman Alizade (AZE)
- 2013 – Template:Flagicon David Ayrapetyan (RUS)
Pan American champions
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- 1971 – Template:Flagicon Rafael Carbonell (CUB)
- 1975 – Template:Flagicon Jorge Hernández (CUB)
- 1979 – Template:Flagicon Héctor Ramírez (CUB)
- 1983 – Template:Flagicon Rafael Ramos (PUR)
- 1987 – Template:Flagicon Luis Román Rolón (PUR)
- 1991 – Template:Flagicon Rogelio Marcelo (CUB)
- 1995 – Template:Flagicon Edgar Velázquez (VEN)
- 1999 – Template:Flagicon Maikro Romero (CUB)
- 2003 – Template:Flagicon Yan Bartelemí Varela (CUB)
- 2007 – Template:Flagicon Luis Yáñez (USA)
- 2011 – Template:Flagicon Joselito Velázquez (MEX)
Notable light flyweights
- Iván Calderón
- Michael Carbajal
- Jung-Koo Chang
- Luis Estaba
- Leo Gámez
- Humberto González
- Yoko Gushiken
- Louisa Hawton
- Yuh Myung-woo
- Donnie Nietes
- Saman Sorjaturong
- Román González
- Naoya Inoue
- Ryoichi Taguchi
- Adrián Hernández
- Ricardo López
- Franco Udella
References
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Goldman, Herbert (June 1980), "Junior Divisions", The Ring, 59, no. 4: 74, 75
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Ring ratings: junior flyweight". Retrieved 28 December 2025.
External links
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