Comments Thread For: Zuffa Boxing announces the eight divisions it will recognize

[SteveM]

I like it the way it is now although I'd do away with 105. There's an argument to be made for a division between LHW and cruiserweight - a 25lb jump is massive.
One of the reasons for introducing new weight classes, apart from money, is some men just don't fit naturally to the old-time eight divisions. With less champions there'd be even more of a backlog of fighters waiting for a chance. - there was a story here this week about some guy who is something like 30-0 or 30/1 and he's 33 years old and he never could get a shot at a belt at 130lbs so now he's had to jump to 135.
Not convinced that suddenly Zuffa is going to run the perfect organisation and every single fighter will get his chance when the time is right.

[Moz_boxing]

Excellent start, I'm liking this so far. Makes sense to keep Cruiser, otherwise it's the classic 8.

The super/junior divisions were mostly about sanctioning body greed. 17 divisions and 68 'world' champions (without counting secondary belts) has done nothing to further the sport.

How many fights did you have and how many weight cuts did you do? How much weight did you cut and how many natural bigger men did you fought and how many fights did you lose due to that?

One of the things almost every MMA/UFC fighter agreed in the past and current is that there are not enough weight classed and it even led to fighters leave the organization by their choice because they didn't have the weight class of them this concerned several fighters between 155 and 170 which are the UFC light and welterweight.

Now we get to the big problem of boxing but a even way bigger problem of the UFC. Weight cuts by dehydrating yourself. The UFC fighters are either forced to cut weight (or being 30 pounds smaller compared to the opponent) crazy amounts of weight 20-30 pounds is what the top fighters cut and put back on by hydrating this is all amplified by not having enough weight classes. You watched UFC weight cuts over the last years/decades? You will see things that you never saw in boxing from people collapsing to cheating by holding onto towels or crying because they just can't keep it together several weight cuts had to be stopped and and and. Boxers on the the scales look super healthy compared to UFC fighters. You have a lot of cancellations due to fighters not able to making weight or falling ill you have so many fighters missing weight (every event). But let me tell you the real problem a Boxer receives way more punches to the head and fights under way more fatique than MMA fighters this while being affected from a heavy weight cut your brain still lacking fluids this is a no go and one of the main reasons boxing has so many weight classes.

For the UFC it makes sense to have less weight divisions since they have a super small talent pool and it would not work with more weight classes but in boxing it's just st.pid and dangerous and it shows that these people have no clue about the sport of boxing.

[Moz_boxing]

If you are a fighter, and you feel the need to weight drain yourself 'I think those fighters should leave the sport, and do something else.

Weight divisions are not really a problem; they are only an issue 'when fighters should not really be fighting there'.

Note: I don't really think having 8 weight divisions, will stop certain modern day fighters from weight draining themselves 'but fighters who attempt to compete at weights miles below their more natural fighting weight will suffer the consequences more intensely i.e. losing fights due to not being in optimal condition, and possibly even struggling to complete training camps'.

To conclude: It is quite clear that Zuffa Boxing is mimicking the UFC model 'this will eventually produce a solid product. But in my opinion it is not going to take over the entire sport of boxing, it will just be a nice outlet for boxing at a certain level, and give opportunity to rookie fighters, journey men, or fighters who are struggling to market themselves in the actual global open class side of the sport like Jai Opetaia'.

But overall I have no issue with the 8 weight classes; they are well established boxing weight classes 'very easy to understand' etc.

It did not work for the UFC and by your logic every UFC fighter should leave the sport. In UFC EVERY fighters cuts at least 15 pounds but a lot and the majority cutting 30 pounds. Alex Perreira one of their biggest stars was cutting from 220 to 185. Mcgregor was literally dead on the weigh ins at featherweight cutting 25+. Look at Khabib or Makhachev these guys all cut 30 pounds.
Boxing having more weight classes prevented this from happenin, here we usually cut 10 pounds and in extrem cases 15-20 pound but 30+ pounds of weight cutting by pure dehydration is insane. I'm talking about guys weigh in 155 and the next day fighting at 185-190 pound. Not a guy starting his training camp 30 pound heavier because he is fat like Benavidez or so many others.

[dannnnn]

I'd add flyweight in as well personally, but other than that it's perfect. Fewer weight classes and one champion per division is the ideal for me. I know people hate Dana White but I just don't care, boxing has become way too bloated and unmanageable in its current state.

