Ricky's Diary http://www.skysports.com/opinion/story/0,25212,13319_5267382,00.html I made the weight first time bang on 140lbs. After the weigh-in I re-hydrate and start putting my weight back on. I do this with recovery drinks and food and then it's back to the apartment for a big feast with all my team. By the time I get in the ring I will be about 151 to 154lbs. After dinner we played cards and the last meal of the day was a pizza before retiring for bed. ........................................... Ricky Hatton can fight at Welterweight, 147 So why does Hatton slim WAY down to jr Welterweight, 140. but on fight night he's a welterweight fighting jr. welterweight. Anyone think this is unfair weight advantage? something like this....... weigh-in Fighter A - 140 Fighter B - 140 (almost kills himself tryin to make weight) Fight night Fighter A - 143 Fighter B - 151 (his normal fighting weight)
No, the welterweights are doing the same and ending up at 160 at fight time so Hatton would still be 8lbs adrift of the big guys in that division.. The rules state you have to make the weight by a set time, thats all. If size was that important to Pac he has the option of fighting at 135 and coming in at around 142.
Fair enough....but if he does go to WW he will be fighting guys weighing 160 at fight night, so where does it stop ??
...that is why there were clamors from some quarters before that the weigh-in should be done on the same day as the fight--this way, fighters will fight in and around their normal walking weight. Those people argued that reforming the present pre-fight weigh in practice would reduce the danger of boxers draining themselves unhealthily and/or gaining undue advantages against smaller fighters. However the campaign had fallen on deaf ears...
Ever since the mid - late 90's guys have been taking advantage of the new dieting techniques that have been dreamed up by nutritionists. I never "rehydrated" any more then 5 or 6 pounds after weigh in and that was only several years ago. Its just a newer thing that more and more guys mostly between 130 and 175 pounds have been doing. Its sort of a way to maximize strength and to get a size advantage, only trouble is now almost everyones doing it. This is why Floyd Mayweather is actually small for a Welterweight and should fight natural 140 pounders. It isnt unfair in the Hatton - Pacman fight though cause both teams are aware of this tactic and agreed to the fight. Plus many "insiders" exaggerate Ricky's walk around weight, he is not a natural 180 f*cking pounds. He might have a few party nights were he reaches 170 but he normally walks around at 160 - 165 lbs. I bet Pacman reached 150 - 155 at the start of training camp. Hattons only slightly bigger then Pacman so it should be a good, evenly matched fight.
I agree with allot of what you said, except I think Hatton will be allot stronger then he was when he fought Floyd. Floyd Sr made sure Hatton's weight did not get too far out of control, which I can only guess was due to ricky doing maintenance work out during his time out of the gym, in any case he should have picked up some strength and added lean muscle mass along the way, Hatton looked lean at weigh in at 140, but by no means did his body looked drained .
