How to get fighters to fight in their Natural Weight classes...would this work?

[Benny Leonard]

This topic was brought up with the Pac vs. Floyd possible fight.

Pac weighs in at 147 for his 135 pound fights. This past fight he weighed in at 149 {correct me if I'm wrong}. When Pac fights at 140, he will probably stick at 149 for his fight time weight. How is he able to do this? Like most fighters, they dehydrate for the weigh-in and then rehydrate by fight time. So, they are not 140 pound fighters by fight time.

Floyd, who fights at 147, fights at around 149 come fight time.

So why is one fighter fighting at 135-140 division, and the other at 147 division?

And why is it that fighters at 135 can weigh-in at 147 come fight time?

Or in other words, why was Pac allowed to fight at 135...or Margarito who weighs like 160 pounds by fight time allowed to fight as a Welterweight?


So I wonder...If, they were to make new rules up could it change the face of boxing for the better. Not only to make it more fair for the fighters to face fighters their own weight, but for the safety of the fighters as well since we wouldn't have to have fighters draining themselves and trying to put back weight on for the fight. Or over-training themselves during the training camp to make weight. Remember Gatti vs. Gamache?

For example: We have Floyd and Pac, both weigh 149 pounds for their fights. 149 is closer to 147 so let's put them in the Welterweight class. They can lose two pounds.

Rules: A fighter must weigh-in at 147 one day before the fight or, 147 the day of the fight. If a Fighter is over the 147 limit by the next weigh-in, which will be 3 hours before the fight, he will be deducted money from his paycheck...unless, it is put in the contract for a 5 pound wiggle room. If that is the case, then anything over 5 pounds you are deducted money. And, if you are over that 5 pound limit and the opponent no longer once to fight you because of the unfair advantage and now since we have to cancel the fight...you are suspended from boxing for 1 year. I'll think about if I want to make it harsher to avoid what I just said. Maybe 2-3 years might kick their ass in gear to stay on weight.

This way, fighters will have to fight at their healthy weight. Because if they don't, one of two things will happen: One, if they don't make weight and are over the limit, they are out of work for the next 1-3 years. In this case, I'm for the 5 pound wiggle room. Two: If they have to over-train and drain themselves for the fight because they wanted an unfair advantage of fighting a smaller opponent, they will wind up like Oscar; dead by fight time.

It's the fighter’s risk. So what will he choose? Fighting at a healthy weight or taking the risk of showing up dead by fight time?





Add your thoughts and corrections.

[ferocity]

What needs to happen is go back to the 8 weight divisons.

Edger Sosa's last opponet weighed in 20 pounds over the weight limit come fight time and still got ko'd.

Less divisons would be the answer and 15 rounds need to be brought back if not only for the rematchs and trilogys.

[them_apples]

This topic was brought up with the Pac vs. Floyd possible fight.

Pac weighs in at 147 for his 135 pound fights. This past fight he weighed in at 149 {correct me if I'm wrong}. When Pac fights at 140, he will probably stick at 149 for his fight time weight. How is he able to do this? Like most fighters, they dehydrate for the weigh-in and then rehydrate by fight time. So, they are not 140 pound fighters by fight time.

Floyd, who fights at 147, fights at around 149 come fight time.

So why is one fighter fighting at 135-140 division, and the other at 147 division?

And why is it that fighters at 135 can weigh-in at 147 come fight time?

Or in other words, why was Pac allowed to fight at 135...or Margarito who weighs like 160 pounds by fight time allowed to fight as a Welterweight?


So I wonder...If, they were to make new rules up could it change the face of boxing for the better. Not only to make it more fair for the fighters to face fighters their own weight, but for the safety of the fighters as well since we wouldn't have to have fighters draining themselves and trying to put back weight on for the fight. Or over-training themselves during the training camp to make weight. Remember Gatti vs. Gamache?

For example: We have Floyd and Pac, both weigh 149 pounds for their fights. 149 is closer to 147 so let's put them in the Welterweight class. They can lose two pounds.

