Catchweights- good or bad for boxing?

Of course, mate. It's one of the biggest farces of my lifetime. The WBC had never recognized the SMW division before but they created a SMW belt for Leonard's comeback and then allowed him to fight for not only the newly created vacant WBC SMW title but also challenge for Danny Lalonde's LHW title in the same night while fighting at a contracted weight below the SMW limit. By all rights it should never have been allowed. And to make matters worse, Lalonde was an 8 year pro at the time who had never had a single fight below the full 175 limit. Everything about it was a joke.

 

Garcia vs Peterson is one quick example I can think of.

 

^ We think people are mad at Cotto now, imagine if the WBC somehow saw fit to sanction a bout at 159 lbs for Badou Jack's SMW title while simultaneously allowing Cotto to defend his WBC MW and lineal MW titles.

 

Why couldn't that have just happened at 140? Both guys were title holders at 140. Lamont made 140 his previous time out. DSG fought at a 142 catchweight but that was for the throwaway Salka fight and he made 140 for the Herrera fight before that. I was very glad that we got to see the fight but I would have preferred for it to be at 140 to unify the WBC and IBF.

 

Think it's because Garcia wanted to test out the waters at Welterweight and wanted to start slowly. The Salka fight was an easy/lighter(142lbs Catchweight) start and Peterson was obviously a more serious challenge and at 143.

 

I think that's the least accurate way of viewing the situations.

No way can you completely dismiss and invalidate so many great victories in recent times and most fights fighters have that aren't title fights as they are often at a limit a couple pounds above the A-side's usual weight... How can you say Sergio didn't defeat Williams, Pacquiao didn't defeat Cotto, Floyd didn't defeat Canelo, Cotto didn't defeat Sergio, Ortiz didn't defeat Berto, Mares didn't defeat Morel, Pacquiao didn't defeat Algieri, countless others, and that the winners don't get any credit because of an agreed weight?

You obviously factor in the weight same as you factor in which division limit every fight ever takes place at. Just a catchweight complicates things and certainly is weak for the fans and history books. Not ideal...

I think you guys are just trying to be cute but I do know there are some out there who seem to sway on this issue depending on the argument at hand.

 

Garcia, Alvarez, Cotto, and many others who can use their big A-side leverage to not have to bother cutting that extra pound or to make the other guy have to cut that extra pound.

 

I voted good.

B/C it gives fighters not naturally suited to a division and opportunity to fight slightly above or below their natural division to make good fights.

For instance...
We could get GGG vs Ward at 165
Ward vs Kovalev at 171
GGG vs Canelo at 155.

There are dozens of such examples that can be made.

Sometimes sacrifices need to be made to get these big ones thru.:good

 

Remember Hopkins vs Pavlik?. :smoke

 

Yeah I agree with you. I never get the way catch weights are so hated. I couldn't care less what weight a fight was at as long as the fights I want get made. If a fighter is stupid enough to sign for a fight at a weight he can't make comfortably then its his own tough ****. he can't make excuses afterwards if he is the one who agrees to it. If someone wants to fight u at a catch weight and u are not comfortable making the weight then don't ****ing sign. If he's not in your division then your not ducking him. If he wants the fight tell him to move up unless you are comfortable making the weight or want to risk it yourself. Its on the fighter if he signed for the fight.EXCUSES CAN NOT BE MADE!!!! there is absolutely nothing wrong with a catch weight if both fighters agree to it. And people saying "as long as its not for a title" is a load of ****. Who gives a **** about titles. Titled mean absolutely nothing in boxing any more. Its all about the fights. The fans no who is number 1 in the division.

 

They're *******s mate, and allow the A side to very effectively cripple their opponent

There are more weight classes today than ever before

Ye ol legends of the sport would be turning in their grave

 

Give me an example of when the A side crippled the b side with a catch weight?

 

This

Hence why I believe Cotto is a *****, especially being the champ. It should only be used for fights like Froch - GGG where they are clearly in career weight classes at 8 pounds apart.