Comments Thread For: It's better to wait than be overweight: Why boxing needs a new weigh-in policy

[El_Mero]

Been screaming for years to bring "morning of" weigh ins, back into normalcy.

[OnePunch]

Supposedly this was changed due to the dangerous it presented. With the lack of time to properly rehydrate and whatnot, the body was more susceptible to life threatening injuries.

This is true, it was Flip Homansky that lobbied hard for this change. But all he did was transfer the health risk and danger to the other fighter who is fighting at their correct weight. Because now they have to face an opponent that has re-hydrated 5,10, maybe 15 pounds and essentially is 1 or 2 weight divisions heavier.

Gatti vs Gamache is indeed a great example. Although Johhny Bos till the day he died always claimed that Gatti never even made weight in the first place.......

[Butt stuff]

Same day weigh ins don’t give enough time for the protective barrier around the brain to rehydrate. Simple as that.

[SteveM]

From what I understand , Keyshawn got an extra 100k from Lemos purse to go through with the fight.

Team Davis saw some vulnerability in Lemos and so even when he came in 6 lbs over they still continued. Team Lemos already had in back of their mind that they were earning their purse less 100K ,

[SteveM]

Same day weigh ins don’t give enough time for the protective barrier around the brain to rehydrate. Simple as that.

Should be day before plus re-hydration limit on day-of-fight weigh-in

[Smash]

how about do it like the jockies do it, you jump on the scales just as you are ring walking, on the way out, u are over by a small amount u pay 25% of your purse to your opponent, u are over by a little bit more, u pay 50% of your purse to your opponent etc, u take the piss and come in heavy u wont get any more fights as u are deemed a basket case

[PRINCEKOOL]

Yeah , I totally get that the extreme weight cutting is a relatively new thing. Guys like Henry Armstrong , Hopkins , Floyd , and a lot of other old fighters stayed in shape and close to or at their fighting weight year round because they either fought so frequently or were smart enough to know that staying in shape and training to some degree year round was better for your boxing and out of the ring life as well. These guys that drop 30 or more pounds in canmp then blow up again in between fights are only hurting themselves in the short and long terms. Some guys were still coming in really drained during the Same Day Weigh In Era though , that's why it got changed to give them more time to rehydrate. It's on the athletes and their teams though. I don't see how they can legally be told how much they can weigh in between fights .

The same day weigh in rule, was altered in my opinion 'Because promoters could make more business, not only on fight night. But by also making the weigh in, and sporting spectacle'. There is no hardcore evidence, historically that the boxing weigh in rules, where altered for the safety of the fighters primarily'

Why do you continue to say this? If this was a historical fact, then there would be many past media publications, books and reports 'Documenting and speaking about the reasons why the weigh in rules of boxing where altered. There are no books, no creditable media publications or reports. Nothing'.

Boxing especially in the lower weight classes, since the introduction of the Day before Weigh In Rules 'Has become a more dangerous sport. All combat sports, who use the Day before weigh in rule. Have masses of fighters who use weight draining tactics'.

Note: There are some very informative, and graphic combat sports documentaries 'Showcasing how fighters weight drain themselves, and the negatives effects it has on their well being'.

Understand and accept that this is a completely modern phenomenon in combat sports, you still seem to not be wanting to acknowledge this 100%. You keep trying to make out, that SOMETIMES fighters in the past era's, were also weight drained like certain fighters are today'.

They may have been tight at the weight, but that is normal at times 'Formula 1 drivers, throughout the years have spoken about the challenges and sacrifice's they make. Of being inside the weight limit, especially the drivers who are of a naturally bigger stature'.

Formula 1 Drivers are weighed in while wearing their racing suit, and protective gear. They are weighed in before and after, racing practices, qualifying and the main Race'. They must be inside or on the weight limit. The weight limit of 80kg is the same for all drivers and teams. If a drivers weight is less than 80kg, the team add to the car something called ballast.

The point I am trying to make is 'That Fighters who fought under the same day weigh in rule, of course trying to make a weight was a challenge. But they would of suffered no more, than other athletes who were also competing under similar conditions within their sports'.

