Muay Thai, similar to other combat sports, has weight classes which are essential for maintaining the sport's integrity and fairness. This post explores the weight classes in Muay Thai, What are they? What are the different weight classes? Why do they even have weight classes? and How are weights checked before a fight?
What are Weight Classes in Muay Thai?
Weight classes are weight limits put in place before a fight to ensure fighters will be matched up against opponents of similar weights. Fighters will typically agree on a fight weight several weeks before a fight in order to allow time for weight cutting if needed. Throughout a fighters career they will typically tend to fight around the same weight divisions.
What is the Purpose of Weight Classes in Muay Thai?
The main purpose of weight classes in Muay Thai is to ensure fair competition so that neither fighter stands to gain a weight advantage. By categorising fighters into weight divisions, the sport promotes matchups where skill, technique and strategy are the determining factors, rather than a sheer weight difference.
Typical Muay Thai Weight Classes
Weight classes can vary depending on the organisation, region or sanctioning body, with the most common listed below. If you're looking for organisation specific divisions, here are the most popular Muay Thai weight divisions by organisations listed below:
How Important is Cutting Weight?
Cutting weight is a crucial part of competitive Muay Thai, a fighter will reduce their body weight over several weeks through dieting and intense physical training. On the morning of weigh in day a fighter will typically cut water weight