Rules: A fighter must weigh-in at 147 one day before the fight or, 147 the day of the fight. If a Fighter is over the 147 limit by the next weigh-in, which will be 3 hours before the fight, he will be deducted money from his paycheck...unless, it is put in the contract for a 5 pound wiggle room. If that is the case, then anything over 5 pounds you are deducted money. And, if you are over that 5 pound limit and the opponent no longer once to fight you because of the unfair advantage and now since we have to cancel the fight...you are suspended from boxing for 1 year. I'll think about if I want to make it harsher to avoid what I just said. Maybe 2-3 years might kick their ass in gear to stay on weight.

This way, fighters will have to fight at their healthy weight. Because if they don't, one of two things will happen: One, if they don't make weight and are over the limit, they are out of work for the next 1-3 years. In this case, I'm for the 5 pound wiggle room. Two: If they have to over-train and drain themselves for the fight because they wanted an unfair advantage of fighting a smaller opponent, they will wind up like Oscar; dead by fight time.

It's the fighter’s risk. So what will he choose? Fighting at a healthy weight or taking the risk of showing up dead by fight time?





Add your thoughts and corrections.

Pac was 148 in his last fight, not 149. He made 135 and came to fight at 146? A lot of the weight is in his legs, this is why he looks small at 147 but makes weight easily.

I think a good division is 140 for him.

[mrlopez]

What needs to happen is go back to the 8 weight divisons.

Edger Sosa's last opponet weighed in 20 pounds over the weight limit come fight time and still got ko'd.

Less divisons would be the answer and 15 rounds need to be brought back if not only for the rematchs and trilogys.

Damn, i actually agree with you, but one minor correction...
Yes to only 8 divisions

As for 15 rounders, i agree, but only for Championship fights......

[Horus]

This topic was brought up with the Pac vs. Floyd possible fight.

Pac weighs in at 147 for his 135 pound fights. This past fight he weighed in at 149 {correct me if I'm wrong}. When Pac fights at 140, he will probably stick at 149 for his fight time weight. How is he able to do this? Like most fighters, they dehydrate for the weigh-in and then rehydrate by fight time. So, they are not 140 pound fighters by fight time.

Floyd, who fights at 147, fights at around 149 come fight time.

So why is one fighter fighting at 135-140 division, and the other at 147 division?

And why is it that fighters at 135 can weigh-in at 147 come fight time?

Or in other words, why was Pac allowed to fight at 135...or Margarito who weighs like 160 pounds by fight time allowed to fight as a Welterweight?


So I wonder...If, they were to make new rules up could it change the face of boxing for the better. Not only to make it more fair for the fighters to face fighters their own weight, but for the safety of the fighters as well since we wouldn't have to have fighters draining themselves and trying to put back weight on for the fight. Or over-training themselves during the training camp to make weight. Remember Gatti vs. Gamache?

For example: We have Floyd and Pac, both weigh 149 pounds for their fights. 149 is closer to 147 so let's put them in the Welterweight class. They can lose two pounds.

Rules: A fighter must weigh-in at 147 one day before the fight or, 147 the day of the fight. If a Fighter is over the 147 limit by the next weigh-in, which will be 3 hours before the fight, he will be deducted money from his paycheck...unless, it is put in the contract for a 5 pound wiggle room. If that is the case, then anything over 5 pounds you are deducted money. And, if you are over that 5 pound limit and the opponent no longer once to fight you because of the unfair advantage and now since we have to cancel the fight...you are suspended from boxing for 1 year. I'll think about if I want to make it harsher to avoid what I just said. Maybe 2-3 years might kick their ass in gear to stay on weight.

This way, fighters will have to fight at their healthy weight. Because if they don't, one of two things will happen: One, if they don't make weight and are over the limit, they are out of work for the next 1-3 years. In this case, I'm for the 5 pound wiggle room. Two: If they have to over-train and drain themselves for the fight because they wanted an unfair advantage of fighting a smaller opponent, they will wind up like Oscar; dead by fight time.

It's the fighter’s risk. So what will he choose? Fighting at a healthy weight or taking the risk of showing up dead by fight time?





Add your thoughts and corrections.

I was just about to write a thread BOUT THIS topic..but good job...
and i still might write a thread about this topic....but I think
just like the old days...SAME DAY WEIGH INS SHOULD BE IN FORCED...

