Fighting weight, walking around weight

[DeJulez]

Saw this on Boxingscene.


Discipline is the key. Fighters who lack discipline don’t have longevity. It’s really that simple. You don’t want to be too small fighting at certain weights because you will give up size. But your walking around weight has to be maintained in a respectable striking range of the weight you fight at. For example here is a list of the weight divisions and I will put what I feel is a respectable weight to walk around at eating healthy but not cutting down the portions until camp. 10% of your division weight with a few lbs. to give is projection on a respectable “walk around weight”. Examples.

Strawweight is 105lbs. That’s a really tiny human male. 10% is 10.5 lbs. So let’s round it off to 116lbs walking around. After a good workout while putting good stuff in your body the fighter will be 112-113lbs. Well within striking range of his division weight in a 6-8 week camp.

Junior Flyweight- 108lbs. Walking around weight 120lbs.
Flyweight -112lbs Walking around weight 124lbs.
Super Flyweight -115lbs Walking around weight 127lbs.
Bantamweight-118lbs Walking around weight 130lbs.
Junior Featherweight-122lbs Walking around weight 135lbs
Featherweight-126lbs Walking around weight 140lbs
Junior Lightweight 130lbs Walking around weight 145lbs
Lightweight 135lbs Walking around weight 150lbs
Junior Welterweight 140lbs Walking around weight 155lbs
Welterweight 147lbs Walking around weight 163lbs
Junior Middleweight 154lbs Walking around weight 170lbs
Middleweight 160lbs Walking around weight 180lbs
Supermiddleweight 168lbs Walking around weight 190lbs
Lightheavyweight 175lbs Walking around weight 200lbs
Cruiserweight 200lbs Walking around weight 220lbs.

 

[nac386]

I guess how much weight should be cut depends on what your strengths are. Some guys have done quite well without cutting much weight at all (the two best fighters of the previous era come to mind).

A guy like Pacquiao didn't need a size advantage at 147 because his style relied on being faster and busier than his opponent. In some ways, being a bit small helped him in those categories. However, he only got away with moving up that far in weight (and using that speed advantage) because he was gifted with crazy punching power and toughness.

Mayweather also did not need a size advantage because he relied on defensive strategizing and counter punching. But again, his natural gifts of having an enormous reach for his weight and great chin were necessary to fighting at the weights that he did.

Other guys prefer to cut a lot of weight and come in with some physical size advantages like Margarito, Danny Jacobs, and Canelo. It's obvious why Margarito wanted to be big, since he had a come-forward and bully you with output type of style. But Canelo and Jacobs can both box, so it's probably just a comfort thing.

 

[cottagecheesefan]

I feel you're off a bit. For instance, you have 155 for a 140 pound fighter. I bet most have a walk around weight of 165-170ish. They cut down to like 152-155 in camp, and then cut the rest in just water weight a couple days before.

 

[nac386]

I feel you're off a bit. For instance, you have 155 for a 140 pound fighter. I bet most have a walk around weight of 165-170ish. They cut down to like 152-155 in camp, and then cut the rest in just water weight a couple days before.

Everyone is different of course, but that seems high to me. I don't see very many 170 pound people, who are in decent shape, going down to 140. Maybe if they blow up into fat guys between, like Bradley tends to.

 

[cottagecheesefan]

Everyone is different of course, but that seems high to me. I don't see very many 170 pound people, who are in decent shape, going down to 140. Maybe if they blow up into fat guys between, like Bradley tends to.

You're right. I just feel 155 is a bit low. Maybe like 160. I guess I am also thinking about people like Hatton, Morales, Maidana, Margarito, who are all massive weight cutters and outliers.

 

[nac386]

You're right. I just feel 155 is a bit low. Maybe like 160. I guess I am also thinking about people like Hatton, Morales, Maidana, Margarito, who are all massive weight cutters and outliers.

I just read an article that said Danny Garcia at welterweight keeps his walk-around weight at or below 162. But that's a guy who actually stays in shape, and fought at 140 for a while. Bradley says he walks around at 170, but has gone as high as 180. So it really just depends on body type.

 

[PHATV]

It varies. Most cut some, some cut a ton. That's why I wish "tonight" weights were mandated or something. I don't give two shits if you're 170 on fight night for the welterweight title if you made 147 the day before, but I love seeing that. Whatever the weight is in the locker room. I wish it was a thing again. And not for any reason other than the info. As mentioned, I don't care how much you cut.

I remember Tuesday Night Fights on USA and such, that era, you would see that most put on a decent amount and once in a while you would see something crazy. Like how does a guy who weighed 147 yesterday weigh 166!? Forget walking around weight. He'd be 175 walking. Easy. Fighting welter.

It's rare to see that on the tale of the tape, now. Odd. Like they're hiding it or something.

Anyway, somebody write the commissions. Let's mandate a step on the scale in the locker room "tonight" weight where the sanctioning body just walks in with a well-calibrated digital scale or whatever, would only take a second.

