How Did Boxers Move Up In Weight In "The Old Days"?

[GelfSara]

Prior to the widespread adoption of weight-training, anabolic steroids, etc. within the sport of boxing--how did boxers move up in weight successfully?

[QueensburyRules]

--- One pound by pound just like today...next!

[Ray Corso]

Most boxers years ago did not have a lot of amateur experienced so they started in the pros at a young age. If your an 18-19 year old kid weighing you will add some pounds as you mature.
Sugar Ray went from a young 19 year old weighing 135+ to being the Welter Champion at 147 to the Middleweight Champion at 160.

Some fellows can maintain their original starting point others can't make their original weight as they get older.


Ray

[The Old LefHook]

It was a different historical process than today. (1. See Corso, post # 3).

There was a strong injunction against weight training in the old days. Old time trainers really frowned on it. So you could not build up that way.

Fact: When old timers went up to fight the bigger boys, it was still hard to tell from appearances that they were fighting in a higher division.

Robinson was only a few pounds over the middleweight limit when he fought Maxim. If you watch Mickey Walker fight Schmeling, he was not all bulked up, though that was not a young version of him.

Young, svelte versions of boxers are, of course, lighter than the maturing models over the years.
(2. See Corso).

[OctoberRed]

Most boxers years ago did not have a lot of amateur experienced so they started in the pros at a young age. If your an 18-19 year old kid weighing you will add some pounds as you mature.
Sugar Ray went from a young 19 year old weighing 135+ to being the Welter Champion at 147 to the Middleweight Champion at 160.

Some fellows can maintain their original starting point others can't make their original weight as they get older.


Ray

Which makes Hopkins being at 160 for so long amazing.

[QueensburyRules]

Which makes Hopkins being at 160 for so long amazing.

--- Popkins a cheat anyway there was a way to cheat.

Part of the cleaning up drugs bandwagon Goldenboy jumped on, he never did Olympic style drug testing and refused to answer charges of using HGH.

Coddled King and GB, he was the biggest fake of his era.

[Mowglie]

Robinson was only a few pounds over the middleweight limit when he fought Maxim.

Under it by a few pounds, actually. 157, if I recall.

I think fighters just moved up over time based on their gradual weight ascension. As stated, a lot of guys started in their teens and, as such, had plenty of physical maturation to undergo as their careers progressed.

Then again, some guys just moved up for greater challenges and glory, weight be damned. Armstrong being the classic example. I'm not sure how many times in his career he actually ever weighed in as high as 147. None during his reign there, I'm quite certain. Hell, for his title winning effort against Ross, he was even under the Lightweight limit, despite doing whatever he could to pile on the pounds (a lot of boozing, if the stories are to be believed).

[OctoberRed]

--- Popkins a cheat anyway there was a way to cheat.

Part of the cleaning up drugs bandwagon Goldenboy jumped on, he never did Olympic style drug testing and refused to answer charges of using HGH.

Coddled King and GB, he was the biggest fake of his era.

Using HGH to make weight? Ummm no.

[Mr.MojoRisin']

Prior to the widespread adoption of weight-training, anabolic steroids, etc. within the sport of boxing--how did boxers move up in weight successfully?

Fighters that move up in weight class aren't usually adding on bulk. They're just not able to cut down to the lower weight class anymore that they competed in.

Yes, old school fighters did cut weight. Jake Lamotta is a good example. He was a natural light heavyweight and would weigh as much as 190 between fights. Not in shape of course. Throughout the amateurs and in his early pro fights, Lamotta was actually a full blown light heavyweight.

Henry Armstrong was a natural 126 pound fighter managed to also gain the lightweight crown as well as the welterweight. Apparently he drank a lot of beer to take in the extra calories in order to gain the weight needed to weigh in as a welterweight.

[Rockybigblower]