A featherweight boxer weighs in at a limit of between 122 pounds and 126 pounds. In the early days of the division, the upper limit fluctuated. The British have generally always recognized the limit at 126 pounds, but in America the weight limit was at first 114 pounds. An early champion, George Dixon, moved the limit to 120 and then 122 pounds. Finally, in 1920 the United States fixed the limit at 126 pounds.

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The 1860 fight between Nobby Clark and Jim Elliott is sometimes called the first Featherweight Championship bout. However, the division only gained wide acceptance in 1889 after the Ike Weir–Frank Murphy fight (one of the most famous fights of all time).

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Since the end of the 2000s and early 2010s the featherweight division has been one of the most active in boxing with fighters such as Orlando Salido, Chris John, Juan Manuel López, Celestino Caballero, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Rafael Márquez, Naseem Hamed, Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquiao.

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Notable Featherweight Champions throughout the life of the division are on the following list:

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1. Manny Pacquiao

2. Juan Manuel Lopez

3. Alexis Arguello

4. Willie Pep

5. Sandy Sadler

6. Salvador Sanchez

7. Jackie Wilson

8. Marco Antonio Barrera

9. Henry Armstrong

10. Jeff Fenech

11. Eder Jofre

12. Azumah Nelson

13. Ultimo "Sugar" Ramos

14. Kid Chocolate

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Actually, it's a good thing the bantamweights boast such a terrifically consistent list of excellent fighters. It was certainly difficult for the 126 pounders to gain worldwide recognition. However, the fighters at 126 pounds forced the public to notice them by matching the best against the best:

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1. Salvador Sanchez vs Danny "Red" Lopez

2. Azumah Nelson vs Salvador Sanches (twice)

3. Willie Pep vs Sandy Sadler trilogy

4. The great Alexis Arguello vs the equally respected Ruben Oliveres

5. Henry Armstrong, seemingly against every fighter who laced up gloves in division after division.