AIBA rejigs 3 weight categories in men
From the current 10, the men's weight categories have now gone up to 13 with the minimum weight reduced to 48kg from the current 49kg.
New Delhi: The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has decided to add three weight categories for men and two for women in its competitions from August this year, saying that it will allow a greater pool of boxers to fight in divisions they feel “most strong and comfortable” in.
From the current 10, the men’s weight categories have now gone up to 13 with the minimum weight reduced to 48kg from the current 49kg.
The featherweight (57kg) has been added back to the fold along with the addition of light middleweight (71kg) and the cruiserweight (86kg). The bantamweight has been brought back to 54kg from current 56kg.
The women’s divisions have gone up from 10 to 12 with the addition of light flyweight at 50kg and light middleweight at 70kg.
The decision was taken after “widespread consultation of stakeholders”, including the Competition Committee, the Women’s Committee, and the national federations.
“…the AIBA Board of Directors has voted in favour of amending the weight classes for youth and elite boxers at all AIBA competitions,” the world body said in a letter to the national federations which is in PTI’s possession.
“The Men’s weight categories will increase from ten (10) to thirteen (13), whilst the women’s categories will move from 10 to 12. The new weight categories is in effect from August 1st, 2021,” it stated.
Currently, the Olympic Games has men’s boxing in eight weight divisions and the women’s competition in five categories.
The eight men’s Olympic categories are 52kg, 57kg, 63kg, 69kg, 75kg, 81kg, 91kg, +91kg, while the women’s event is held in 51kg, 60kg, 64kg, 69kg and 75kg.
These weight divisions were notified in 2019 for the upcoming Tokyo Games and had the AIBA’s approval before it was suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administrative and financial irregularities.
At this point, the AIBA competitions do not have the 57kg division for men with 56kg rounded off as bantamweight followed by the lightweight 60kg category.
With the revamped divisions, the weight pool widens significantly in AIBA competitions and allows boxers greater flexibility in deciding their weight divisions.
“It is a fantastic decision, maintaining weight is a pain and the big difference in divisions had made it all the more difficult for the boxers. This would allow their bodies some breathing space,” said former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist and Olympian Akhil Kumar.
The new weight categories:
Elite and Youth men boxers: Minimum weight (48kg), Flyweight (51kg), Bantamweight (54kg), Featherweight (57kg), Lightweight (60kg), Light Welterweight (63.5kg), Welterweight (67kg), Light Middleweight (71kg), Middleweight (75kg), Light Heavyweight (80kg), Cruiserweight (86kg), Heavyweight (92kg), Super Heavyweight (92kg).
Elite and youth women boxers: Minimum weight (48kg), Light Flyweight (50kg), Flyweight (52kg), Bantamweight (54kg), Featherweight (57kg), Lightweight (60kg), Light Welterweight (63kg), Welterweight (66kg), Light Middleweight (70kg), Middleweight (75kg), Light Heavyweight (81kg), Heavyweight (+81kg).
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