RJJ didn't really put on much weight for the Ruiz fight

[SplitSecond]

Whenever this subject comes up I always laugh at how many posters try and comment on losing muscle and clearly have no idea what they're talking about. It's like the PED's stuff, everyone is suddenly an expert on a subject if it involves their favourite fighter.

Losing muscle is not really that hard. If you stop working out and just live like a normal person for a couple of months you'll lose quite a bit (depending on how much you had in the first place of course).

It's hard to know what went on behind the scenes though. Some people say that he was thinking of staying at heavyweight so maybe he didn't try to drop the weight until he started training for Tarver. Maybe he went about it the wrong way, there are lots of ways to lose weight, some healthier than others.

Another thing is that it can also be hard not to put muscle back on. If you lose it, then you return to the gym, your muscles will grow quicker than they did the first time around because of muscle memory. This isn't really a problem for most people but I guess if you're a boxer moving down in weight it could be. You may end up gaining weight in training camp despite being healthy and active. I've never heard of that happening with a boxer though, probably because they have experts a lot of the time who know how to avoid it.

I do think that a lot of the claims made by Roy fans are OTT, but it's true that he never looked the same after moving up weight. I think it might have just been an age thing more than anything.

right, so you expect fighters to not train and not eat when going down in weight, are'nt you smart

[Spray_resistant]

If you know anything about being an athlete or training you wouldn't make such dumb remarks. Losing even 10lbs would make a significant difference in one's energy, power, endurance, and overall strength. The biggest mistake for boxers who lose weight is that the lose weight to the targeted weight. In actuality, Roy should have went down to sub 170 and then weight trained to get to about 180 then lose the 5lbs prefight. By doing this the fighter will have some strength, not as much as he had at 200...but at least he won't feel as weak and drained. I went from 190 to about 173 in about 50 to 60 days. At 173 I was so weak and I even felt light headed after workouts. My diet was good as well as my sleeping habit. Its just the fact of losing so much muscle when you lose that much weight it takes time for the body to adjust.

I did the exact same thing going from weight lifting weighing 189 down to 171 for boxing in 2 months.

Sure I wasn't has powerful but wasn't this drained zombie like you guys are claiming Roy was from losing around only 10lbs of muscle over a longer period of time.

Also what is this BS about losing muscle being hard work?

Do any of you know how hard it is to maintain un-natural muscle mass?

I doubt after the Ruiz fight he went right back to training the way he was for the fight just for the slim possibility that he might have another HW fight.

[Clegg]

right, so you expect fighters to not train and not eat when going down in weight, are'nt you smart

Yes, I expect fighters to have points in their lives when they're not in training camp...

I also said nothing about not eating. I said live like a normal person. Do normal people not eat these days?

[supRa]

I don't know who is claiming "25 pounds"... obviously he didn't put on 25 pounds of muscle.

12 - 15lbs is more accurate.

Either way, it was unbelievably noticeable that he was much bigger for the Ruiz right, and for the Tarver fight, he barely had any muscle tone.. and was ass tired by round 4.

Losing 10+lbs of muscle at 35 years old is going to effect you.


Just because people, whoever the hell they are? Are claiming he had to lose 25lbs, doesn't mean he didn't have to lose muscle mass... and it doesn't mean it didn't effect him immensely, especially at 35.

Of course tarver deserves credit for his performance as well.

thank you !

[T.McGrady]

with everything said I believe if jones and tarver would have fought a trilogy a year before they did, Roy would have done much better! Im not saying he'd have nessesarly won all 3 but 2 to 1 for roy at least.

...I believe, there would 've been no trilogy at all. Jones would have beaten tarver so bad the 1st time they face each other.

[SplitSecond]

Yes, I expect fighters to have points in their lives when they're not in training camp...

I also said nothing about not eating. I said live like a normal person. Do normal people not eat these days?

what a hilarious training camp

[Randomum]

Not the biggest fan of RJJ but I gotta admit going up in weight, and then going down always forces you to weight drain yourself. Once you have that much muscle mass on you, your body wants to keep it. So I do think it had an effect on RJJ. Either way though I think Tarver was to RJJ what Winky Wright was to Mosley. Both RJJ and Mosley are superior fighters to Tarver, and Wright. But stylistically they could not beat Tarver (Except the first time which wasn't by much), and Wright.