welterweight

American  

[wel-ter-weyt] / ˈwɛl tərˌweɪt /

noun

1. a boxer or other contestant intermediate in weight between a lightweight and a middleweight, especially a professional boxer weighing up to 147 pounds (67 kilograms).

2. (in a steeplechase or hurdle race) a weight of 28 pounds (13 kilograms) that is assigned to a horse in addition to the poundage assigned based on the age of the horse.

3. a rider of steeplechase or hurdle-race horses who, though acting as a jockey, is of comparatively average weight and not small or lightweight as a professional jockey; heavyweight rider.

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welterweight British  

/ ˈwɛltəˌweɪt /

noun

1. 1. a professional boxer weighing 140–147 pounds (63.5–66.5 kg)

   2. an amateur boxer weighing 63.5–67 kg (140–148 pounds)

   3. ( as modifier )

      a great welterweight era

2. a wrestler in a similar weight category (usually 154–172 pounds (70–78 kg))

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Usage

What does welterweight mean? The word welterweight is most commonly used in boxing to refer to the weight class between lightweight and middleweight. Weight classes are divisions in which all boxers must be under a certain weight limit. The word is also commonly used to refer to a boxer in this weight class, as in The next bout is between two welterweights. Such boxers are sometimes called welters for short. The word welterweight is used in these same ways in other sports that have weight classes, such as mixed martial arts and wrestling. The specific maximum weight for the welterweight division varies based on the sport, the organization, and whether it applies to men or women. In amateur and Olympic boxing, the weight limit for the welterweight class is 69 kilograms (152 pounds) for both men and women. In professional boxing, the limit is about 67 kilograms (147 pounds). There is also a super welterweight division with a limit of about 70 kilograms (154 pounds). Weight classes are enforced by weighing competitors before a match at what’s called a weigh-in. The word welterweight is also used in horse racing to refer to a weight added to a horse in steeplechase or a hurdle race—or to a rider who is not classified as lightweight. Example: I’m dropping down to welterweight so I need to cut some weight before the next weigh-in.

Etymology

Origin of welterweight

First recorded in 1815–25; welter ² + weight

Example Sentences

Conor Benn says WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia is "good for boxing" but believes the American is a "liability".

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

The more traditional path for Price's next fight would have been an undisputed welterweight title fight with WBO champion Mikaela Mayer.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Theories abound that Mayweather recognized his enduring marketability when Pacquiao fought astonishingly well in a draw against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in 2025.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026

It was a long-awaited matchup between two of the biggest names in the boxing world that ultimately earned Mayweather the World Boxing Council, World Boxing Assn. and World Boxing Organization welterweight titles.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026

In the latter state, he seemed a flimsy dingy-blond youth of medium height, fleshless and perhaps sunken-chested; disrobing revealed that he was nothing of the sort, but, rather, an athlete constructed on a welterweight scale.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote