Lightweight Champions
At 135 lb the lightweight title is split across four sanctioning bodies, and the division has produced some of boxing's most celebrated names. This guide covers the belts, what it takes to unify them, and the retired greats who defined the weight. For the markets tied to title fights, see title-fight betting.
The four belts
The WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO each sanction a lightweight world title, so the division can carry up to four champions at once. A boxer holding two or more is unified; holding all four makes them undisputed. The lineal title, separate from any belt, follows the idea of "the man who beat the man". When champions meet to combine belts, you will see those bouts in title-fight betting.
All-time greats
Lightweight history is rich: Benny Leonard and Ike Williams in the earlier eras, Roberto Duran as the defining lightweight great, and Pernell Whitaker's masterful defensive work. South Africa's Dingaan Thobela, "The Rose of Soweto", won the WBO lightweight title in 1990 and the WBA version in 1993 after beating Tony Lopez in a rematch, and later moved up to take a WBC super-middleweight title in 2000. Today's holders and their prices live on the sportsbook.
Frequently asked questions
What does undisputed mean at lightweight?
An undisputed lightweight champion holds all four world titles at once: the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO. Holding two or three of them makes a fighter unified rather than undisputed.
Has South Africa had a lightweight world champion?
Yes. Dingaan Thobela, known as The Rose of Soweto, won the WBO lightweight title in 1990 and the WBA lightweight title in 1993, making him one of the country's most beloved champions.