Cotto vs. Geale: According to Miguel a catch-weight is fair

By Boxing News - 06/03/2015 - Comments

1-Press Conference Cotto vs Geale 15 (2)By Gerardo Granados: The WBC middleweight belt holder Miguel Cotto stated in an interview made by ESPN Boxing Analyst Brian Campbell to the question of why was it important to contest the bout against Daniel Geale at a catch weight, that: “I’m not a 160-pounder and I just want to make the game more fair.”

But is it fair to bend the rules? Currently there are only 17 weight divisions and the middleweight division goes from plus 154 up to 160 pounds (plus 69.85 up to 72.574 Kg – plus 11st up to 11 st 6 lbs) and the boxers are allowed to weigh as much as they want between the limit.

Maybe a boxer is looking for to weight inn at 158 and rehydrate only 10 pounds in order to keep his speed and mobility or it could be that he is a big natural middle so he will make a big effort to reach the 160 pounds mark and then rehydrate up to plus 20 pounds to out weight his rival increasing his punch resistance and power compared to the smaller foe.

I want to ask the reader if it is fair for Cotto to call himself the righteous lineal Middleweight Champion. Or is it fair to take the natural advantage off of your opponent because you are not a true middleweight? Is it fair to bend the rules with that excuse instead of just fight at the super welter limit? Is it fair for the rest of the middleweight fighters to not to be able to fight at the division limit because the supposed world champion argues he is too small to compete at the division limit?

Is it possible that the boxing organizations have lost control on the title bouts and not only the mandatory challenger has become a fancy name to tag a dangerous contender with and now the weight limits are no longer imposed to the so called big names?

Can the reader imagine a middleweight catch weight title bout agreed only one ounce above 154 pounds? I mean if the so called big names demanded it then the contender would have to obey in order to land a shot at the title. Not only the challenger must have the smaller cut of the pay but now also must weigh as much as the belt holder demands.

According to Miguel Cotto it is fair to impose the 157 catch weight. But what about the reader; do you think is it fair?



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