All in the Game: Feathers, farewell
The featherweight division, is to be struck out of amateur boxing after a century. AIBA will drop the 57 kg limit this time next year, cutting international divisions from eleven to ten.
Way back in Young Griffo’s era the feathers were an established marker on the nine-stone class, with small shifts to suit the key contestants.
Now, for the Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur, the key contestants are – females.
The IOC already limited the number of contestants in boxing.
To make room for women’s boxing at the London 2012 Olympic Games -- AIBA is introducing three female divisions called flyweight to 51 kg, lightweight to 60 kg and middleweight to 75 kg -- men’s boxing loses 28 places.
The men’s weight divisions remain unchanged seven from lightweight to super-heavyweight. Below these come mini-fly 49, flyweight 52 and bantamweight which at 56 is close to the expelled feather mark.