Cruiserweight
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
-
This article is about a weight class in boxing, for the weight class in professional wrestling see Cruiserweight (professional wrestling).
Cruiserweight is a weight class in boxing between heavyweight and light heavyweight. The current weight limit for the division is 200 pounds, but this limit dates from 2003. When originally established, the weight limit was 190 pounds (although for a few years during the 1980's the World Boxing Council (WBC) set the limit at 195 pounds).
The division was established in order to accommodate smaller heavyweight boxers who could not compete with the growing size of boxers in that division. While many great heavyweight champions (such as Rocky Marciano and Joe Louis) weighed around 190 pounds in their career, during the 1970's it became fairly standard that heavyweight boxers weighed 220 pounds or 230 pounds. It was felt by many boxing authorities that asking men weighing between 176 pounds and 190 pounds to fight these larger men was unfair.
The WBC was the first boxing organization to recognize the cruiserweight division when it sanctioned a bout between Marvin Camel and Mate Parlov on December 8, 1979, for their version of the title. That fight was a draw, but in the rematch in March of 1980 Camel won and became the first cruiserweight champion. In 1982 the World Boxing Association recognized Ossie Ocasio as their first cruiserweight champion when he defeated South African Robbie Williams (although at that time the WBA called the division "junior heavyweight"). The International Boxing Federation followed suit in 1983 when it matched former WBC champion Marvin Camel against Rick Sekorski for their inaugural title. Camel one and became the first IBF cruiserweight champion.
This division has received little respect from many boxing writers. This is partially because it is common that after some success at this weight, good cruiserweights decide to add some weight and campaign in the heavyweight division. This is what happened with the first unified cruiserweight champion, Evander Holyfield. After unifying the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles, he moved up to the heavyweight division in 1989. Other notable champions in the division have been Bobby Czyz, Virgil Hill, Alfred Cole, Orlin Norris, and James Toney. The current champion -- the first to unify all three titles since Holyfield -- is O'Neil Bell.
[edit] Professional Champions
[edit] References
- The Complete Idiot's Guide to Sports History & Trivia by Bill Schweizer, Michael McGovern, page 171 ISBN 0-02-863963-4
