As fighters grow older they add mass. Just a fact of life. They're controlling their weight in unnatural ways but the body can adjust. So IF someone is fighting at an unnatural weight that they need to fight to reach, going an extra 3lbs can be a bit of a tricky one. Still weight-making has advanced so far as a science it's not even true. And all the hysteria is ridiculous. Really. There have been catchweights for as long as there has been boxing. Always will be.
Sugar Ray Leonard explains in his book that the last couple of pounds when fighters dehydrate themselves to make weight are the toughest ones to lose. When a fighter is fighting at a catchweight he's struggling to lose those last few pounds in order to meet the catchweight, pounds that he usually does not need to lose in order to fight in his weight class.
I think more than the physical it affects the mental . If for instance you have always fought at 147 and then fight at 144 / 45 the body may not feel it , but the mind will definately have doubts.
Catchweights also add the need for additional weight loss during training camp. Along the way, the team may realize that they aren't at the right target weights, and will spend time focusing on losing the weight instead of training for the fight.
13 high profile catchweight fight 11 loses to 2 wins for the fighter going up in weight. http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=397766 This content is protected This content is protected
