The problem with lighterweight classes
Well in most cases you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.
If you stay and dominate in 1 weight class people will claim you're avoiding fighters in other divisions (Hopkins, Calzaghe)
If you move around a lot then you're not finishing your job in the weight classes you move out of (Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather Jr.)
What is better in your opinion???
Re: The problem with lighter weight classes
I think the best thing to do is to pick off the best in the divisions around your own weight class and make big fights, but this is more risky to do because the weight loss/gain may shorten your career and you may get hurt losing too much weight and taking a beating or just getting a beating from a huge opponent.
Re: The problem with lighterweight classes
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lyle
Well in most cases you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.
If you stay and dominate in 1 weight class people will claim you're avoiding fighters in other divisions.
If you move around a lot then you're not finishing your job in the weight classes you move out of.
What is better in your opinion???
Hard to deny what you said. However, it's tough at the lower weight divisions to even get fights made. Typically the money isn't there as compared to the big fights and unification matches are usually on the undercard of another fight or during the middle of the week. At the end of the day the fighters just need to take the best fight they can and leave the critics to bicker amongst themselves. It really applies to everyone in boxing, it doesn't matter what you do, there will always be critics.
Re: The problem with lighterweight classes
When you have special fighters like De la Hoya, PBF, Mosley, Leonard, Hagler, RJJ, Robinson, Armstrong etc....what is better for their legacy's???
Nobody cares what you do if you're a second rate fighter like Gatti, Ward, Mitchell, etc.
Re: The problem with lighterweight classes
I honestly couldn't say. It surely depends on the strength of the divisions.
I mean floyd went up and up but without fighting the main man at the weight (except the lighter weights)
Whereas Hatton has practically stayed at 140 where the weakness of the division is probably harming his legacy.
Suppose if you're going to do it you have to do it properly. There are so many variables involved though. And because anything can change at the speed of a punch, brand new foes are lining up for you all the time.
Like Mayweather beat Oscar.....but the what about Cotto? If he beat Cotto, what about Tony?