Mayweather and Hopkins: Do boxing divisions matter anymore?

By Boxing News - 10/25/2013 - Comments

By Babatis Banda: Broadly, there are the light weights, the middle weights and the heavy weights. These are further broken down by weight categories into smaller divisions. For example, the flyweights, welter-weights, light-heavy etc. My understanding is that these classes are necessary because it is only obvious that fighters have different weights. The idea is to have fairer matches within each category so that weight does not become an advantage or a disadvantage.

Because of various reasons the issue of catch-weights becomes necessary, but really, what is a catch-weight? A catch weight is a term used in combat sports such as boxing and mixed martial arts to describe a weight limit for a fight that does not fall in line with the traditional limits for weight classes. In boxing, a catch-weight is negotiated way before weigh-ins are conducted a day before the fight. This allows fighters in different weight categories to fight each other. It is also not uncommon to see a title matches being fought at a catch-weight. Usually, catch-weights make sense when the boxers are not so far apart in weight.

We all understand that the money and the excitement in boxing today is in the middle weights. Mayweather and Pacquiao in particular are the big money drawers. To say that all roads lead to these two is not an over-statement. Most fighters would love to fight them for the money and the fame. There is no problem if legit contenders line-up for a piece of the cake, but there is every problem if anybody at any weight wants to have a go at the cash-cows of the sport. This means that they have to either, lose or gain so much weight to fight these stars.

There is so much confusion in boxing…..the sanctioning and regulatory bodies are toothless. It seems they are controlled by powerful figures that only have personal interests in mind. There are so many belts and from different bodies for the same weight categories that it is now difficult to determine genuine title contenders.

Boxing should never allow this to continue to happen. There are weight classes for a reason and the sport should respect them. I do not think that Mayweather will ever entertain a fight with Hopkins, I surely hope he doesn’t. I do not see the significance of such a fight. I also don’t know who will pay to watch Hopkins fight Mayweather when there are other interesting and serious contenders that should be fighting Mayweather.



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