When it comes to combat sports, boxing is undoubtedly at the top of the list in terms of global popularity. Tyson Fury, Canelo Alvarez, and Anthony Joshua are some of the current roster’s more well-known names, but a championship match may draw millions of viewers.
As a combat sport, boxing requires that competitors be separated into weight classes to ensure a level playing field. There are a total of 17 different weight classes in boxing, with the Strawweight division being the lightest, whereas the Heavyweight division is reserved for the largest boxers.
Boxers of various sizes are separated into distinct categories based on their weight. The purpose of weight classes is to ensure that contestants are facing off against opponents of similar skill levels, that there is adequate safety equipment available, and that fights are fair. Professional boxing for men now features 17 different weight divisions, ranging from strawweight (105 lb) to heavyweight (200 lb+).
How Do The Weight Classes Work?
If you are looking at boxing as a new area of interest in addition to playing slots with Everygame casino welcome bonus, it is important that you understand what the weight classes are all about.
They’re employed in matches involving boxers of comparable ages and statures to ensure a level playing field. In general, it is simpler for older fighters to climb higher weight classes because of the difficulty of losing weight with increasing bone density and muscle mass retention.
Every category has a maximum and minimum weight, except the heavyweight category.
Some weight classes have been around for decades, while others, like the bridgerweight class that sits between heavyweight and cruiser, are relatively newer additions.
Weigh-In Day
Each weight category has a minimum and maximum allowable weight except for heavyweight, which has no upper limit. A boxer has to weigh in within this range at a predetermined time before the bout.
An official component of the sport, the weigh-in is now a spectacle in its own right for the pros. Weigh-ins are so significant that even heavyweights without an upper limit still participate.
Weigh-In In Professional Boxing
The day before a bout is often the time for the weigh-in. Each competitor must make weight within the agreed-upon range, which can be a standard weight class or a catchweight.
In the event of a fighter’s failure, the bout may be called off, and if a title was at stake, he would be stripped of it. Offenders typically forfeit a portion of their bout purses, although boxers often choose to carry on the fight and keep the event going for the sake of the crowd.
Most boxers will undergo a weight-cutting regimen in the week leading up to the match to get an edge in the weight department. One component of this process is taking in large amounts of fluids during the first few days of a fight week, only to lose some of that water through perspiration later on.
With over 24 hours until the bout, fighters regain the weight they had lost as they step off the scale and start their journey of rehydration. As a result, they will be overweight on fight night. Obviously, this is done to get an edge over the opponent; but you might be astonished by the drastic weight losses some fighters can accomplish and regain.
Such strategies used for drastic weight loss are extremely hazardous to boxers’ long-term health and may reduce their effectiveness in the ring. Boxers must re-weigh in again prior to the bout and cannot exceed a particular weight under the standards enforced by organizations such as the IBF.
Regardless of whether the sanctioning organization does not mandate such stipulations, the fighters and their teams can come to an agreement on one.
Catchweight
Despite the huge variety of weight classes offered, they may not always be adequate. A catchweight is the weight during which boxers fight that is different from their original weight class. This can occur for a variety of reasons. After a failed weigh-in, opposing fighters may agree to compete at a different weight instead of canceling the fight.
The catchweight, on the other hand, is usually bargained considerably sooner. When fighters from various weight categories want to fight, they are not always willing to go to the opposite division. Going up means facing a bigger fighter and handing him an advantage, particularly in the heavier divisions where the differences are wider.
This might mean that a 160-pound middleweight and a 168-pound super middleweight may seek to fight at the 165-pound weight class. These deals are normally negotiated for non-title fights; however, when big-name fighters are involved, the regulating bodies are often willing to place a championship on the line regardless of the unusual weight.
Rehydration Clauses
Rehydration clauses are frequently employed to minimize the difference in weight during the weigh-in and the commencement of the fight. This means that following the weigh-in and before the fight, a fighter must not gain more than a particular amount of weight.
Because boxers may experience considerable weight loss due to dehydration to meet the weight limit, they may gain over 10 pounds even before the bout begins.
This is undesirable for several reasons. One, acute dehydration can endanger a boxer’s long-term health and also, in the near term, render him unable to compete adequately the next day, putting him at risk of damage. Second, despite being healthy after rehydrating, his opponent or a regulatory body may view the weight gain as an unfair advantage.
Take Away
In general, comparing boxers of various weight categories is tough. Boxers generally move up weight divisions as they develop in their age and training and gain muscle and gain bone density. Whenever a boxer earns titles in numerous weight classes, they are dubbed “multiple champions,” which is a major achievement for any fighter.
Setting weight classes is vital for several reasons, the most significant of which is safeguarding everyone.