The World Boxing Association has confirmed the creation of an eighteenth division in its ranks, joining the World Boxing Council’s bridgerweight revolution.
WBA chiefs announced this week despite criticism of the 200- to 224-pound weight class since its inception in 2020.
The WBC first approved the abridgment between cruiserweight and heavyweight in 2019. They crowned its first champion a year later when Oscar Rivas took the belt.
Since then, it’s been a less than lukewarm reception for bridgerweight despite those struggling to dent against the bulkier heavies.
The WBA has now validated the WBC in a move that has solidified the stance of having eighteen divisions instead of seventeen.
WBA creates the Super Cruiserweight division
They said: “The WBA Executive Committee approved the creation of the super cruiserweight division in a vote called by the president Gilberto Jesus Mendoza.
“This new division will be between 200 and 224 pounds. Meanwhile, it will be located between the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions.”
World Boxing News predicted a super cruiserweight division as the WBC laid the foundations for the new weight class.
The WBC made its case by pointing out how much heavier the participants had become over the decades.
“While the problem in most divisions was largely addressed, humanity’s natural growth has generated important changes in the major divisions,” said WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.
“Ten years ago, the WBC moved the cruiserweight limit from 190 to 200 pounds. Considering the weight of the athletes, they have grown impressively.
“The major division, the heavyweight, means the maximum glory. The world heavyweight champion has traditionally been recognized as the most important athlete globally, the invincible, the gladiator.
“The heavyweight world champion initially started at 176 pounds.
Smaller heavyweights
“Analyzing the following data, it is clearly shown that in the 20th Century, there were champions with weights well below the current weights in the heavyweight division:
Jack Dempsey: 187 lbs.
Gene Tunney: 189 lbs.
Max Schmeling: 188 lbs.
Jack Sharkey: 205 lbs.
Max Baer: 209 lbs.
Jim Braddock: 193 lbs.
Joe Louis: 197 lbs.
Ezzard Charles: 181 lbs.
Jersey Joe Walcott: 194 lbs.
Rocky Marciano: 184 lbs.
Floyd Patterson: 182 lbs.
Ingemar Johannson: 196 lbs.
Sonny Liston: 214 lbs.
Muhammad Ali: 210 lbs.
Joe Frazier: 205 lbs.
George Foreman: 217 lbs.
Leon Spinks: 197 lbs.
Larry Holmes: 209 lbs.
Michael Spinks: 200 lbs.
Mike Tyson: 221 lbs.
Buster Douglas: 231 lbs.
Evander Holyfield: 208 lbs.
Riddick Bowe: 235 lbs.
Lennox Lewis: 235 lbs.
Bridgerweight
“Now, in the 21st Century, we see the different weights in the heavyweight division:
Hasim Rahman: 238 lbs.
Lennox Lewis: 253 lbs.
Oleg Maskaev: 238 lbs.
Samuel Peter: 250 lbs.
Vitali Klitschko: 247 lbs.
Bermane Stiverne: 239 lbs.
Deontay Wilder: 219 lbs.
Tyson Fury: 273 lbs.
“We have decided to create a new division called “Bridger” [or super cruiserweight to WBN] as it is the necessary bridge to serve the large number of boxers who are between 200 and 224 pounds.”
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer of over thirteen years and has been the Editor of World Boxing News since 2010.
