Catchweights Are No Big Deal!

[CANELOLUJAH]

It doesnt matter it seems like all the big fights seems to happen at catchweights and people like to talk and diminsh the dude who instated the catchweight but history proved nothing matters but the W and no one really cares about the catchweight in hindsight.

We can List all the fights but why? Mayweather catchweight Canelo, Pacquaio Catchweight Cotto and no one cares.

Everyone looks at them like legit wins and they suffer no real backlash from boxing over the catchweight.

[IronDanHamza]

They aren't at all.

And they've been around for a long time.

The two worst cases of a fighter being drained in recent years is Oscar-Pacquaio and Ward-Dawson.

Neither were catchweights.

[Doctor_Tenma]

It's subjective, if a fighter who normally looks ripped at the weigh in has to lose a couple of pounds to make the catchweight...then I'm opposed to that. That doesn't always mean the guy forced to come down is drained and unable to perform at the level.

[Mr.Fantastic]

Catch weights were a big deal before Floyd started doing them.

[The Problem Child]

I completely disagree, catchweights ARE a BIG deal. Canelo-Mayweather... 152, Canelo couldn't even make 154 for his next fights, he is fighting at 155. Marquez himself explained on his ESPN show that even 1 pound makes a difference in a fighter WHEN THEY CAN'T really shred one more pound off their body. That's when they weaken and the weakness rolls over to fight night in the form of fatigue, physical sluggishness and mental exhaustion.

[The Ninth Layer]

I completely disagree, catchweights ARE a BIG deal. Canelo-Mayweather... 152, Canelo couldn't even make 154 for his next fights, he is fighting at 155. Marquez himself explained on his ESPN show that even 1 pound makes a difference in a fighter WHEN THEY CAN'T really shred one more pound off their body. That's when they weaken and the weakness rolls over to fight night in the form of fatigue, physical sluggishness and mental exhaustion.

I agree. Catchweights are a big deal when every single pound you have to cut counts a great deal. The guy who has to lose even more weight just to accommodate a smaller challenger is at a disadvantage because he not only has to beat the regular division limit but go beyond it.

They also arguably cheapen the notion of what it means to compete in a weight class. For example Matthysse and Peterson fighting at 141 to keep Peterson from losing his title and to keep Matthysse's mandatory position for Garcia's belt. Or Garcia and Peterson, two beltholders at 140, instead fighting each other for no titles at 143.

[ИATAS]

Depends on the circumstances.

In theory a catchweight is the perfect solution to have two fighters from two different weight classes find an equal way to fight each other.

But sometimes catch weights are abused, such as Peterson fighting Matthysse at 141 (Matthysse's idea so he wouldn't lose his mandatory position to Garcia) and now Peterson vs Garcia at 143. In these circumstances it's really annoying for obvious reasons.

[Rip Chudd]

As i've stated in the past, I have no problems with catchweights as long as they aren't for a title. IMO if you want to fight for a title in a division then don't try to make up new barometers for that division. Either fight the champ at the limit or don't fight in the division if you can't hack it.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

I think it comes down to tolerance. If the fighters agree to CWs and organizations agree to them, then so be it. If I was over an organization, I would draw a hard line though. It might lose money here and there but I think the standard would earn more money in the future since caving in does drop standards and fans definitely do notice.

[Baltimore]

As i've stated in the past, I have no problems with catchweights as long as they aren't for a title. IMO if you want to fight for a title in a division then don't try to make up new barometers for that division. Either fight the champ at the limit or don't fight in the division if you can't hack it.

This is pretty much how I feel about it too.