Making the weight - A serious issue

Hi guys,

I was watching last weeks Ringside and they had an interesting debate on making the weight. They had scenes of people having to be held up at a weigh in. This sort of thing is so dangerous to someones weight it's unbelievable that this can be accepted in a professional sport. Even in the amateurs this would be a disgrace.

Barry McGuigan was saying that in Chavez Jr's last fight he weighed in 20lbs heavier on fight night after the weigh in the previous day.

There were some interesting takes on what would be the best approach to try tackle the problem...

- One was taking weight in between fights so that fighters can't balloon up and then boil down, Hatton the prime example.

- Second was that if fighters weigh more than 10lbs between weigh in and a few hours before the fight they shouldn't be allowed fight. Controversial maybe but at the end of the day the governing bodies and trainers do have a duty to protect the health of their fighters. Ultimately it's down to the fighter not to balloon up but we all know this will never be the case.

Another positive could POTENTIALLY be that it will stop catchweights and weight class jumping. This could lead to unified champions as more fighters would only be able to fight at one weight class. I think this would increase the value of world titles more than they are worth now and maybe cause some governing bodies to collapse. This would lead to the best having to fight the best which is what we all want of course.

I was just wondering what would you guys change about making the weight if you were in control? Do you feel the lack of weight jumping would increase the popularity of the sport and increase the value of a world title?

Thanks for reading guys.

I don't think there's a better solution than what we have now. Any limits on fight night will just lead to guys going into the ring dehydrated.

Would go back to on the day weigh ins, am by no means an expert on this but have read many previously arguing that the benefits of weighing in the day before are negligible and are counterblanced by the fact that as you have said many pile on huge amounts of weight in the 24 hour period between weigh in and fight time.

However the reality is fighters will always take risks with their bodies to gain perceived advantages and cutting weight to get down to lower divisions is unfortunately unlikely to stop irrespective of what measures are put in place.

Ive often wondered what exactly is a dangerous amount of weight advantage between fight night and weigh in?

Ultimately I think the most danger occurs when a fighter is physically weight drained in the ring, as opposed to being fully hydrated but giving away a weight advantage. I would rather give away 15lbs pounds but feel physically strong than give away 2lbs but feel physicaly weak.

I feel that it works both ways. Puttin on more then 20lbs in 24 hours is not going to be beneficial as you think if the fight progresses into the later rounds.

Joe Calzaghe was asked what he ate after the weigh in, his reply everything and anything thats in the fridge and kitchen.

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:I feel that it works both ways. Puttin on more then 20lbs in 24 hours is not going to be beneficial as you think if the fight progresses into the later rounds.

It's not so much from a beneficial side, it's from a health perspective. You can hydrate really quick but you lose it just as quick as you go toilet more. Hydration should be gradual to work correctly.

Do you guys think it would stop weight jumping and keeping guys at natural weights? That it would mean the best fighting the best at their division?

Yesterday there was the post about Naz basically clearing up his division and not getting as much credit as a guy being a two weight world champion without truly deserving it. Surely weight jumping is reducing the value of a belt?

One of the most logical suggestions I've heard is of a 5% weight gain limit between the weigh in and the fight, eg for a 140lb fight a fighter can only enter the ring at 147 having rehydrated 5% (7lbs) over his previous days weight. A 160lb fight would constitute an 8lb gain and so on. Of course there is always the risk that fighters may enter the ring dehydrated, but hopefully such a system would discourage fighters from boiling down to an unnatural weight as the system of trying to gain an advantage by packing on 15lb in 24 hours would no longer be an option.

Pedro147 wrote:Do you guys think it would stop weight jumping and keeping guys at natural weights? That it would mean the best fighting the best at their division?

Yesterday there was the post about Naz basically clearing up his division and not getting as much credit as a guy being a two weight world champion without truly deserving it. Surely weight jumping is reducing the value of a belt?

Weight jumping has always occured in boxings history. The main problem is there are too many divisions now. I would see weight jumping as more neccessary if anything now because the divisons are less stacked with talent. Fighters sometimes have to move weights in order to get bigger fights.

Something like "natural weight" is a bit ambiguos because fighters grow and develop and can often feasibly compete in a number of divisions. Especially in the lower weight classes. Take Hatton for example, he is considered a natural light welterweight. But 60 years ago he would have had to be either a natural lightweight or natural welterweight.

as long as they are willing, i dont have any problem with a fighter weighing in at 140lbs and being 160lbs on fight night. thats up to them - they made the agreed weight and the have a right to fight in that division.

if they are being pushed from promoters etc to fight in a division which may not be healthy for them, then yes, it shouldnt happen.