Perfect weight to cut

[ironalex]

weight cutting is a must, for those who say you shouldn't cut weight is ****** when there are fighters who put on 20 pounds after the weigh in (professional). This is the question - what do u think is the ideal weight to cut a week out of a professional fight and what is the ideal weight to cut as an amateur. Hearing that some professionals cut 20 pounds on the week to me is ******, but ten pounds seems like a good amount of you are weighing in the day before of the fight and amateur I think 5 pounds. Your thoughts?

[Redd Foxx]

Totally depends on the person. I knew guys that wouldn't really cut and just go to the next class. Some that would just diet in the 3 weeks leading up to the contest to lose 3 to 7lbs. Some big muthers even cut 10 to 15lbs in dieting and then another few lbs the day of/night before just to make the scales. Everyone handles it differently. And, everyone is a different size. Get to know your body and how it handles the cut.

[Mr.MojoRisin']

For amateur a fighter shouldn't cut that much because losing 4% or more of your body weight through a cut is very bad for your health. Unfortunately I know an amateur who sometimes spends all night in the gym cutting weight the day of the weigh in. He won the national golden gloves title but I don't think he's going to last too long doing extreme weight cuts like that.

[NearHypnos]

I think it's less important for amateurs than for pros. You fight a lot more as an amateur and more frequently and the game is a little different..these arent 12 rounders where a guy is going to wear you down over the course of a fight and lean on you and just bully and beat you down. I think cutting a couple pounds (5 or less) is ideal in the amateurs as having to cut SOME type if weight helps with the discipline. In a perfect world nobody would cut but many have to push their mind and body to get in that zone. My family would never let me get over 10 pounds when I'd take a few months off competition (i'd still be in the gym, etc but every now and then they'd have me take a month or two off to take pressure off I guess and let me feel like a kid I dunno lol)

[ironalex]

I think it's less important for amateurs than for pros. You fight a lot more as an amateur and more frequently and the game is a little different..these arent 12 rounders where a guy is going to wear you down over the course of a fight and lean on you and just bully and beat you down. I think cutting a couple pounds (5 or less) is ideal in the amateurs as having to cut SOME type if weight helps with the discipline. In a perfect world nobody would cut but many have to push their mind and body to get in that zone. My family would never let me get over 10 pounds when I'd take a few months off competition (i'd still be in the gym, etc but every now and then they'd have me take a month or two off to take pressure off I guess and let me feel like a kid I dunno lol)

Very true. But most professionals cut weight that's how they gain ten-15 pounds after weigh in, it would be impossible otherwise. I know it's subjective how much weight to cut but I was looking for really a safe guideline.i.e. A week before a fight I think any more than 15 pounds would be way too much like some pros do.. But I think 5-10 pounds a week before is good, that could be done with just eating no salt, low carb and training light.

[Mr.MojoRisin']

Very true. But most professionals cut weight that's how they gain ten-15 pounds after weigh in, it would be impossible otherwise. I know it's subjective how much weight to cut but I was looking for really a safe guideline.i.e. A week before a fight I think any more than 15 pounds would be way too much like some pros do.. But I think 5-10 pounds a week before is good, that could be done with just eating no salt, low carb and training light.

Dropping 10 lbs will make you dehydrated and weak. Like you said 5 lbs is the most a fighter should cut the week of a fight. The figher should already be in shape anyway. It isn't healthy to have to cut a bunch of weight just to get into shape for a fight. Mayweather stayed on top of the division for so long because he never let himself get out of shape. He walks around at about 152 I believe. Re hydrates up to 150-152 I believe. Bernard Hopkins did the same thing at Middleweight.

A fighter is going to be at their best when they don't have to dehydrate. Weight doesn't mean **** when it's artificial water weight being cut which will only hinder a fighter.

[ironalex]

Dropping 10 lbs will make you dehydrated and weak. Like you said 5 lbs is the most a fighter should cut the week of a fight. The figher should already be in shape anyway. It isn't healthy to have to cut a bunch of weight just to get into shape for a fight. Mayweather stayed on top of the division for so long because he never let himself get out of shape. He walks around at about 152 I believe. Re hydrates up to 150-152 I believe. Bernard Hopkins did the same thing at Middleweight.

A fighter is going to be at their best when they don't have to dehydrate. Weight doesn't mean **** when it's artificial water weight being cut which will only hinder a fighter.

I agree but I'm talking about professional weigh ins when you have 24 hours to rehydrate not on the day weigh ins fighting a few hours after weigh in. I think if you're weighing in a whole day before then think about it... A couple of days low carb, no salt and a light sweat workout would take 5-10 pounds anyway. And mayweather at 130 for instance didn't walk around at no 133 or whatever he probably cut about ten pounds week of the fight. And Bernard at middle definitely did. You really think he wasn't at least 170 for the Trinidad fight?!

[Mr.MojoRisin']

I agree but I'm talking about professional weigh ins when you have 24 hours to rehydrate not on the day weigh ins fighting a few hours after weigh in. I think if you're weighing in a whole day before then think about it... A couple of days low carb, no salt and a light sweat workout would take 5-10 pounds anyway. And mayweather at 130 for instance didn't walk around at no 133 or whatever he probably cut about ten pounds week of the fight. And Bernard at middle definitely did. You really think he wasn't at least 170 for the Trinidad fight?!

I think I saw somewhere that he was 166 for the fight before and 168 for the Taylor fight. Anything is possible so I wouldn't doubt he is 170. Mayweather often rehydrated to aroun the 138 area at SFW but at Lightweight he rehydrated to the 138 area too. It is safe to say that at these times Hopkins and Mayweather were growing out of their respective original divisions.

I see what your saying about cutting 5-10 lbs for the week of the fight but the thing is you have to remember losing 5-10 lbs in such a short time is bad for the fighter. The brain shrinks when it is dehydratedand you lose vital fluids that protect the brain. It doesn't rehydrate immediatley over that 24 hour period it takes at while to get back.

[ironalex]

I think I saw somewhere that he was 166 for the fight before and 168 for the Taylor fight. Anything is possible so I wouldn't doubt he is 170. Mayweather often rehydrated to aroun the 138 area at SFW but at Lightweight he rehydrated to the 138 area too. It is safe to say that at these times Hopkins and Mayweather were growing out of their respective original divisions.

I see what your saying about cutting 5-10 lbs for the week of the fight but the thing is you have to remember losing 5-10 lbs in such a short time is bad for the fighter. The brain shrinks when it is dehydratedand you lose vital fluids that protect the brain. It doesn't rehydrate immediatley over that 24 hour period it takes at while to get back.

Oh I totally agree. But for instance if a fighter was 140 4 weeks before a fight and say brought his weight down to 135-7 pounds a week before then those final pounds can just be lost in the last week by eating less and low carbs. U can lose that weight not even having to go to the sauana etc. Of course when you get guys who lose 10 pounds on the day of the weigh in then that's totally different