Okay, first off - I am against them. I don't like catch weights, they leave a lot of "ifs" after the fights are done and I'd just rather have both fighters go in at their best and watch the best man come out on top.
NOW..
Is shaving off/gaining 2-3 pounds really that bad? Let's take a look at the Pacquiao-Cotto situation for example...
Many argue that Cotto was weight drained (I honestly don't think he was and Cotto is my second fav fighter btw). Manny asked for a 145 catchweight but what most people don't realize is that Cotto's weight before his fight with Manny took place at 146.
Yes, you might make the argument that Cotto was already having problems making the weight and that's why he later went up to 154. Still, many people said that he was drained for the fight and that the fight should have taken place at 147.
So in this particular case, are 2 pounds really that much of a factor?
Oscar De La Hoya fought at 5 pounds under the weight he was in for his fight before Pacquiao. The Manny fight took place 7 months after his last one against Forbes.
We know Oscar isn't one of the best at staying in shape during layoffs and that he hadn't fought at that weight in over a decade but are 5 pounds really that much of a difference in that case?
Let's take a look at the Mayweather-Marquez... Oh sheet wait, the beach made Marquez blow up 12+ pounds and then came in over weight at the weigh in. Forget about this cowardly case..
Now, let's take a look at Pacquiao-Margarito. Margaritos last fight before the big layoff took place at 145, a year and a half pass and he makes his comeback at 154 - which he wins. NOW, he made 154 after the year long layoff and he was getting active again. He was announced about a month or so later about a possible fight with Pacquiao. One would think he'd stay in shape for the biggest fight of life and that he would shed a few pounds on training camp... He had to lose about 4 more pounds which then he regained and overgained for fight night. Were those 4 pounds that big of a factor? Specially when the guy came in at 154 after a long layoff, meaning that he still has a lot of room left to get in better shape?
Let's take a look at the current issue with Cotto-Margarito II... Apparently Cotto is demanding Antonio to come in at 150 when Margaritos last fight took place at the same weight. One might argue that Margarito isn't too comfortable at 150 at this point in his career just like Cotto isn't comfortable anymore at WW, it happens, metabolism goes down as grow old and whatnot. Okay but will coming in at the same weight you came in to your last fight be that much of a factor?
I'm interested in seeing your opinion and having smart discussions about this apparent issue we have nowadays. What do you think of those particular situations and what do you think about catchweights overall and if they really are that big of a factor and weigh in heavily on the outcome of the fights?
NOW..
Is shaving off/gaining 2-3 pounds really that bad? Let's take a look at the Pacquiao-Cotto situation for example...
Many argue that Cotto was weight drained (I honestly don't think he was and Cotto is my second fav fighter btw). Manny asked for a 145 catchweight but what most people don't realize is that Cotto's weight before his fight with Manny took place at 146.
Yes, you might make the argument that Cotto was already having problems making the weight and that's why he later went up to 154. Still, many people said that he was drained for the fight and that the fight should have taken place at 147.
So in this particular case, are 2 pounds really that much of a factor?
Oscar De La Hoya fought at 5 pounds under the weight he was in for his fight before Pacquiao. The Manny fight took place 7 months after his last one against Forbes.
We know Oscar isn't one of the best at staying in shape during layoffs and that he hadn't fought at that weight in over a decade but are 5 pounds really that much of a difference in that case?
Let's take a look at the Mayweather-Marquez... Oh sheet wait, the beach made Marquez blow up 12+ pounds and then came in over weight at the weigh in. Forget about this cowardly case..
Now, let's take a look at Pacquiao-Margarito. Margaritos last fight before the big layoff took place at 145, a year and a half pass and he makes his comeback at 154 - which he wins. NOW, he made 154 after the year long layoff and he was getting active again. He was announced about a month or so later about a possible fight with Pacquiao. One would think he'd stay in shape for the biggest fight of life and that he would shed a few pounds on training camp... He had to lose about 4 more pounds which then he regained and overgained for fight night. Were those 4 pounds that big of a factor? Specially when the guy came in at 154 after a long layoff, meaning that he still has a lot of room left to get in better shape?
Let's take a look at the current issue with Cotto-Margarito II... Apparently Cotto is demanding Antonio to come in at 150 when Margaritos last fight took place at the same weight. One might argue that Margarito isn't too comfortable at 150 at this point in his career just like Cotto isn't comfortable anymore at WW, it happens, metabolism goes down as grow old and whatnot. Okay but will coming in at the same weight you came in to your last fight be that much of a factor?
I'm interested in seeing your opinion and having smart discussions about this apparent issue we have nowadays. What do you think of those particular situations and what do you think about catchweights overall and if they really are that big of a factor and weigh in heavily on the outcome of the fights?
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