British Boxing Board Considers New 185-Pound Weight Division

The proposed light cruiserweight class would bridge the 25-pound gap between light heavyweight and cruiserweight to improve fighter safety

The British Boxing Board of Control is considering introducing a new 185-pound light cruiserweight division to bridge the sport’s largest weight difference. Officials believe the proposal could improve fighter safety by creating a more natural progression between light heavyweight and cruiserweight.

The proposal remains in its early stages. BBBofC General Secretary Robert W. Smith recently contacted the board’s license holders to gather feedback before any decision is made.

Explaining the reasoning behind the proposal, Smith pointed to the current 25-pound jump between light heavyweight and cruiserweight.

“One of the reasons is the present 25 lbs between 12 st 7 lbs [light heavyweight] and 14 st 4 lbs [cruiserweight], which is the largest of all divisions. The fact that ‘modern-day’ athletes are larger, stronger, etc., the Stewards feel this would be a significant change in relation to health and safety,” said Smith via Yahoo Sport’s Uncrowned.

If adopted, the new light cruiserweight division would sit between the existing 175-pound light heavyweight limit and the 200-pound cruiserweight limit. The BBBofC believes the additional weight class could provide a safer and more natural progression for fighters who are undersized at cruiserweight but struggle to remain at light heavyweight.

The proposal differs from the WBC’s bridgerweight division, which was introduced in 2020 with a 224-pound limit between cruiserweight and heavyweight. The WBC continues to sanction bridgerweight, but the division has struggled to attract top names and high-profile fights. The WBA also recognized the weight class under the name “super cruiserweight” before discontinuing it earlier this year.

Unlike bridgerweight, the BBBofC’s proposal addresses the longstanding 25-pound gap between light heavyweight and cruiserweight rather than creating another division above cruiserweight. Whether other governing bodies follow Britain’s lead remains to be seen, but the proposal is likely to spark debate over whether boxing needs another weight class or whether this is one of the few additions designed to solve an existing problem.

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