Which weight class is traditionally the most difficult to succeed in?

147 - 160

 

Like other's have said, Welter/Middle, simply because that is the size of the average male when in shape, so the it will naturally have the deepest talent pool.

 

If you define success by popularity and money, then I'd go with lower weight classes too. It's hard to become extremely popular at such a small weight. The average guy can probably beat you up. If you're going by competition then that changes with the times.

 

The average guy can probably beat you up? Where does this misconception come from? Take Erik Morales today out of shape and with no training, throw him in against an average guy, and see what happens. Maybe the average journeman middleweight can beat the elite lightweights, but both of those guys murder an "average" guy. I used to watch Auggie Sanchez KO middleweights amd supermiddleweights in sparring who wanted to be or were professional fighters.

The problem with staying on top in the low weight classes is a lot of those guys had to cut weight to get there to begin with, and that gets harder and harder in your mid thirties, and speed leaves a little bit before power, so slowing down and being a little weight drained doesn't put you at your best on fight night ... and if you don't have the height, you don't want to jump up to middle weight or something, where those guys are cutting from like 180.