as much as that sound liek a rant i kinda agree with you. diets are almost a fashion accesory. just eat exactly whats needed. 1/3 meat 1/3 carbs 1/3 veg....thats pretty balanced depends on what you want, i say this while me and my dad are chefs so it's a bit one sided. but food is so accesable and so widespread how can people not eat healthy. when you train thats where wieght disappears just becuase you can lose wieght without training or any physical activity doesnt mean you are fitter...actually far from it how on earth can anyone justify these crazy dietsatsch worse figure is that more people are ill or dieing from obesity than people are dieng or ill form malnutrition....it's insane poeple are eatin gthemselves to death but totally forget that physical excercise is the key to lose wieght
also wieght draining was an unknown practice you fought at your walking wieght this is why you'll find alot of 5'8 middlewieghts during the 50's and back. 5'8 or 5'9 is tiny compared to modern day 6'1 6'2 even 6'3 fighters. also most heavywieghts were much shorter, max baer who was a big man back then was only 6'3(yeah "only" 6'3) and was barely over 200 pounds.
well yeah there is wieght draining and then there is getting fit for fights big difference man. lamotta used to put on around a stone between fights. if he went into a fight with that extra wieght it wouldnt be the jake who beat robinson or cerdan.