MMA, too. There are some wicked weight-cutters there. Guys who walk at 250 fighting at 205 (Griffin and Rampage come to mind...).

 

[PHATV]

I feel you're off a bit. For instance, you have 155 for a 140 pound fighter. I bet most have a walk around weight of 165-170ish. They cut down to like 152-155 in camp, and then cut the rest in just water weight a couple days before.

I think for walking weight and not approaching camp, 165 is probably not far off for a lot of guys at 140. As you note, they cut down over some time. And they'd be cutting a bit before even getting to camp once a fight was signed or they were even in negotiations. Process can start.

 

[Badr Hari]

Weight cutting is the most embarrasing thing in combat sports. It annoys me more than PED's. This shit has killed more athletes than combat itself.

 

[PHATV]

Weight cutting is the most embarrasing thing in combat sports. It annoys me more than PED's. This shit has killed more athletes than combat itself.

It is inseparable from combat sports, though. Has always been done (WAY back, centuries even) and will always be done. Everyone wants to be the big man on fight night. Or at least close to as big as the other guy as you can be, anyway.

Same day weigh-ins would not stop it and are much more dangerous as regards hydrating the brain after weigh-ins (takes time) because they would STILL cut. I just accept it as part of combat sports and would appreciate the additional stat of fight night weight.

 

[Badr Hari]

It is inseparable from combat sports, though. Has always been done (WAY back, centuries even) and will always be done. Everyone wants to be the big man on fight night. Or at least close to as big as the other guy as you can be, anyway.

Same day weigh-ins would not stop it and are much more dangerous as regards hydrating the brain after weigh-ins (takes time) because they would STILL cut. I just accept it as part of combat sports and would appreciate the additional stat of fight night weight.

I accept it as there's nothing in our power to do. But I think with same day weigh ins (1 hour prior to the fight make the official weigh in; while monitoring it for the last 72 hours multiple times for example) we could get rid of weight cutting as a whole. You just make sure you don't let to cut more than say 5 pounds in the last week. I am not against weight classes. Let a smaller man fight smaller men. But it annoys me when that small man is fighting bigger men that have cheated to drop to that level 36 hours before the fight and than balloon back up on fight night. It's not fair to the smaller guy and it's damaging for the health of the bigger guy too.

 

[PHATV]

Your example would result in cancellation of bouts right and left. You know? I mean WTF when guy weighs 162 on fight night for a 147 bout or someone comes in a week out needing to cut 12 pounds instead of 5? The current system is about the best we can do to match size and still allow for safe re-hydration. Some will always cut more than others and all will likely cut a bit. No matter what.

 

[Badr Hari]

You don't get it. I am saying do whatever it takes to not allow weight cutting. It's actually less canceled fights in this manner. You force them to fight in their walk around weight class.

In MMA every week some fights are being canceled because of extreme weight cutting. I am saying you monitor the weight throughout the last week and especially in the last 72 hours. Don't allow them to continue if they are not within the limits you set. Punish them if they try to cut again. Eventually it'll get solved. Have you read the new WBC plan on weight cutting because I haven't? They are trying to make some changes it looks.

 

[ccm22]

I remember seeing an interview with Barry McGuigan where he said a boxer should always be within 10 lbs of his fighting weight. Sounds like good advice.

 

[DaveDave]

It is inseparable from combat sports, though. Has always been done (WAY back, centuries even) and will always be done. Everyone wants to be the big man on fight night. Or at least close to as big as the other guy as you can be, anyway.

Same day weigh-ins would not stop it and are much more dangerous as regards hydrating the brain after weigh-ins (takes time) because they would STILL cut. I just accept it as part of combat sports and would appreciate the additional stat of fight night weight.

I get where you're coming from, but I gotta say (& I don't expect anyone else to be down with this, just my feelings here) that in your example it's the guy who's trying to gain a weight advantage killing themselves (sometimes literally). IMO that's on the dude cutting the weight. Yeah, reasons & all, but still: you did it to yourself.

What Badr is talking about & what fucks me off no end is the other guy getting fucked up by a dude twenty pounds heavier. That's not you fucking yourself up, you don't have no control over that, & the whole "fair fight" thing in boxing is arranged around being the same size—& mostly it's just 'cos that other dude earns more money so has access to better diuretics or a hospital-level medical team with, like IVs full of pasta or whatever the fuck they use to reinflate these guys.

I see a fundamental difference there & wish that loophole would be closed. But like I said, it's not gonna happen ('cos, money, duh) until Munguia or one of these guys who weighs in & then gains 25-30 lbs or whatever literally kills someone who is actually like fighting at his own weight. I mean, they're killing them now in the sense of probably shortening their lives, but 'cos the smaller fighters are like not literally dropping dead (like used to happen to deliberate weight drainers back in the day) people just shrug & go "It's part of the sport".

Not trying to fight over this, BTW, just sorta throwing it out there. One of the things that rankles about the modern game, for me. It's like "We've made it safer, look, these guys rarely kill themselves any more" but there's a whole generation of dudes taking like 1930s-level beatings that no-one wants to talk about now.