Are Weight Classes as Important As Most of Us Think?

[pesticid]

Manny Pacquiao started at flyweight
Roy Jones started at middleweight
Roberto Duran started at lightweight
Floyd Mayweather started at lightweight
James Toney started at middleweight
Ray Leonard started at welterweight
JMM started as a featherweight
Ray Robinson started as a lightweight
Mike McCallum started as a light middleweight
DLH started as a super featherweight
Broner started as super featherweight
Julio Cesar Chavez started as a super featherweight
Tommy Hearns started as a welterweight
Henry Armstrong started as a featherweight
Jack Dempsey started at 145 pounds
Evander Holyfield started as a light heavyweight
Floyd Patterson was a middleweight
Michael Moorer started as a light heavyweight
Archie Moore started as a middleweight (his biography the ageless warrior is a great read)
Ali started as a light heavyweight
Tony Bellew started as a light heavyweight
Edison Miranda started as a middleweight
Fonfara started out as a welterweight
Guillermo Jones started out as a welterweight
Sadam Ali started as a lightweight
Robert Guerrero started as a featherweight
Whitaker started as a lightweight
Nonito started as a flyweight
Eric Morales started as a super bantamweight
Miguel Cotto started as a light welterweight

There are lots of cases in amateur boxing where a fighter will move up 45 pounds in weight and still be at the top, world champs and all. In amateur wrestling too.
In gym you see sparring sessions b/w featherweights and middleweight, middleweight and heavyweights and so on and so forth. I've seen sparring between featherweight and heavyweights - Team Argentina.
Freddy Roach wanted Manny to fight DLH after witnessing DLH getting outboxed by Ivan Calderon who was a flyweight. I can go on and on, and on but my shoulders are hurting. Let me know what you think or share some other examples too.

[N/A]

"Are Weight Classes as Important As Most of Us Think?"

They're actually more important than most fans think. When you're dealing with the absolute best of the best, the smallest of advantages often determine the winner.

But fighters naturally go up in weight as they age. You can't expect someone to weigh the same at 30 as they did at 18.

Also, as time goes on, training, nutrition, supplements, PEDs, etc are always evolving.

[A.K]

Yes they are the guys you named are legends that doesn’t happen often, I’ve knocked out every midget i sparred/fought . It matters much more in The lil weights.

[MasterPlan]

A few pounds no.
Moving up a few weight classes sure.
I remember people making a big deal about Canelo being 152 vs Mayweather. Them 2 pounds aint matter, he was gonna get spanked regardless.

[Thraxox]

You do know that ALOT OF the guys you have mentioned are inside the top 30 ATG rankings?

[pesticid]

You do know that ALOT OF the guys you have mentioned are inside the top 30 ATG rankings?

I listed a lot of B class fighters too but here are some more A and B class fighters:

Mikey Garcia started at featherweight
Thomas Adamek started at lightheavy
Chris Byrd started as a middleweight
Corey Spinks started as a light welterweight
Shane Mosley started as a lightweight
Anthony Mundine started as a light middleweight
Canelo started as a welterweight
Sergio Mora started as a welterweight
Vernon Forrest started as a junior welterweight
Ricardo Mayorga started as a light welterweight
Tito started as a welterweight
Camacho started as a super featherweight
Wilfred Benitez was a light welter
Oba Carr started at light welter
Michael Spinks started at lighheavy
Sergio Martinez started as a welterweight
Bhop started at middleweight, ignore the first couple of fights
Glen Johnson started as a middleweight
Antonio Tarver started as a light-heavy
Etc.

[boliodogs]

I think they are important but not so important you need a weight class every 3 or 4 pounds.105 pounds, 108 pounds,112 pounds, 115 pounds, 118 pounds,122 pounds, 126 pounds, 130 pounds. Do we really need all of these. In the old days it was only 112, 118, 126 and 130. 130 is really too close to 126. When a burger, frys and a giant coke puts you in another weight class they are too close together. I think all weight classes should be at least 6 pounds apart and more as the weights go up.

[boliodogs]

A few pounds no.
Moving up a few weight classes sure.
I remember people making a big deal about Canelo being 152 vs Mayweather. Them 2 pounds aint matter, he was gonna get spanked regardless.

If you already can just barely make 154 and stay strong that extra 2 pounds can hurt you. Mayweather must have thought the 2 pounds mattered or he wouldn't have insisted Canelo make 152 instead of the standard 154 pounds for the 154 pound world title they were fighting for.

[jmrf4435]

I listed a lot of B class fighters too but here are some more A and B class fighters:

Mikey Garcia started at featherweight
Thomas Adamek started at lightheavy
Chris Byrd started as a middleweight
Corey Spinks started as a light welterweight
Shane Mosley started as a lightweight
Anthony Mundine started as a light middleweight
Canelo started as a welterweight
Sergio Mora started as a welterweight
Vernon Forrest started as a junior welterweight
Ricardo Mayorga started as a light welterweight
Tito started as a welterweight
Camacho started as a super featherweight
Wilfred Benitez was a light welter
Oba Carr started at light welter
Michael Spinks started at lighheavy
Sergio Martinez started as a welterweight
Bhop started at middleweight, ignore the first couple of fights
Glen Johnson started as a middleweight
Antonio Tarver started as a light-heavy
Etc.

Yes the body matures with age, as well as gets heavier.

Most boxers start at a lighter class, then move up as they age. It's probably the most common scenario...

Annnnnd

[boliodogs]

Some boxers start at a young age and slowly grow into heavier weight classes as they mature.