Why Have Weight Classes? Why
Not Just Call Outs!
By: Coach “K”
September 20, 2009
(SEPT 20) First, lets make this
clear I love the game of boxing. The problem I ask is where are we
going? Do we want it to become wrestling? My “God” no please! Loving the
game like I do, how is it we allowed for a fighter to demand a catch
weight (144lb, Mayweather) then miss his own declared weight and weigh
in at 146 just one pound below the next weight class? Even if you give
him a financial punishment or garnishment its still a financial gain
fought on an uneven ground in which the rule violator accomplished his
objective. Win outside the rules.
Forget what you personally think a true fighter should do. If the
fighter accepts the weight change then fails to meet his own catch
weight all penalty fees must be drawn from the violators purse and given
to the fighter making weight. Still that only solves the topical
problem.
Why in this case isn’t Floyd or any fighter in this situation severely
punished. If it is a title fight it should no longer be sanctioned. We
really know why. If the Oakland Raiders as much as they would like to
play with 14 players they wouldn’t be allowed. If at any time they were
caught over the limit of eleven they would be penalized. If it were a
touchdown it would be called back. If it were a homerun found with an
illegal bat it would be disallowed. Why is this acceptable in Boxing? I
guess it’s that money thing and if that’s the case why should we believe
anything? We all know for the right price anything can be bought.
Let’s think of the possible results. First now Floyd gets his seventh
title bypassing “Sugar” Ray Robinson. How could you compare the two.
First Robinson had to fight within his weight class for each title and
even after 150 fights, Robinson fought fighters in his weight class on
fight night.
Probably more importantly this is the sort of thing that brought into
question the weigh
in allegations regarding the late Arturo “Thunder” Gatti versus Joey
Gamache in February of 2000. This fight went off after allegations of
several weigh ins and the weight difference on the day of the fight
being so significant that it resulted in a public protest against boxing
and Gatti due to the violent knockout and hospitalization of Gamache
which ended his career.
Anyone like myself gave Mayweather credit for taking this fight with
Marquez, his first fight back but Marquez actually has now been forced
to move up three weight classes. How could anyone now give Mayweather
any credit for this pick, not making his own selected catch weight after
years of avoiding the likes of Paul Williams, Miguel Cotto, Antonio
Margarito and “Sugar” Shane Mosley. Would the UFC allow this. Would
major league baseball let the Yankees play a triple a team in the World
Series?
This type of thing only adds to any idea that boxing is corrupt and only
about money. If you are the champion why aren’t you mandated to take on
the number one contender? Even someone in the top ten. If you relinquish
a belt, and retire, why are you allowed to come back and fight for
another belt in the same weight class? (Also too many belts)
Why can you fight for the light welterweight title and weight 170 lbs on
fight night? Please tell me. Please! The only answer I get from anyone
in or out of the sport is $!
Let’s assume for a second that Pacquiao loses to Cotto, andMayweather
gets another smaller fighter to move up---accept this time it is four
weight classes? If the answer is, 'That is what people wanted ' then
what is the point of having weight classes or titles for different
weight classes?
Why didn’t the 'supposed' greatest pound for pound fighter of his time
fight any of the fighters previously named? Well---more than likely
because no one made him. You can’t do this in any other sport.
If this is the way boxing is going to carry on, we might as well watch
USC play New England in the Super Bowl! Would you go for it? I want the
best fight, the best when there at their best.
Watching a fight as a youngster an old timer told me the best fights are
the ones on the up and up. I guess I now know what he means.
Here’s the real question. Why wasn’t Mayweather---after already being
given an extension due to an injury in training, handed a jump rope so
we could watch him jump to lose the two pounds as we watched him
showcase his skills so prominently in the promotions to make weight?
Just like he would have had to do in the Amateurs or be disqualified?
Game - a competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance on
the part of two or more persons who play according to a set of rules,
usually for their own amusement or for that of spectators. How does
Mayweather get to refuse to lose the weight? Please if you know email me
at pkboxing@aol.com.
