Is 5'9" too short to fight as an amateur Middleweight (165 lbs)?

[NORMNEALON]

So pretty much my whole life I've been around 160, give or take. The lightest I've ever gotten to was 155ish. Then I stopped exercising completely (because of school, work, and life). Eventually I got back into exercising and started boxing because I've always wanted to. Before I started training I was a lazy sack of ***** and I weighed around 185ish. Then I started training, exercising more and not necessarily eating more or eating less, but I started eating better and after some time, my weight eventually went down to around 160-165 (I was 162-163 lbs to be exact). I'm not too sure about the body fat percentage, but that's the story of my weight lol. I don't necessarily distrust my coach. The only problem I have with fighting at welterweight (152 lbs) is the cutting just because I have family and close friends in the medical field and they always tell me they'd rather have me not fighting, but if I want to fight then minimize the weight cutting as much as I can.

As for my goals, I'm not aspiring to be a professional boxer or in the Olympics. I just want to have some fights under my belt, aim to win the golden gloves once, and that's all. Like I said, I've always wanted to compete which is why I want to fight, but I'm not looking to go big into this!

Imo if u are 163 now u can easily make 152 staying at that weight if u are training properly . No matter what weight iam at I can drop 10 lbs in two weeks but that's with my muscle memory . But I guarentee I could safely get u to 152 from the weight u are at now . I recommend it welter to middle is a hard jump due to the thread topic , height and just straight strength increase , take it from a guy who has fought at jr welter and then at middle for his next fight . It's one if the hardest jumps in boxing

[NORMNEALON]

Whoa...actually??

Yes tournaments not club shows . I had a few warm ups , exhibitions and just fun matchups at club shows but in competition iwas always a jr welter

[strykr619]

if 160-165 is your natural body weight you should be competing at 154. When you start with real pro regiments and elite nutrition you’ll realize you’re more of a 154. You’ll learn to shave off water like the pros to make weight.

Or maybe people should fight at their ACTUAL weight not create some artificial advantage.

[Citizen Koba]

Any body in here can correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Shawn Porter compete as a successful middleweight as an amateur & he's only 5'7". I believe he actually beat Oleksandr Usyk in the amateurs too, right?

Absolutely correct on both counts, although his success as an amateur was mixed. He beat a load of top guys (including Jacobs, Andrade and Usyk) in smaller meets but he somehow never replicated his success when it came down to qualifying or medaling in the major international competitions.

I used the example of Derevyanchenko who medalled in the Worlds' at 5'9" but Shawn's just as good an example of how height ain't the be all and end all.

[Thuglife Nelo]

Or maybe people should fight at their ACTUAL weight not create some artificial advantage.

Weight draining was also created in the event a fight wouldn’t be cancelled along with compensations to the opposing fighter. average water cut for all pro boxers is 10lb. Let me repeat, average

[MONGOOSE66]

I’m 5’9 and walked around at 135 years ago. I could get down to 125. I was a monster at that weight.
At 165 you will be fighting 6 foot plus men with far longer arms. Unless your a freak like Tyson. I wouldn’t do it unless it’s for just fun.
I’m currently 165 and go the the boxing gym and see BOYS who weight the same. There Fkkn monsters. Hit far harder than me.

[_Rexy_]

if 160-165 is your natural body weight you should be competing at 154. When you start with real pro regiments and elite nutrition you’ll realize you’re more of a 154. You’ll learn to shave off water like the pros to make weight.

He’s talking fighting in the Ams., where:
A) there is no 154
B) weigh in is hours before a bout
C) speed and accuracy over power

So no, he shouldn’t be cutting 10-12 pounds of water before fighting.

[_Rexy_]

Imo if u are 163 now u can easily make 152 staying at that weight if u are training properly . No matter what weight iam at I can drop 10 lbs in two weeks but that's with my muscle memory . But I guarentee I could safely get u to 152 from the weight u are at now . I recommend it welter to middle is a hard jump due to the thread topic , height and just straight strength increase , take it from a guy who has fought at jr welter and then at middle for his next fight . It's one if the hardest jumps in boxing

Me going from 178 to 200 disagrees

[jmrf4435]

Height in all sports except maybe basketball is overrated.

height alone won't do much. and having a low center of gravity like canelo and Porter can work to your advantage.

People talk about height in football and boxing way too much

[MONGOOSE66]

Height in all sports except maybe basketball is overrated.

height alone won't do much. and having a low center of gravity like canelo and Porter can work to your advantage.

People talk about height in football and boxing way too much

When “talent” is equal, reach and height makes it easier.