1. A weight class division in combat sports, for fighters heavier than those in the lightweight division and lighter than those in the middleweight division
   "The welterweight bout was the highlight of the evening"
    
2. A professional boxer who weighs between 141 and 147 pounds
   "The welterweight champion defended his title in a gruelling 12-round match"
    
3. An amateur boxer who weighs no more than 148 pounds
   "The young welterweight showed promise in his first amateur boxing tournament"
    
4. A wrestler who weighs 154-172 pounds
   "The welterweight wrestler pinned his opponent in the final seconds of the match"
    
5. A weight of 28 pounds; sometimes imposed as a handicap in a horse race (such as a steeplechase)
   "The champion horse carried a welterweight handicap in the race"

Derived forms: welterweights

Type of: boxer, gladiator, grappler, prizefighter, pugilist, weight, weight class, weight unit, wrestler

Encyclopedia: Welterweight