Fighters putting on many pounds on fight night...

[pistol whip]

Maybe your weight drained comment is right but, I think it is a little bit ****** that in a welterweight bout, both or just on of the fighters are going into the ring as a middleweight (in pounds)... make bouts more fair.

It is fair because both fighters have the same option to fight at whatever weight they want come fight night. One thing a lot of you are over looking is maybe some of these smaller fighters are fighting outside their natural weight classes themselves. If you fight at junior middle all your career and then jump up to Middleweight you go into that weight class with full knowledge that you are gonna be fighting bigger stronger guys. So whos fault is it really?

[Kid McCoy]

It is fair because both fighters have the same option to fight at whatever weight they want come fight night. One thing a lot of you are over looking is maybe some of these smaller fighters are fighting outside their natural weight classes themselves. If you fight at junior middle all your career and then jump up to Middleweight you go into that weight class with full knowledge that you are gonna be fighting bigger stronger guys. So whos fault is it really?

No fair would be making fighters fight in their natural weight class. Not allowing them to boil down to an unnatural weight class and then pile on the pounds again in the two days after the weigh-in, giving them the chance of having a 10-15lbs weight advantage over an opponent. If you can't fight healthily at 147lb on fight night, then you aren't a welterweight and shouldn't be competing as one, which is why they should revert to same day weigh-ins.

[pistol whip]

No fair would be making fighters fight in their natural weight class. Not allowing them to boil down to an unnatural weight class and then pile on the pounds again in the two days after the weigh-in, giving them the chance of having a 10-15lbs weight advantage over an opponent. If you can't fight healthily at 147lb on fight night, then you aren't a welterweight and shouldn't be competing as one, which is why they should revert to same day weigh-ins.

The thing is who determines whats healthy and whats not? And again how is it a big welterwights fault when a junior welter fighter decides he wants to move up is weightclass and no matter how hard the smaller guy tries to bulk up the heaviest he weighs on fight night is just 2-3 pounds over the 147 weight limit. How is it the bigger boxers fault when it's really the smaller fighter who is barely making weight.

[Spacey1991]

The thing is who determines whats healthy and whats not? And again how is it a big welterwights fault when a junior welter fighter decides he wants to move up is weightclass and no matter how hard the smaller guy tries to bulk up the heaviest he weighs on fight night is just 2-3 pounds over the 147 weight limit. How is it the bigger boxers fault when it's really the smaller fighter who is barely making weight.

Yeah but if your fighting in a welterweight bout, especially for a welterweight title, you should be the weight of a welterweight on the night... well I did say that I think they should be able to put on weight after weigh-in... but if there is a 5 pound limit then it would make it more fair because otherwise you are a middleweight fighting in a welterweight bout for a welterweight title... it kind of loses the meaning of weight classes. I am not saying it is anybodies fault... if fighters are given the opportunity to weight a bit more on the fight... thus making them stronger... obviously they are going to take advantage of it. I just think that they should put a limit on it because it is taking away the meaning of what weight classes are. Just my opinion...

[pistol whip]

Yeah but if your fighting in a welterweight bout, especially for a welterweight title, you should be the weight of a welterweight on the night... well I did say that I think they should be able to put on weight after weigh-in... but if there is a 5 pound limit then it would make it more fair because otherwise you are a middleweight fighting in a welterweight bout for a welterweight title... it kind of loses the meaning of weight classes. I am not saying it is anybodies fault... if fighters are given the opportunity to weight a bit more on the fight... thus making them stronger... obviously they are going to take advantage of it. I just think that they should put a limit on it because it is taking away the meaning of what weight classes are. Just my opinion...

Thats all fine and dandy but basically it is just a technicality that they weigh in a bit more on fight night and at the same time if no real advantages are being given away then who cares as long as less boxers are dying. Seriously do we really need to keep all our boxing traditions even if it causes boxers to lose their lives in the ring?

I think we can let this one go because the end does justify the means.

[Kid McCoy]

The thing is who determines whats healthy and whats not? And again how is it a big welterwights fault when a junior welter fighter decides he wants to move up is weightclass and no matter how hard the smaller guy tries to bulk up the heaviest he weighs on fight night is just 2-3 pounds over the 147 weight limit. How is it the bigger boxers fault when it's really the smaller fighter who is barely making weight.

That's the issue though. Fighters shouldn't be bulking up between the weigh-in and stepping into the ring. They should be fighting at the weight they weigh in at.

Weigh-ins were pushed back to a couple of days before the fight because they wanted to stop boxers turning up for fights dehydrated. The downside is that many boxers have exploited this loophole to squeeze into divisions they shouldn't be fighting in, knowing they have 48 hours to rehydrate into their natural weight.

