Weight progression

[davidandrei]

As a boxer ages and moves up weight classes, what are your thoughts on the ideal way to handle your career? Obviously other factors like ppv, big names, money will affect the decision to move up or not, but how do you view fighters as they move up in weight?

should they stay at their proper max weight class and be dominant as hell or should they move up in weight even though their body frame is too small and fight the not so huge guys of that division?

For me, i'd rather a fighter stay at his max ideal weight and not be a blown up version of the next weight class fighting only a select range of fighters. one example is manny fighting margarito for 154 belt. the result was great for manny and his career. dont get me wrong, not hating on that. what i mean is he went up to 154 when at 147 he is already blown up. he can only fight a margarito type fight at 154. he cant mess with dudes who have a style that can give him problems and have a healthy natural weight/strength advantage. he can claim to be a 154 champ and he is, but hes not a 154 fighter. but this may be a bad example because the money and prestige of that fight was big for manny so why wouldnt he move up for that fight. yolo

[Scipio2009]

As a boxer ages and moves up weight classes, what are your thoughts on the ideal way to handle your career? Obviously other factors like ppv, big names, money will affect the decision to move up or not, but how do you view fighters as they move up in weight?

should they stay at their proper max weight class and be dominant as hell or should they move up in weight even though their body frame is too small and fight the not so huge guys of that division?

For me, i'd rather a fighter stay at his max ideal weight and not be a blown up version of the next weight class fighting only a select range of fighters. one example is manny fighting margarito for 154 belt. the result was great for manny and his career. dont get me wrong, not hating on that. what i mean is he went up to 154 when at 147 he is already blown up. he can only fight a margarito type fight at 154. he cant mess with dudes who have a style that can give him problems and have a healthy natural weight/strength advantage. he can claim to be a 154 champ and he is, but hes not a 154 fighter. but this may be a bad example because the money and prestige of that fight was big for manny so why wouldnt he move up for that fight. yolo

You keep your weight as low as you can for as long as you can.

The body will continue to grow and develop from 17-24/25 years of age, and from then on it's about maintaining a steady weight and maintaining good habits/discipline.

Saul Alvarez started, professionally and at all of 15, at around 140 pounds. As the years started to come in, he moved up weight, to welterweight and now at junior middleweight.

Canelo Alvarez is 24 now and, with effort, can still physically get down to 154. Within the next 1-3 years, Canelo would've reached his physical peak and he'd likely be settling in at 160.

From that point on, it's on Canelo to maintain his discipline and keep himself to 160. If he can keep a 6-year run at the weight, great.

Once he gets into his 30's, keeping himself at 160 is likely gonna start to be tougher. If he can no longer manage the weight, he hangs up the gloves or moves up into a disadvantageous weight class (fighters at 168 likely walk around 180 or more).