About this whole "2 division title defense" and Leonard vs Lalonde

I was about to make a topic on this a couple of months ago when I first watched that fight. It made no sense then, and it made no sense now. For that fight, both Leonard and Lalonde weigh in under the SMW but fought for both SMW and LHW belts. How does that work? I am well aware that a fighter may choose to weigh in under the division limit if he so chooses, hell, he could even weigh in under the lower division's limit (to a severe disadvantage) if he wants to. Cotto could have weigh 154 or less against Martinez and still win the MW belt, as long as the boxer is not over the division's limit, all is well and they can fight for the division's belt, right? Therefore you can have a welterweight (who is technically in weight to defend a WW title) fighting for a JMW belt AGAINST a jr middleweight. scenario A: the welterweight's opponent is over 147. He could fight for the JMW belt, but not the WW belt. Logical enough. scenario B (Leonard vs Lalonde, and likely Floyd vs TBA): Both guys under the WW limit. Technically they can both fight, for both belts, but I imagine there would be a catchweigh. No biggie, titles have been won at catchweights before. But can a JMW title be won at a catchweight that FORCES you to weigh in UNDER THE JMW MINIMUM/AT WW MAXIMUM, the same way you're obligated to be 147 max for a welterweight fight?? A JMW catchweight fight at the welterweight limit. I got a name for that, a WELTERWEIGHT fight. What I'm trying to say is that there is no logical argument (at least I can't see one) to justify fighting for a division's title belt when you're not allowed to be even a quarter pound over the previous division's limit. The only valid reasoning imo, would be if both fighters willingly weigh in under the smaller division's limit, without an actual catchweight being forced on them. I know, it sounds pointless and rhetorical, and it probably is. Money talks, and rules can be bent and broken. I'd just like to know the community's thoughts on the matter.

Comments (6)

I always find it strange how boxing fans insist that belts and titles are irrelevant then get all pissed off about people fighting outside the regular weight boundaries.

11y ago

Kagami_Taiga

And Leonard actually weighed 159 but at the weigh in wore a jump suit with 30-50 silver dollar coins in his pockets lol. The whole thing was a farce. And I believe that was the first ever fight at 168 which they just created (probably specifically for that fight). It was a really good fight tho. That gets Lost in all the side talk. It was a very good fight and had a great finish

11y ago

Hougigo

It's a gimmick.... a stupid one. But might as well

11y ago

AwesomeO

Leonard wanted to be ahead of Hearns in the divisional titles categories, and the WBC is shameless, so they put both the 168 and 175 titles at stake. Leonard and the WBC were criticized when it happened. Sucks that Lalonde had to go down a full division to get the fight, but Leonard held the leverage. Where else was Lalonde gonna make $5 million +? Of course, it almost got him murdered by Teddy Atlas.

11y ago

Ryn0

I'm not sure a catchweight was involved with Lalonde vs Leonard. Catchweights blur everything and i'm not in favour of them. But there was a lot of discussion on the Mayweather thread, and it seems pointless to bring it all here. Lalonde had to weight 168 or less, he had spent more or less his entire career at 175. Lalonde did say however that he had absolutely no trouble making 168.

11y ago

techliam

11y ago