A fresh start that looks like it actually has some legs to it and sufficient money behind it? I'm all for it.

[dannnnn]

It did not work for the UFC and by your logic every UFC fighter should leave the sport. In UFC EVERY fighters cuts at least 15 pounds but a lot and the majority cutting 30 pounds. Alex Perreira one of their biggest stars was cutting from 220 to 185. Mcgregor was literally dead on the weigh ins at featherweight cutting 25+. Look at Khabib or Makhachev these guys all cut 30 pounds.
Boxing having more weight classes prevented this from happenin, here we usually cut 10 pounds and in extrem cases 15-20 pound but 30+ pounds of weight cutting by pure dehydration is insane. I'm talking about guys weigh in 155 and the next day fighting at 185-190 pound. Not a guy starting his training camp 30 pound heavier because he is fat like Benavidez or so many others.

I don't think more weight classes would have made any difference in those cases you mentioned (Pereira, McGregor, Khabib and Islam). Those guys were going to cut the maximum amount their bodies could handle regardless. The weight cutting process is different in MMA because it's derived from wrestling. It's more sophisticated and more severe than in boxing, though some boxers like Haney and Benavidez are also adopting those methods to good effect.

Yes, there are some fighters who are kind of stuck between weight classes and would benefit from an extra 5lbs of leeway, but the championship calibre fighters in particular are all going to cut the absolute maximum they can handle no matter what. Look at Dillashaw cutting to flyweight for example.

[Coverdale]

How many fights did you have and how many weight cuts did you do? How much weight did you cut and how many natural bigger men did you fought and how many fights did you lose due to that?

One of the things almost every MMA/UFC fighter agreed in the past and current is that there are not enough weight classed and it even led to fighters leave the organization by their choice because they didn't have the weight class of them this concerned several fighters between 155 and 170 which are the UFC light and welterweight.

Now we get to the big problem of boxing but a even way bigger problem of the UFC. Weight cuts by dehydrating yourself. The UFC fighters are either forced to cut weight (or being 30 pounds smaller compared to the opponent) crazy amounts of weight 20-30 pounds is what the top fighters cut and put back on by hydrating this is all amplified by not having enough weight classes. You watched UFC weight cuts over the last years/decades? You will see things that you never saw in boxing from people collapsing to cheating by holding onto towels or crying because they just can't keep it together several weight cuts had to be stopped and and and. Boxers on the the scales look super healthy compared to UFC fighters. You have a lot of cancellations due to fighters not able to making weight or falling ill you have so many fighters missing weight (every event). But let me tell you the real problem a Boxer receives way more punches to the head and fights under way more fatique than MMA fighters this while being affected from a heavy weight cut your brain still lacking fluids this is a no go and one of the main reasons boxing has so many weight classes.

For the UFC it makes sense to have less weight divisions since they have a super small talent pool and it would not work with more weight classes but in boxing it's just st.pid and dangerous and it shows that these people have no clue about the sport of boxing.

Boxing did perfectly well with the original 8 weight classes. Adding more has done nothing to stop fighters making ridiculous weight cuts, as you well know.

[Coverdale]

So if you're a 154 pounder, do you go up to 160 and be outsized by those guys, or drain yourself even more to make 147?

You fight at middleweight like fighters did historically and turn up fully hydrated.

[Coverdale]

I like it the way it is now although I'd do away with 105. There's an argument to be made for a division between LHW and cruiserweight - a 25lb jump is massive.
One of the reasons for introducing new weight classes, apart from money, is some men just don't fit naturally to the old-time eight divisions. With less champions there'd be even more of a backlog of fighters waiting for a chance. - there was a story here this week about some guy who is something like 30-0 or 30/1 and he's 33 years old and he never could get a shot at a belt at 130lbs so now he's had to jump to 135.
Not convinced that suddenly Zuffa is going to run the perfect organisation and every single fighter will get his chance when the time is right.

So you're in favour of 68 'world' champions with four competing sets of rankings per division?

[Spray_resistant]

Its not like the divisions won't exist anymore so they're just handicaping fighters who would be better off and more competitive in the jr and super divisions.

[Coverdale]

Trash decision, the weight classes aren't the problem. The number of belts per division is the problem, and Zuffa is adding one more belt and not getting rid of any.

They're both the both problem, which is why there is so much dilution in each weight class.