That's how a natural welter light De La Hoya was able to win belts at 130 and 135. He only weighed those weights for the few seconds he was on the scales, and was probably 10-15lbs over by fight night, giving him a substantial physical advantage over the natural 130lbers he was facing.

If there was appropriate medical supervision at weigh-ins, it could easily be determined whether a boxer was healthy and fit to fight. If was dehydrated, then the fight just wouldn't take place.

[Sealhound]

Problem with same day weigh ins...

Boxers strip lots of water from their bodies to slim down and lose those last few pounds. However, this dehydration also means the fluid around the brain and other organs is lost and so they are more easily damaged, especially the brain which will rattle in the skull if a fighter is especially dehydrated. The overnight stock up or food and water allows the body to protect the organs again with the necessary fluids.

I believe this way is safer but I admit, it is tough for some boxers who have body types that are not good for this. A counter example could be P. Williams who comes in up to 164 pounds (supermiddle) for his welterweight contests (147) which is obscene. However, if he slimmed down to welterweight for a same day weigh in he would probably get seriously hurt as he would not have been able to rehydrate enough before the fight.

[pistol whip]

That's the issue though. Fighters shouldn't be bulking up between the weigh-in and stepping into the ring. They should be fighting at the weight they weigh in at.

Weigh-ins were pushed back to a couple of days before the fight because they wanted to stop boxers turning up for fights dehydrated. The downside is that many boxers have exploited this loophole to squeeze into divisions they shouldn't be fighting in, knowing they have 48 hours to rehydrate into their natural weight.

That's how a natural welter light De La Hoya was able to win belts at 130 and 135. He only weighed those weights for the few seconds he was on the scales, and was probably 10-15lbs over by fight night, giving him a substantial physical advantage over the natural 130lbers he was facing.

If there was appropriate medical supervision at weigh-ins, it could easily be determined whether a boxer was healthy and fit to fight. If was dehydrated, then the fight just wouldn't take place.

All your points are valid but only in a perfect world where money and fame are not involved. Fighters are gonna boil down or bulk up no matter what in order to get a pay day so lets be realistic for a min. The current weigh in rules are safe and keep fighters from dying. The real solution is making sure smaller fighters are not bulking up and taking on weight classes that are just to big for them. Case and point Zab Judah who is moving down to 140. He just might resurrect his career against fighters that are more his size rather than taking on monsters like Clotty.

[Spacey1991]

Problem with same day weigh ins...

Boxers strip lots of water from their bodies to slim down and lose those last few pounds. However, this dehydration also means the fluid around the brain and other organs is lost and so they are more easily damaged, especially the brain which will rattle in the skull if a fighter is especially dehydrated. The overnight stock up or food and water allows the body to protect the organs again with the necessary fluids.

I believe this way is safer but I admit, it is tough for some boxers who have body types that are not good for this. A counter example could be P. Williams who comes in up to 164 pounds (supermiddle) for his welterweight contests (147) which is obscene. However, if he slimmed down to welterweight for a same day weigh in he would probably get seriously hurt as he would not have been able to rehydrate enough before the fight.

Yeah... I understand what you mean there and that is fair... it is a health and safety hazard for fighters to fight when dehydrated because it can cause them harm, etc.

However, if you dehydrate yourself a few days before the fight... and then put on lets say 15 pounds... it diminishes the meaning of weight classes. If a fighter dehydrates himself to fight at welterweight (147) and comes in at around 164 (super middleweight) as you stated... then maybe they shouldn't be fighting as a welterweight and maybe should be fighting as a middleweight instead.

So I think... if they have a limit of 5 pounds extra on fight night... it will be fairer and will not take away the meaning of what a weight class is... and if your still dehydrated at 152 if your fighting in a welterweight bout (as i said they should have a 5 pound limit) then maybe they shouldn't be fighting at welterweight. I think we just have different opinions on the situation (I am not saying your opinion is wrong, nobodies opinion is wrong) .

[Kid McCoy]

All your points are valid but only in a perfect world where money and fame are not involved. Fighters are gonna boil down or bulk up no matter what in order to get a pay day so lets be realistic for a min. The current weigh in rules are safe and keep fighters from dying. The real solution is making sure smaller fighters are not bulking up and taking on weight classes that are just to big for them. Case and point Zab Judah who is moving down to 140. He just might resurrect his career against fighters that are more his size rather than taking on monsters like Clotty.

What is safe about a boxer facing an opponent from his own division who outweighs him by 15-20lbs? Say Floyd Mayweather takes on Paul Williams. PBF won't weigh much more than the welter limit, but Williams will weigh around 160 in the ring. That's not a fair fight, yet until recently they were in the same division.

If there is such a disparity between their weights then they should not be in the same division. At the very least there should be a limit on how much a fighter can bulk up between the weigh-in and fight night.