If boxing wanted to banish weight draining in the sport 'In my opinion, for sure they could try a lot harder. The environment and culture that exist in boxing now, is basically inviting fighters to weight drain themselves'.

That is why I refer to weight draining 'As a modern day toxic culture in the sport. There are both fighters and coaches at amateur and professional level. Who believe that weight draining tactics are a fundamental part of the sport'.

To conclude: I have watched interviews, where professional boxing coaches have stated 'Well he made the weight cut healthy'. Those comments were made in regards to their fighter. In fact, the boxing coach was Joe McNally and he was talking about Josh Kelly'.

Joe McNally is in my opinion a good boxing trainer, seems very passionate about the sport. But those comments show, how deeply the toxic culture of weight draining has infiltrated the psyche of both fighters and certain boxing coaches. There is no such thing, has a healthy weight cut'.

But you have these professional fighters and boxing coaches, kidding themselves 'Because they are working alongside some sports doctor. That has learnt how to take a few fitness test and monitor a fighter'.

Boxing was not my main sport, but I have throughout the years been in and around boxing gyms. And I could observe the weight draining culture even at amateur level, between the fighters'.

But because I had experienced of others sports and knowledge 'I understood, that this culture which I was seeing in Amateur boxing gyms. Has no real long term benefits, and those attitudes are detrimental for fighters over the long term'.

As I stated in my first posts in this thread, take a look around and see how other combat sports 'Are attempting to tackle this weight draining culture. Boxing as a whole can do more, the amount of experience and knowledge that past old school fighters and boxing coaches have needs to be appreciated'.

I have posted a video, featuring Dominic Ingle 'Were he stated that fighters never used to weight drain themselves to the same extent we see today. And during those boxing eras, the Same Day Weigh In Rules, were the fundamental deterrent which altered the training environment of the sport. And made it extremely difficult for fighters to use weight draining tactics, and gain any sort of acute advantage. It also stopped the growth and promotion of the toxic weight draining culture' etc.

[Uihsmc]

Good article. Why don't boxing implement those ideas in the heavyweight division? Some boxers are 55 Lbs heavier than their opponents and are still permitted to fight. That is murderous!

[Elheath]

Good article. Why don't boxing implement those ideas in the heavyweight division? Some boxers are 55 Lbs heavier than their opponents and are still permitted to fight. That is murderous!

HW boxing doesn't weight drain so to be frank it is almost a whole different category compared to the other divisions. In a way like the difference between a 3-on-3 on the asphalt half court compared to a 5-on-5 on an indoor full court, where they use the same balls with similar rules but still quite different when you actually play it.

As for the topic, I actually think they should have a % rehydration limit for all organizations after weigh-ins. That way they can't have a crazy cut in the last few days using unhealthy methods but lose more long term

[OnePunch]

The same day weigh in rule, was altered in my opinion 'Because promoters could make more business, not only on fight night. But by also making the weigh in, and sporting spectacle'. There is no hardcore evidence, historically that the boxing weigh in rules, where altered for the safety of the fighters primarily'

It is well known that the push for day-before weigh-ins was instigated by Dr Flip Homansky. Promoters went along with it because it provided an additional day of media coverage to help promote the event, and also provided additional time to find replacement opponents for fights that fell apart at the weigh in, failed physicals, etc.

Homansky was wrong. His desire to protect the weigh-cheaters comes at the expense of the fighters who compete in their correct divisions. They are forced to fight guys 1, 2, or even 3 divisions heavier than them on fight night. We should go back to same day weigh-ins.




"Concerned about dehydrated fighters not having enough time between the weigh-in and the fight to properly rehydrate, influential ringside physician Dr. Edwin "Flip" Homansky advocated switching to day-before weigh-ins. It seemed to make a lot of sense. There are many medical risks associated with dehydration, including reducing the amount of cerebrospinal fluid in which the brain floats. Insufficient fluid compromises the cushion-effect and the brain's ability to absorb shock.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission saw merit in Dr. Homansky's suggestion and instituted the new day-before policy in the mid-1980s. It wasn't long before virtually all jurisdictions followed suit, but unanticipated complications soon surfaced."