The Bantamweight Division in boxing has a rich history. ​The earliest recorded mention of a boxing bantamweight dates back to the 1850s. Initially, it covered all weights up to 116 lb, but this was prior to the advent of the Flyweight Division.

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The bantamweight division was officially established in 1889 by the Amateur Boxing Association of England Ltd (ABA). The first title fight with gloves in this weight class occurred in 1889 between Chappie Moran and Ray Lewis.

At that time, the limit for bantamweight was 110 pounds. In 1910, the British settled on a limit of 118 pounds for this division.

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Since then, bantamweight has been a fiercely contested division, stocked with storied champions who often went on to greater fame in one of the heavier fighters.

Certainly, the division has had a plethora of impressive pugilists:

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1. Abe Attell

2. Marco Antonio Barerra

3. Many Pacquiao

4. Eusebio Pedrosa

5. Bernard Taylor

6. Jeff Fenech 

7. Danny "Little Red" Lopez

8. and Salvador Sanchez

Sanchez might have ended up being considered the best fighter ever to lace up gloves in the bantamweight division had his career not been cut short. In 1982, Sanchez was pushing his car's speed limit when an accident occurred, tragically killing the young fighter.

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That said, in December 13, 2022, Naoya Inoue achieved a historic accomplishment by becoming the first undisputed champion of the bantamweight division in a weight class that boasted four different titles. Inoue now ranks among the best bantamweights and also among the Patheon of great boxers.

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