How many fighters have gone down in weight and won a world championship? I am sure that there have been plenty. But in recent times, i can t think of too many that have managed to go down weight and win fights. I can remember that Roy Jones did, but then he was soon blasted. Chris Byrd tried to, but he was knocked out. there must be plenty of recent examples, with catch weights and so forth, but i am struggling to think of any. there are plenty of examples (successfull or otherwise) of fighters going up in weight but not so many the other way. So, i am asking the forum the question, of which fights they can think of where the world champion has successfully dropped down in weight and won or fought for a world title.
Anthony Mundine issued a statement that he plans to ''pioneer'' his way down to Bantamweight and that his skeleton will knockout Hasegawa and take his title.
Technically Pacquiao fought at the ww limit once before dropping down to light welterweight for the linear title, and if you want to count it, the IBO strap. Also, just technically, Arthur Abraham fought many of his early fights at Super Middleweight before winning the IBF middleweight title, then vacating it to move back up for the super six. I'll have to think about it more.
How stupid of me. Shane Mosley came down from 154 and obviously won the WBA welterweight title last year. Edit: 1. ODLH after losing his WBO middleweight title to Hopkins, moved back down and picked up the WBC Light Middleweight title. 2. Paul Williams fought several fights at middleweight and light middleweight prior to winning the WBO Welterweight title twice. 3. Robinson challenged Maxim unsuccessfully for the light heavyweight title, then moved back to middleweight to take the title from Olson. 4. David Haye fought at heavyweight more than he insists. He had hw fights before he won the three cruiserweight titles. I'd say he is a HW who drained down to CW, not a blown up CW at HW. 5. Tommy Hearns got a Light Heavyweight strap before his middle and super middleweight titles. 6. Dariusz Michalczewski picked up a CW title during his reign of a light heavyweight title and picked up two more light heavyweight titles afterwards if you want to count that. 7. Fabrice Tiozzo went from a light heavyweight title to a CW title and back to a light hw title. 8. Ricky Hatton won the IBF Light WW title after winning the WBA welterweight title. Can't believe some of the obvious ones I'm only now thinking about. 9. Tony Canzoneri became lightweight champion again after coming down from light welterweight 10. Obviously Hank Armstrong getting his Lightweight title after his WW title.
Orlin Norris dropped down from heavyweight fringe contender to win the cruiserweight title. Barry Michael was another that dropped from 135 to 130 through very strenuous training and won the IBF world title.
Hopkins began as a 175lber, before winning his first championship at 160. Not a World title holder, but a good example, Lou Gent was a 190lbs Journeyman, who got himself down to 168 and a title shot at Benn's WBC crown.
Emile Griffith was another that dropped back in weight after challenging at a higher weight. Not really a dramatic cut though as he barely ever weighed in at middleweight. Gairy St. Clair dropped from 140lbs earlier in his career to win a 130lb world title too.
These are a few examples. It is surprising though, that more people havent pulled off the feat, or at least tried to prolong their careers by getting in shape and going down in weight. While thinking of these examples are there any other examples of world champions who tried to go down in weight and lost, like byrd and jones did?
I'm struggling to think of guys that won a title in (say) their natural weight class, then dropped down below and also achieved success. It's not quite the same as winning one in your natural class, vacating, moving up, winning, vacating and coming back down and winning it back.
