Strawweight, also frequently referred to as minimumweight or mini-flyweight, is the lightest weight class in professional men's boxing. [1, 2]
The division has a strict upper limit of 105 pounds (47.6 kg). Any fighter stepping onto the scales at the official weigh-in must weigh exactly 105 pounds or less to compete in this division. [1, 2, 3]
Key Details of the Division
The Naming Variations: The division's name depends entirely on the sanctioning body overseeing the fight. The WBC, WBA, and IBF officially call it minimumweight. The WBO calls it mini-flyweight. Fans and media commonly use strawweight. (Note: In Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), strawweight is different and has a limit of 115 pounds). [1, 2, 3]
History: It is one of the newer "tweener" divisions in the sport. It wasn't formally recognized by major boxing sanctioning bodies until 1987, when the IBF crowned the first champion. [1]
Fighting Style: Because the fighters are exceptionally light, strawweight bouts are famous for their blistering speed, relentless stamina, and high-volume punching. One-punch knockouts are rarer compared to the heavyweight divisions; instead, fights are highly technical and fast-paced "chess matches" fought at an incredible work rate. [1, 2, 3]
Geographic Dominance: Historically, the talent pool and most dominant champions in this division come heavily from Asia (particularly Thailand and Japan) and Latin America, where smaller stature frames are more common among athletes. [1]