Are catch weights overrated?

[McFearless]

I agree it can be a case by case thing. But, then that's why I believe people blow the catch-weight thing out of proportion. Not every time the smaller fighter ask for a catch-weight means their at an advantage. In some it just makes a fight that has no chance of happening actually get done and make it fair. And, then in some other instances it can be BS.

yup...
along with pricing yourself out, we got just got ourselves a new way to get out of a fight

[AnimalisticMeth]

If that's the case then why is Cotto team asking for it?

If they are really asking for a catchweight it has to be because they want Cotto be light on his feet and in better shape since at 154 he looks a bit too big but they need Margarito to come down too because if he doesn't it would be like a huge weight disadvantage. It can't be to drain the guy because he made 150 vs Pacquiao without much trouble.

[GoogleMe]

**** catchweight.

[jrosales13]

If they are really asking for a catchweight it has to be because they want Cotto be light on his feet and in better shape since at 154 he looks a bit too big but they need Margarito to come down too because if he doesn't it would be like a huge weight disadvantage. It can't be to drain the guy because he made 150 vs Pacquiao without much trouble.

So how is tougher on Cotto again?

[AnimalisticMeth]

So how is tougher on Cotto again?

I already explained you that don't start confusing the post porky but il do it again ok Cotto last fight below 154 was 2009 Margarito made 150 without poblems vs Pacquiao. Steward believes Cotto's best weight is 150 because at 154 he is a bit too big but offcourse if Cotto comes at 150 and Margarito at 154 he is already given him a 4 pound advantage. Margarito can make it so is no big deal because he did it his last fight.

If true 150 seems ok for both guys.

[jrosales13]

I already explained you that don't start confusing the post porky but il do it again ok Cotto last fight below 154 was 2009 Margarito made 150 without poblems vs Pacquiao. Steward believes Cotto's best weight is 150 because at 154 he is a bit too big but offcourse if Cotto comes at 150 and Margarito at 154 he is already given him a 4 pound advantage. Margarito can make it so is no big deal because he did it his last fight.

If true 150 seems ok for both guys.

What's funny is that you keep contradicting yourself. If 150 it's Cotto "best weight" which means his best weight is not even a fucking weight-class. that's how ******ed that shit sounds. Then it would be irrelevant to point out when the last time he weighed below 154.

And, if Marg feels 150 is a big deal, then who are you to say it's not a big deal? You're not the one trying to make weight, It's Margarito.

Don't be a hypocrite and justify anything. If this fight gets done. Then it's not an issue. But, if this fight doesn't happen because of this catch-weight thing. Then Cotto F'ing ducked Margarito and that is all.

[El Malo.]

^^ that's all that needs to be said about this issue. The **** you talking about Margarito had no trouble making 150, dude had to take diet pills just to make weight.

[Brother Jay]

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?

When you use a catchweight to drain an opponent in a division where you can make the division limit but choose not to, then catchweights are a bad thing. They then become a tool used to gain an advantage rather than to level the playing field.

When Floyd fought DLH at a 154 catchweight where Floyd came in at 150lbs, DLH came in on fight night weighing 170lbs. Floyd came in and fought like a champion despite the 20+lb disparity.

When you consider that, it seems pretty petty for a fighter to stipulate that his opponent who comes in at the division limit has to dehydrate down 2-5 additional lbs.

When you do something huge, like Roy Jones going up from 175 to HW to win a title, then its understandable to ask for a catchweight. When you're competing as a so-called WW at 142lbs but you ask WW fighters to come down to 142-145, its a disgraceful tactic. Especially when you consider that the man who asks for these advantages is 2"s shorter than the #1 WW.

Its ashamed that the dynamics of all this are brand new to these new so-called fans.

[Kenny MF Powers]

OK, but for who? The one who's coming up or the one that's going down?

Either really. I would say the intention is to gain the one making the request a small "advantage", or to "level the playing field" in a way to make the fight competitive.

Cant say that it works 100% of the time, they still gotta box... but as I and others have said. If it didnt matter or had little to no effect it wouldn't be requested in the first place.