Do most fans realise the hell fighters go through to make weight?

It's a silly tradition that needs to die. It's part of the old school of glamourising suffering as much as anything. Amateurs burn out if they do it, when you're at a tournament and weighing in day after day if you try to play that game your performance really suffers if you progress. Consistent amateurs at the high level don't struggle to make weight, they fight in a higher weight class. Beterbiev spent a lot of time in the amateurs at heavyweight despite only weighing in at about that 190. I'm sure if he kept trying to hit 81kg for amateur tournaments he wouldn't have had the success and longevity he has had as a pro.

 

I don’t like day before weigh in, because for everything but heavyweight it adds in another genetic requirement that is unrelated to actual fighting itself — the ability to dehydrate and rehydrate quickly, and to then be effective after a quick cycle of that.

 

Its unbelievably difficult. I lived off of tuna fish coffee and water and drugs through most of highschool as I stayed at around 140 lbs and would cut to 134 for a fight.

The mental aspect is something I don't think they get enough credit for. They're either mentally strong. Or straight up mental lol

There was this boxer out of Toronto who was amazing in sparring. Looked great in the gym, on the mitts and everything. To boot, he was also 6'1, 140 lbs. Would freeze up in fights though and lose on points mostly.

 

I have had to make weight cuts, but never nothing too drastic

As a competitive lifter most of the comps were tested federations with same day weigh ins. I would normally cut only 5-8lb

Most I ever cut was day before and was 15 or so lb. Even with the extra time to hydrate, I didn't feel great. I spent much of the time in the sauna and hot baths

If cutting less than 8lb, it is easy to do through low carb/salt and water manipulation

Monday I would drink around 6-8 litres
Tuesday 8 litres
Wednesday the same
Thursday 10 plus litres
Friday 2 litres before 5pm. No water other than small sips after 5

You continue to p** like a racehorse all through the night and wake up much lighter in the morning. If you are a pound or so over? Jump into a hot bath to soak for a time. There are natural diuretics too, not required of you know what you are doing

 

Combat sports need to go back to same day weigh ins.

"B-but they'll cut weight anyway though!"

Well that's their fault then lmao. As someone who's done it themselves I always felt that doing it actually decreased my skill and sharpness. And I was nowhere near doing insane Haney style cutting. Weight cutting unironically lowers the level of Boxing skill we see. It's also scientifically proven to be bad for the brain too. And the one day rehydration isn't actually enough to counter act the effects.

Next day weigh ins were actually brought in for corporate interests anyway - they help in scheduling and for hype, and also make it easier to adjust for sudden drop outs etc. If orgs actually cared about fighter health 15lbs+ weight cuts would never be allowed to happen.

 

It's a joke really & becomes quite an important aspect when it shouldn't be. heavyweight boxing is proof that cutting and making weight shouldn't be required for entertainment purposes. Bring back same day weigh ins, the fighters will perform much better and be at less risk. Months of training can be lost if a weight cut goes bad...or you have people who are able to exploit extreme 20+ pound weight cuts and be weight bullies. Not interested, same day weigh ins will just have everyone shift up a division or two.

 

If you're going through hell to cut weight to fight in a specific division, maybe you should move up.

There are many fighters who doesn't need to cut that much weight. GGG is a good example and ironically, Fundora is another guy. Bivol also doesn't cut much weight to fight at 175.

 

I agree.

For most of the 20th Century, fighters never went "thru hell" to make weight. That's why each division has a weight range.

You could box every couple weeks at middleweight weighing anywhere from 148 to 160. Fighters stayed in shape and fought at their normal fit shape.

There's no point in even having actual weight divisions anymore because nobody actually comes in well under the weight limit.

They just dry out to make the weight limit for the few seconds they're on the scale, and then they start rehydrating.

It's just become a weight loss contest before the actual fight. Nothing more.

Basically no champ below heavyweight could actually get in the ring and compete in the weight class where he holds the belt.

So what's the point?

Bring back weigh-ins the day of the fights, preferably when they show up at the arena the afternoon of the bout.

 

It's crazier for mma and I believe every extra pound matters more when grappling. Those dudes cut INSANE amounts. I know some boxers do too, but it isn't unusual for ufc guys to be 20lb heavier on the night. Someone like Poatan would have been easily over 205 fight night, when he used to make 185

 

I find the difference between woman’s boxing and woman’s UFC to be interesting. The UFC girls are real lean. The boxers aren’t.

 

I am familiar with how hard modern fighters will go to cheat. Either artificially depleting their body of water so that they can beat up smaller lighter men or limiting their fights to twice a year so as to avoid drug tests, among other things.

 

This is why I've always preferred heavyweights. No games like this.

 

Thats why you shoudl fight close to your real weight rather then trying to get an unfair advantage

 

honestly, if you are fighting at middle weight but come in on fight night at light heavy, maybe you really SHOULD be fighting at light heavy. it is only on them if they are suffering and honestly, i believe it cheats the fans of honest fights.