🥊 A boxing weight class 🐎 A horse race weight

welterweight

9.0

A weight of 28 pounds given to a horse in a race to make the race fair

noun
/ˈwɛltərˌweɪt/

Archaic

: peso de 28 libras (arcaico, hípica, Reino Unido)

The race committee set a welterweight handicap of 28 pounds for the horses participating in the event.

Examples

During the race, the Thoroughbred was given a welterweight to level the competition against the lighter contenders.
In steeplechase races, horses assigned a welterweight of 28 pounds can compete with fair ease.
I'd like to see Broner move up in weight now and go after Danny Garcia, Lucas Matthysse, or Lamont Peterson at light welterweight.

Blog text (23)

Compounds

light welterweight

Specialized

1 6.1

A boxing weight class for fighters who weigh about 140 pounds

junior welterweight

Specialized

1 7.2

A boxer who fights in a weight class up to 140 pounds

light welterweight

Specialized

6.8

A boxer who weighs up to 140 pounds or 63 kilograms

Surface Forms

welterweight singular

welterweights plural

Morphology

welterweight = welter + weight (opaque) = welter + weight

Although the parts indicate a relation to 'weight', the specialized meaning 'a weight of 28 pounds' as a racing handicap is arbitrary and cannot be derived from the components.

Etymology

Welterweight in horse racing comes from the same idea: welter once meant a 'heavy load' or burden, and weight is obvious. That's why a welterweight is a set extra weight (about 28 pounds) assigned to a horse as a handicap.