Bob Foster at SMW today- GOAT 49-0

The difference between weight cutting in the past vs. now has everything to do with the 24-hour weigh-in.

In the past, dramatic weight cutting was difficult because of same-day weigh-ins.
There was not enough time to effectively rehydrate.

Now, that is not an issue.

I posted an article a few months ago of exactly how fighters cut weight nowadays. It was written for MMA, but of course it applies to boxing too.

The writer of the piece dropped 24 pounds within a week, and gained it all back within 24 hours.
Before and after, he was put through a variety of athletic tests to determine the effect of dramatic weight cutting and rehydration. There was a negligible loss of performance after the rehydration process.

Fighters now only have to make a certain weight for a few minutes... once that weigh-in is over, they quickly rehydrate.

One thing they do today is something called 'water loading' (if I recall) where the body is prepped beforehand to facilitate huge water weight loss.

Also, though not discussed because technically it's illegal, is the use of diuretics to facilitate water loss. It really is a science now.

I don't doubt Foster today could easily lose 16 pounds or more and fight at middleweight, because it's commonplace now.

Also, I'm sure IVs are used today to replenish the body with vital fluids and electrolytes. The slow drip method is preferable because a person could get sick just gulping down bottles of fluid in a hurry.

 

I respect and acknowledge everything in your post, but I disagree with the conclusion you've drawn. My position was never that a random person couldn't lose 15, 20, 30 pounds after a full camp. My point is that a person who's already gone through a full camp, no matter how outdated his mode of training, is unlikely to shed 15 more pounds. Apparently, I'm so unconvincing that it is now 28 more pounds. After cardio intensive training.

If Foster trained up to 180 or 188, that would mean he would have been pointlessly training up throughout his career. Besides this, if he trained up to 180 or 188, we would have more than his own words (which, by the way, don't explicitly say this). It would be written about like it was for Jones, Holyfield, Spinks. He would be the first light heavyweight champion to win the heavyweight crown. Instead, we have nothing because a boxer shedding weight isn't remarkable. Moore trained down to fight Marciano. Everyone does it.

Do you have a response to my previous post about amateur weights?

 

Yes?

 

Paul Williams
6'1"
Martinez II 156 168
Martinez I 157 166
Wright 157 165
Margarito 146 162

Fernando Vargas
5'10"
Campas 151 166
Thompson 153 163

Why didn't Paul Williams come in at 147/160? Could it have to do with a little something called conditioning?

 

Heck, let's do light heavyweights. But just for funsies I'll hide the rehydrated weight.

Chad Dawson
6'2"
Karpency 173 ???

Glen Johnson
5'9"
Tarver II 173 ???

Surely they wouldn't needlessly dehydrate themselves when they've made weight comfortably, right?

 

I don't think I'm the one who should be embarrassed. You're basically saying he put on muscle for Ernie Knox & Vernon McIntosh for no reason. He was the same size as Kovalev at similar stages in their life, but according to you Kovalev discovered he had Aquaman's powers after he turned pro.

 

You said:

So why would Dawson dehydrate himself further so late in his career? In a fight scheduled for 12 not 15? Have you heard of conditioning and what it can do for the body? Boxing, Captain Falcon, do you speak it?

 

Except he had to at least sweat down from 180 when he battled the ferocious Ernie Knox as a 5-0 veteran. No, wait, I forgot he put on muscle for that fight.