What is "cruiserweight"

n. 1 (context boxing British obsolete English) light heavyweight 2 (context boxing English) A wrestler weighing less than 200lb; heavier than a light heavyweight and lighter than a heavyweight. 3 (context wrestling English) A wrestler weighing less than 210lb; heavier than a light heavyweight and lighter than a heavyweight.

n. a professional boxer who weighs between 169 and 175 pounds [syn: light heavyweight]

Cruiserweight, also referred to as junior heavyweight, is a weight class in professional boxing between light heavyweight and heavyweight. Before the advent of the current cruiserweight class, "light heavyweight" and "cruiserweight" were sometimes used interchangeably in the United Kingdom.

The current weight limit for the division is 200 pounds (14 stone 4 pounds / 90.7 kg). When originally established, the weight limit was 190 pounds (86.2 kg). The division was established in order to accommodate smaller heavyweight boxers who could not compete with the growing size of boxers in that division. While many great heavyweight champions (such as Rocky Marciano and Joe Louis) weighed around 190 pounds in their career, during the 1970s it became fairly standard that heavyweight boxers weighed 220 pounds or 230 pounds. It was felt by many boxing authorities that asking men weighing between 176 pounds and 190 pounds to fight these larger men was unfair.

The WBC was the first boxing organization to recognize the cruiserweight division when it sanctioned a bout between Marvin Camel and Mate Parlov on December 8, 1979, for their version of the title. That fight was a draw, but in the rematch in March 1980 Camel won and became the first cruiserweight champion. In 1982 the World Boxing Association recognized Ossie Ocasio as their first cruiserweight champion when he defeated South African Robbie Williams (although at that time the WBA called the division "junior heavyweight"). The International Boxing Federation followed suit in 1983 when it matched former WBC champion Marvin Camel against Rick Sekorski for their inaugural title. Camel won and became the first IBF cruiserweight champion.

Several boxers moved up to Heavyweight after winning world titles at Cruiserweight. Evander Holyfield unified the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles to become undisputed champion, the first to do so, and then moved up to the heavyweight division in 1988.

Other notable champions in the division have been Bobby Czyz, Tomasz Adamek, Virgil Hill, Al Cole, Orlin Norris, James Toney and David Haye.

Johnny Nelson and Marco Huck jointly hold the record for most consecutive title defenses at this division, with both achieving 13 defenses of the WBO title.

In professional wrestling, a cruiserweight is a wrestler weighing 220 lb (100 kg) and less, sometimes 215. The older term junior heavyweight, which was used to describe the division, is more favored in Japan, where many titles for lighter-weight competitors are called junior heavyweight titles. Prominent titles include New Japan Pro Wrestling's IWGP, Pro Wrestling Noah's GHC, and All Japan Pro Wrestling's World/PWF titles. The weight limit utilized by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Japanese promotions is "up to 220 lbs" (100 kg). Due to the scripted nature of professional wrestling and that the billed weight of wrestlers can be changed, weight classes usually are not strictly enforced as they are in professional boxing and mixed martial arts. New Japan and Noah also have junior heavyweight tag team titles, for teams composed of junior heavyweights. WCW tested such a format with their own title shortly before the company was purchased by World Wrestling Entertainment. Cruiserweight divisions and championships have risen to much greater prominence in wrestling promotions in Japan and Mexico than the United States. Due to the scripted nature of professional wrestling, many American promoters and fans feel that limiting smaller wrestlers by placing them in weight classes relates a message that the smaller wrestlers are inferior to larger ones. While there have been various wrestling companies over the years that have promoted cruiserweight/junior heavyweight titles and divisions in the U.S., they've had comparatively little prominence. For instance, the National Wrestling Alliance is a governing body of professional wrestling and has actively recognized its own junior heavyweight championship since 1945, but few champions have become major pro wrestling stars in the U.S. over the decades while many heavyweight champions have become celebrated icons of the industry.

Cruiserweight was an American rock band from Austin, Texas. The band consisted of vocalist Stella Maxwell, guitarist Urny Maxwell, bassist David Hawkins, and drummer Yogi Maxwell. The band's sound was defined by poppy female vocals, as well as fast, sometimes aggressive instrumentals, while still retaining a pop/punk overtone. The name originated from the boxing weight class of the same name.

Cruiserweight is a term associated with:

• Cruiserweight (boxing), a weight class in boxing between light heavyweight and heavyweight
• Cruiserweight (band), an American rock band from Austin, Texas
• Cruiserweight (professional wrestling), a wrestler weighing below heavyweight
• Cruiserweight (MMA), a weight class in mixed martial arts with an upper weight limit at 230 lb (104.3 kg)