Must people turn every thread into their gay little Pacquiao-Mayweather debate? Neither guy cares about proving their superiority over the other. Only their fans do.
As has been mentioned catchweights would make some fights better such as Ward-Dawson. 171-172lbs would have been 'fairer' but that isn't the question. Would it then be right for this 171-172lb fight to be for the LHW title? In a sport where some divisions vary by only 3lbs and most differ by only around 7lbs then 3-4lbs is significant. Title fights should only be at the weight limit of the division.
Catchweight title fights hold no substance in the eyes of true boxing critics. When you want a belt you should go and take it from whatever weight shes/he's the champion.
Hopkins fought at catchweights against Oscar at 156 I believe it was for Hopkins' MW titles and he defended his LHW championship twice at a 170 pound catchweight against Pavlik and Winky. The great Henry Armstrong defended one of his titles once at a catchweight. Cotto has fought at catchweights 3 times in title fights: Pacquiao 145, Margarito II 153, and Sergio 159. Abner Mares won his title at 122 from vacancy over Eric Morel at a 120 pound catchweight. Similarly, Manny Pacquiao won his title at 154 from vacancy over Antonio Margarito at a 150 pound catchweight.
All catch weights allow is for a weaker fighter to "win" a title against a weight drained opponent. If the smaller fighter is that good, then he/she should have no problem moving up in weight and taking that belt ala Duran vs Barkley
As if there isn't already more than enough weight classes now days as it is, but now catch weight title fights are pretty normal. No it is not right
I always thought that if you can't fight or make that weight then don't fight. However if a contract is signed and a KO occurs ,the law is written that it should be no EXCUSE.
For title fights they should absolutely not be allowed. A fight for the title at a certain weight should be at that weight. Why not have Maidana and Floyd fight for the vacant lightheavyweight title at a catchweight of 147?
are you being ironic? tons of them did. The CWs SRL used were way worse than the CWs of Pacquiao and Mayweather.
yeah they were worse and they unexceptable then. Leonard won two titles and did not fight a guy at the weight he won the titles at? Lalonde a lightheavyweight fought at 168, and they fought for a vacant title at 168. It was an insult on title and on boxing.. As all catchweights are. Who said what Leonard did was good? He is the guy who started this nonsense and at the time I thought it was travesty. He was trying to match Tommy Hearns with 5 titles without having to put in the work Hearns did.