The Bridgerweight division has courted controversy from the outset, with many viewing its introduction as another sanctioning-fee-driven addition to boxing’s already crowded structure.
The 224-pound division never gained real traction inside the sport. With only a handful of fighters consistently operating within it and just seven ranked competitors listed at one stage in June, its lack of depth increasingly became a sore point.
Fighters caught between cruiserweight and heavyweight continued to drift toward the established divisions rather than commit to the new category.
The World Boxing Association has now confirmed it will discontinue recognition of the ‘super cruiserweight’ division, effectively bringing an end to the experiment and closing a short-lived chapter in its weight-class expansion.
WBA Statement
The World Boxing Association said:
“The WBA remains committed to its goal of reducing the number of world champions, and our recent decisions continue to move in that direction.
“In this regard, it is important to note that three recently announced bouts have not been approved by the WBA as of this date.
“Following recent media reports regarding bantamweight, minimumweight and light flyweight world title fights, the WBA clarifies that these bouts have not yet received official approval.
A formal statement from the Championships Committee will follow shortly.”
The decision comes on the same day the WBA promised to reduce the number of titles in circulation for the fourth time in 13 years.
Division Born From Expansion Era
Bridgerweight was first introduced in 2020 by the WBC before being adopted and rebranded by the WBA as “super cruiserweight,” extending the concept of a 200–224-pound division designed to sit between cruiserweight and heavyweight.
The intention was to provide a clearer pathway for fighters who were too large for cruiserweight but not fully established as heavyweights, at a time when the division’s upper end continued to grow in size and physical disparity.
However, from the beginning, the idea struggled to gain acceptance, with many fighters either remaining at cruiserweight or making the jump directly to heavyweight without engaging with the new category.
Struggles on the Scale
By 2026, the rankings reflected the division’s limited traction.
Only a small group of fighters remained active within the structure, with noticeable gaps across the rankings and limited consistent activity at championship level.
Muslim Gadzhimagomedov currently holds the WBA bridgerweight title, while Vartan Arutyunyan holds interim status, but the wider division has failed to establish depth beyond its top names.
Even with champions in place, the division never developed the depth or competitive consistency required to establish long-term credibility.
Despite the WBC and WBA’s intention to create balance between weight classes, participation never followed at the level required to sustain the concept.
End of the Experiment
The WBA’s decision to discontinue recognition of the division effectively brings the experiment to a close, marking a reversal of one of its more recent structural additions.
It also underlines a familiar issue in modern boxing: new weight classes can be introduced quickly, but sustaining them depends entirely on fighter adoption, competitive depth, and long-term relevance inside the sport.
For now, the WBA steps away from the concept it helped formalise, closing the door on a division that never fully achieved the purpose it was created to serve.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with over 15 years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. His work is distributed across major platforms, including Apple News. Read full bio.
