light heavyweight

American  

noun

1. a boxer or other contestant intermediate in weight between a middleweight and a heavyweight, especially a professional boxer weighing up to 175 pounds (80 kilograms).

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light heavyweight British  

noun

1. Also called (in Britain): cruiserweight. 

   1. a professional boxer weighing 160–175 pounds (72.5–79.5 kg)

   2. an amateur boxer weighing 75–81 kg (165–179 pounds)

   3. ( as modifier )

      a light-heavyweight bout

2. a wrestler in a similar weight category (usually 192–214 pounds (87–97 kg))

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Etymology

Origin of light heavyweight

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

light heavyweight

On Saturday, Fieri attended UFC 327 in Miami, where Carlos Ulberg defeated Jiří Procházka by first-round knockout to become the new UFC light heavyweight champion.

From Salon ● Apr. 14, 2026

Frank was also flown to Riyadh earlier this year by Turki Al-Sheikh, a prominent figure in Saudi Arabian sports relations, to attend the high-profile rematch between Bivol and Beterbiev for the undisputed light heavyweight title.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2025

Chinese light heavyweight Zhang Mingyang had the most spectacular finish on the undercard, knocking out Brendson Ribeiro with a dynamite combination in the first round of his UFC debut.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 17, 2024

“Whatever they give me now is not what it was worth 10 years ago,” said Ramzi Hassan, 61, a San Diego retired light heavyweight who recently was paid $18,600.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 28, 2023

The boxing match pitted Bob Foster, a black American and the light heavyweight champion of the world, against a white challenger from South Africa.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane