Why is 8lbs a lot in the lower weight divisions, but not heavyweight?

[KO'er]

Using 8lbs as an example. People say if a Welterweight at 144lbs fought a middleweight at 160lbs the Welterweight would surely get KO'd.

But look at heavyweights, Holyfield going 12 rounds with a 30lb bigger Bowe. 206lb Frazier against a 216lb Ali, 222lb Tyson against a 248lb Frank Bruno. I have heard people saying an Amir Khan at 140 would really struggle against a fighter 152lbs +, but why? 12lbs is not a lot of difference.

[bojangles1987]

Because basic physiology has shown that the less you weight, the more weight matters. Guys in the lower divisions are far smaller men than guys at heavyweight, losing and gaining weight while staying in fighting shape is much harder for them. A noticeable weight difference means much more.

[Hitman932]

It's a joke really. Size doesn't matter when a fighter is truly skilled as Pac Man has proven. Coming into a fight at a healthy weight, without cutting leaves a man stronger than someone who cuts 20 lbs only to gain in back in hopes of gaining some type of advantage.


The argument is valid, but not pound for pound. It should be looked at by % of body weight.

For instance: Tyson at 222 weighed 89.5% of what Bruno weighed.

Comparably Amir Khan at 140 should then be able to defeat a guy who is 10.5% bigger provided he is the superior fighter.

10.5% of 140 is 14.7 lbs. So he should be able to fight someone who weighs 154 and still win if he is the better man.

[Bushbaby]

It's a joke really. Size doesn't matter when a fighter is truly skilled as Pac Man has proven. Coming into a fight at a healthy weight, without cutting leaves a man stronger than someone who cuts 20 lbs only to gain in back in hopes of gaining some type of advantage.


The argument is valid, but not pound for pound. It should be looked at by % of body weight.

For instance: Tyson at 222 weighed 89.5% of what Bruno weighed.

Comparably Amir Khan at 140 should then be able to defeat a guy who is 10.5% bigger provided he is the superior fighter.

10.5% of 140 is 14.7 lbs. So he should be able to fight someone who weighs 154 and still win if he is the better man.

Angulo would rape Khan & he has less skill.

[Enzo Mc is SHIT]

I often wonder about this. Is it really fair to expect 210lb David Haye to give away 32lbs against Wladimir Klitschko and yet to claim that Marquez never had a chance against Mayweather because of his size? Haye gave Valuev 99lbs and was still criticised for not engaging in a toe-to-toe war. Why are heavyweights judged so differently?

[RoidRage]

Using 8lbs as an example. People say if a Welterweight at 144lbs fought a middleweight at 160lbs the Welterweight would surely get KO'd.

But look at heavyweights, Holyfield going 12 rounds with a 30lb bigger Bowe. 206lb Frazier against a 216lb Ali, 222lb Tyson against a 248lb Frank Bruno. I have heard people saying an Amir Khan at 140 would really struggle against a fighter 152lbs +, but why? 12lbs is not a lot of difference.

It's basic physics. It's just like a 520 pound tiger fighting a 540 pound tiger vs a 30 pound cat vs a 10 pound cat..the later sounds bad doesn't it.

[KO'er]

It's basic physics. It's just like a 520 pound tiger fighting a 540 pound tiger vs a 30 pound cat vs a 10 pound cat..the later sounds bad doesn't it.

I can see your points, but still 152 lbs if much less than 3 times the weight (as is obvious) so it sorta distills that argument.