By Gerardo Granados: Years ago the prizefighters weigh inn was done the same day of the fight. It was done for many years but after the tragic death of fighters a way to reduce the danger was to have the weigh inn one day before the fight.
Many valid arguments were made to make the modification and the result was the protection of health and life of men and women who step into the ring.
If it has already been medically explained why it is risky to have the weigh inn the same day of the fight and having it one day previous has not been the ideal solution, then which could be a viable one?
For the young boxing fans it must be normal to see the weigh inn done one day before the fight, but in the past fighters who end up above the weight division limit struggled to make weight; they made a tremendous effort to make weight to avoid losing his world title on the scales or to be allowed to fight (and by consequence to cash a payment). This situation ended up with drained tired fighters who got in to the ring unfit to fight. But was it possible for fighters to self weight and control their weight to avoid not been able to make weight?
Modern pro boxing has been specialized to the point that there are personal physical trainers who have major college degrees. They will program the weight loss, they´ll control the intake, quantity and quality of food; and they will make fighters exercise under a strict program. Traditional training must be left for small local boxing gyms.
Does the reader knows a prize fighter active or retired who fights on the same weight division limit as the one he walks around when he is not training? If you can have a licit edge you will take it.
The major concern about this situation is that the weight limits are no longer useful to protect fighters from uneven fights. Depending on the ability to dehydrate and then put on weight we are seeing a lightweight engage a welterweight. But is that the major risk?
Dehydration in professional sports might be. The effects of dehydration on the human body are no longer a mystery and there has been medical research on the subject. To allow any athlete to have such extreme and dangerous dehydration practices is irresponsible and it is the major boxing organizations duty to regulate this issue.
Would prize fighters and major boxing organizations accept to have an extra weigh inn previous the fight? The first one as we know it, the second to avoid contenders to rehydrate above a 5% of the weight division limit, with a 25% purse penalty taken off the infractor in favor of the fighter who makes weight but allowing the infractor to fight.
The health and life of prize fighters must be the major concern of the boxing ruling bodies but being professional boxing a business it is necessary to find a viable solution that will protect and benefit the indispensable element of the boxing industry.
Is it necessary a second weigh inn the same day of the fight?
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