Psychological effects of dehydrating to make weight.

[ThePunchingBag]

The thread about Pac saying he might go back down to 140 or even 135 has got me pondering about fighters who regularly dehydrate themselves to fight in their respective weight class.

I believe fighter's like Manny, Cotto, Bradley to name a few are all fighting outside their most effective weight classes because of comfort reasons, not boxing reasons. Their logic is that they'll fight better in the ring if they're not trying so hard to lose weight.

I've heard that dehydrating down to your optimum weight class, the weight at which you are fastest, strongest, and most durable relative to others in the same weight class, can also give you a mental edge.

I've heard many stories of guys having more aggressive attitudes on the day of the fight due to the strict diet and dehydration regimen they've been on for the past month. They take all that aggression out on their opponents and that tends to lead to more exciting fights.

Outside of money reasons, do you think fighters should fight outside of their optimum weight class because of comfort level and more relaxed diet restrictions?

Do you think dehydration and strict diet can make fighters more aggressive in the ring or is this just a myth?

[SlySlickSmooth]

I read more often that it's sexual abstinence in training camps that makes men monsters.

Ask Tony Thompson


"What's going to be the soundtrack for Saturday night for Tony Thompson?"

TT: "I'ma go home and break my wife's hip, I ain't had sex with her in awhile, she's going to feel the pain...."

skip to 3:19 for the bit

[clmags12]

IMO, not worrying about the weight is one less thing to measure before the fight=less stress. Also, if the fighter can make the weight- why couldn't they fight in that class. Same goes for if the fighter comes in a few pounds shy of the limit. Its all up to the fighter.

[pimpgoz]

The thread about Pac saying he might go back down to 140 or even 135 has got me pondering about fighters who regularly dehydrate themselves to fight in their respective weight class.

I believe fighter's like Manny, Cotto, Bradley to name a few are all fighting outside their most effective weight classes because of comfort reasons, not boxing reasons. Their logic is that they'll fight better in the ring if they're not trying so hard to lose weight.

I've heard that dehydrating down to your optimum weight class, the weight at which you are fastest, strongest, and most durable relative to others in the same weight class, can also give you a mental edge.

I've heard many stories of guys having more aggressive attitudes on the day of the fight due to the strict diet and dehydration regimen they've been on for the past month. They take all that aggression out on their opponents and that tends to lead to more exciting fights.

Outside of money reasons, do you think fighters should fight outside of their optimum weight class because of comfort level and more relaxed diet restrictions?

Do you think dehydration and strict diet can make fighters more aggressive in the ring or is this just a myth?

That wouldn't be hard at all for Pac because he has to eat to make weight anyway

[ThePunchingBag]

I read more often that it's sexual abstinence in training camps that makes men monsters.

Ask Tony Thompson


"What's going to be the soundtrack for Saturday night for Tony Thompson?"

TT: "I'ma go home and break my wife's hip, I ain't had sex with her in awhile, she's going to feel the pain...."

skip to 3:19 for the bit

I've heard of this too and it varies from fighter to fighter.

There was even a FightScience episode dedicated to it.

I'm wondering why Pac didn't go back down to 140 to clean up the division, or why Cotto doesn't stay at 147 where he was strongest. I think it's because it's really uncomfortable to dehydrate down time after time and it takes a mental toll. It's simply easier to eat a bit more and fight at a weight division that's not your optimum division if you're capable of finding the right opponents at that weight.

[ThePunchingBag]

IMO, not worrying about the weight is one less thing to measure before the fight=less stress. Also, if the fighter can make the weight- why couldn't they fight in that class. Same goes for if the fighter comes in a few pounds shy of the limit. Its all up to the fighter.

If a fighter hits harder at 140 than at 147 and he can still make 140, why not go back to 140?

[SlySlickSmooth]

If we still had same day weigh ins this wouldnt be much of a problem, but the day before weigh-ins are here for health reasons so whatever. Can't stop fighters abusing the system to weight drain.

Most fighters now move up due to the money or a chance at a title instead of trying to be a monster at a lower weight.

[Luilun]

One thing is if a fighter can't make 152 and is forced it will make a fighter weak I have first hand knowledge not like some idiots here who think 1 or 2 pounds doesn't make a difference. 152 catch weight was made for a reason to benefit the person asking for it. Both had titles at 154 why make a catch weight of 152