[BattlingNelson]

I was just about to write a thread BOUT THIS topic..but good job...
and i still might write a thread about this topic....but I think
just like the old days...SAME DAY WEIGH INS SHOULD BE IN FORCED...

So back to the good old days with Ray Mancini and Dok Koo Kim?

Surely you're joking.

[Guest]

Margaret goodmanm vegas fight physician, seems to think this is a good idea in an article she wrote in the ring.

http://www.thering-online.com/blog/41/5_steps_that_can_taken_now_to_improve_boxer_safety/

[Guest]

So back to the good old days with Ray Mancini and Dok Koo Kim?

Surely you're joking.

Yeah, the big issue is if it's better or worse MEDICALLY.

I haven't seen any conclusive studies on the matter.

[lefthook2daliva]

I was just about to write a thread BOUT THIS topic..but good job...
and i still might write a thread about this topic....but I think
just like the old days...SAME DAY WEIGH INS SHOULD BE IN FORCED...

My understanding of why things are as they are is this:

With same day weigh-in the fighters were so dehydrated that they actually had less brain-fluid (cerbrospinal fluid, I think?) to act as a shock absorber when they take head shots and the doctors figured that this added to the risk of brain injury. So they went to day before weigh-ins to allow the fighters to rehydrate to a point where this risk was somewhat reduced.

If this is correct, I think the powers-that-be chose the lesser of 2 evils.

Anybody have better info on this?

[Left Hook Tua]

This topic was brought up with the Pac vs. Floyd possible fight.

Pac weighs in at 147 for his 135 pound fights. This past fight he weighed in at 149 {correct me if I'm wrong}. When Pac fights at 140, he will probably stick at 149 for his fight time weight. How is he able to do this? Like most fighters, they dehydrate for the weigh-in and then rehydrate by fight time. So, they are not 140 pound fighters by fight time.

Floyd, who fights at 147, fights at around 149 come fight time.

So why is one fighter fighting at 135-140 division, and the other at 147 division?

And why is it that fighters at 135 can weigh-in at 147 come fight time?

Or in other words, why was Pac allowed to fight at 135...or Margarito who weighs like 160 pounds by fight time allowed to fight as a Welterweight?


So I wonder...If, they were to make new rules up could it change the face of boxing for the better. Not only to make it more fair for the fighters to face fighters their own weight, but for the safety of the fighters as well since we wouldn't have to have fighters draining themselves and trying to put back weight on for the fight. Or over-training themselves during the training camp to make weight. Remember Gatti vs. Gamache?

For example: We have Floyd and Pac, both weigh 149 pounds for their fights. 149 is closer to 147 so let's put them in the Welterweight class. They can lose two pounds.

Rules: A fighter must weigh-in at 147 one day before the fight or, 147 the day of the fight. If a Fighter is over the 147 limit by the next weigh-in, which will be 3 hours before the fight, he will be deducted money from his paycheck...unless, it is put in the contract for a 5 pound wiggle room. If that is the case, then anything over 5 pounds you are deducted money. And, if you are over that 5 pound limit and the opponent no longer once to fight you because of the unfair advantage and now since we have to cancel the fight...you are suspended from boxing for 1 year. I'll think about if I want to make it harsher to avoid what I just said. Maybe 2-3 years might kick their ass in gear to stay on weight.

This way, fighters will have to fight at their healthy weight. Because if they don't, one of two things will happen: One, if they don't make weight and are over the limit, they are out of work for the next 1-3 years. In this case, I'm for the 5 pound wiggle room. Two: If they have to over-train and drain themselves for the fight because they wanted an unfair advantage of fighting a smaller opponent, they will wind up like Oscar; dead by fight time.

It's the fighter’s risk. So what will he choose? Fighting at a healthy weight or taking the risk of showing up dead by fight time?





Add your thoughts and corrections.

it's normal for guys to put on 10% of their weigh in weight.

guys at 135 are normally around 145-150 fight night.

it's fine the way it is.

if you weigh in guys the day of the fight it'll only hurt the fighters health.

even if you do a weigh in right before the fight guys will still cut weight and they'd be lacking in fluids.

this is not the old days , benny.

it is what it is.