Catch weights, where did it all start?

As far as modern boxing goes, it strikes me that the reason for all the catchweights and weight-class jumping is a reaction to the fact that these days a "world title" is virtually meaningless anymore. Hell, who ISN'T a claimant to some stupid belt or other nowadays? There had to be another way to stake your claim as a great fighter.....

The only way to glean a bit of attention and bigger paydays is to simply try to fight anyone remotely around the weight class you currently inhabit. That seems to be the currency of the day.

 

We have around 8,755,006 divisions these days! It seems to me that there is absolutely no reason for a catchweight title fight. The fact that guys are allowed to invent their own divisions simply because they happen to be popular fighters is very irritating.

Non-title fights contested over or under established weight classes don't bother me. Catchweight title fights are absurd.

I know that doesn't address the original question. I'm just venting!

 

I think catchweight fights have been around for years but catchweights in "world" title fights is pretty new. Leonard-Lalonde is the earliest I remember.

 

Well bit of an unusual one. Lalonde was WBC Lightheavy champ and the WBC Super middle title was vacant. Leonard managed to swing that if Lalonde got under 168 both titles would be on the line. So really you could say that Leonard much of a fan of his I am has a claim on the light heavy title when he never ever fought a light heavy.

 

Well yes but not quite the same as it is now. It is the first time I can think of though in title fight where one fighter has demanded the other came in under the weight, Light heavy in this case.

 

Catchweight matches began with James Figg...