Could Marciano make 168lbs if he turned pro today?

Yes but it might be a greater risk for him to take on the best light heavyweights while badly weight drained, than to take on the best cruiserweights at a comfortable weight.

Fighters who take on the most extreme weight draining regimes do have two choices which way to jump and the game is more advantageous for some than others.

There is usually a good reason why such fighters want to stay in a given weight class.

Even if we assume that this is going to be workable, it is difficult to see it being particularly advantageous.

 

I'm not sure modern weight cutting has much on old school weight cutting. People just have more time now to cut weight, with the day before weigh in.

As an example from another sport Larry Owings, who famously upset Dan Gable for the 142 pound title the season at 173. This was 1970.

 

You are saying that there is not a grey zone where a fighter has a choice between tow weight classes, and weighs up the pros and cons?

 

I wouldn't call 10 lbs an "extreme weight cutting regime".

Extreme are the Chavez Jr and Alvarez cases who are cutting at least 15 lbs, up to 20 lbs.

Golovkin for example is often mentioned as a small middleweight and he has come in at 172 pounds.

Which is more than what Marciano would have to cut for 175, going by the Walcott fights.

 

Marciano didn't walk around at 185lbs; he was already cutting weight to get to this number.

You are effectively asking him to do his 16 mile hill training sessions to get to 185 lbs., and undergo a major weight cutting programme as well.

You might not be comparing like for like here.

 

He was cutting fat not water.

 

Kovalev is 185 lbs in the ring. I'd suspect quite a few LHWs are. I would be very surprised if any of them went up to CW without bulking up.

 

With his style and size Marciano would almost certainly be a light heavyweight if he was around today imo......

 

Yeah, he'd only be about 5 lbs heavier than a big MW in fact.

 

McGrain , I posted Marcianos modern BMI index in the other thread of resizing the champs...if he was born today......he would be an inch taller...about 5'10/5'11 and it was estimated ,he would be 210 pounds. It would be difficult for him to cut down to the 170's due to body type unless he compromised sever muscle loss ,because he would genetically be bigger. He would cut down to cruiserweight in all likely hood.

 

o.k...yea he could cut to that 170 easily today. I don't think he would be as effective though as he was cutting from a natural 210 or so is what he weighed without being in shape I believe b/c his stryle was grinding and pressure,usually being the more durable/stronger, the stockiness he had is what made him really .