featherweight

Featherweight is a weight class used in several combat sports and, more generally, a term for something of light weight. In boxing, featherweight is the division for fighters who weigh up to 126 pounds (57.15 kg) at the official weigh-in. It sits between bantamweight (up to 118 pounds) and the next division, super featherweight (also known as junior lightweight) up to 130 pounds. In amateur or Olympic-style boxing, the corresponding limit is 57 kilograms.

In professional boxing, the featherweight tier has a long history and is one of the traditional divisions that helps organize matchups by size. The naming reflects historical conventions that paired weight classes with familiar everyday references for relative heaviness or lightness, with featherweight signaling the lighter end of the spectrum.

In mixed martial arts, featherweight refers to a different weight band, typically up to 145 pounds (66 kg) in major promotions such as the UFC. This class is used for both men and, in some organizations, women, though exact limits can vary by promotion and jurisdiction.

Beyond sports, featherweight is also used metaphorically to describe objects or persons of very light weight, as in “a featherweight champion” or “featherweight luggage,” underscoring a sense of extreme lightness.

See also: weight class, boxing weight divisions, MMA weight classes.