In professional boxing, Super Lightweights range from 135 pounds to 140 pounds. The first champion of this weight class was Pinky Mitchell in 1922. Amazingly, Mitchell gained his title not in the ring per say but by a vote of the readers of the Boxing Blade magazine.

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Even after its inception in 1922, the division has been plagued by a lack of acceptance by the majority of boxing commissions. For example the New York State Athletic Commission withdrew recognition of it in 1930. The National Boxing Association recognized this "tweener" division until the very popular Barney Ross relinquished the title in 1935 to concentrate on regaining the welterweight championship.

While a number of commissions recognized the Super Lightweight division throughout the 1940's, the accepted beginnings of this division is considered to be 1959,  when Carlos Ortiz won the vacant title with a victory over Kenny Lane. At that point in time, the World Boxing Association and the World Boxing Council reached an agreement to sanction the champion of the division itself.

This practice continued until 1967, at which time the WBC stripped Paul Fuji of the title, and then matched Pedro Adigue and Adolph Pruitt for their version of the championship. Adigue won a fifteen-round decision.

Finally, in 1984, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) recognized Aaron Pryor as its first champion in 1984. Hector Camacho became the first World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion by virtue of his victory over Ray Mancini in 1989.

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From its fragmented approval until now, the Super Lgihtweight Division has produced some of boxing's best fighters.  Top names in the division typically came from the Lightweight Division. Fighters used the division as a half-step up to acclimate before going into the heavier welterweight class, Other participantss in the Super Middle Weight division were those who couldn't contend with true welterweight or who moved into the division in search of a title.

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Some of the best-known Super Lightweights include the great Alexis Arguello, his nemesis Aaron Pryor, Carlos Ortiz, Julio Cesar Chavez, Ricky Hatton, Zab Judah, Saoul Mamby, Buddy McGirt and the list goes on.