"Bam Bam" Rios the real deal at Lightweight

[CommunistKevin]

I still can't help but be a little uncomfortable with the way he rehydrates. It is just a bit unfair to me. But he is still a good and exciting young fighter. Im not trying to hate on him

[marbleheadmaui]

I still can't help but be a little uncomfortable with the way he rehydrates. It is just a bit unfair to me. But he is still a good and exciting young fighter. Im not trying to hate on him

It KILLS me that somehow the ability to cut weight has become a boxing talent.

WTF does THAT have to do with boxing?

Same day weigh-ins as close to fight time as possible. Force fighters to weigh in within 1% of the weigh-in weight 3-4 times in the last two weeks before a fight for safety reasons.

Of course that doesn't work with late replacements and we have to figure out how to penalize guys who miss weight (money) and when they aren't allowed to fight at all. Maybe if they are over 1% but under 2% in the run up weigh-ins they get fined. If over 2%? Not allowed to fight.

[boozeboxer]

I still can't help but be a little uncomfortable with the way he rehydrates. It is just a bit unfair to me. But he is still a good and exciting young fighter. Im not trying to hate on him

It KILLS me that somehow the ability to cut weight has become a boxing talent.

WTF does THAT have to do with boxing?

Same day weigh-ins as close to fight time as possible. Force fighters to weigh in within 1% of the weigh-in weight 3-4 times in the last two weeks before a fight for safety reasons.

Of course that doesn't work with late replacements and we have to figure out how to penalize guys who miss weight (money) and when they aren't allowed to fight at all. Maybe if they are over 1% but under 2% in the run up weigh-ins they get fined. If over 2%? Not allowed to fight.

I am going to disagree. I believe making weight/cutting weight is an integral part of boxing.
I often marveled how Margarito could be a 200 pound man on the street yet make the sacrifices to come in at 147 (and other similar stories).
The fact of the matter is that some people just are willing to sacrifice to get into the right weight division where there size is an advantage (and frankly some can't).

I do recognize the safety factor, however, everyone has to make weight and it is by its nature, a very dangerous sport.

[Chino]

How about Rios vs Ortiz? Rios keeps talking trash about Ortiz.

[marbleheadmaui]

I still can't help but be a little uncomfortable with the way he rehydrates. It is just a bit unfair to me. But he is still a good and exciting young fighter. Im not trying to hate on him

It KILLS me that somehow the ability to cut weight has become a boxing talent.

WTF does THAT have to do with boxing?

Same day weigh-ins as close to fight time as possible. Force fighters to weigh in within 1% of the weigh-in weight 3-4 times in the last two weeks before a fight for safety reasons.

Of course that doesn't work with late replacements and we have to figure out how to penalize guys who miss weight (money) and when they aren't allowed to fight at all. Maybe if they are over 1% but under 2% in the run up weigh-ins they get fined. If over 2%? Not allowed to fight.

I am going to disagree. I believe making weight/cutting weight is an integral part of boxing.
I often marveled how Margarito could be a 200 pound man on the street yet make the sacrifices to come in at 147 (and other similar stories).
The fact of the matter is that some people just are willing to sacrifice to get into the right weight division where there size is an advantage (and frankly some can't).

I do recognize the safety factor, however, everyone has to make weight and it is by its nature, a very dangerous sport.

From JL Sullivan's day until the 1920's in title fight fighters weighed in just before stepping into the ring. From the 1920's-1990 or so? Same day weigh-ins generally within eight hourse of the fight. IMPOSSIBLE to reydrate. In other words for 110 years fighters didn't dehydrate and rehydrate hardly at all. They fought at or very close to where they weighed in.

It changed after the Jimmy Garcia died (more or less). It's lead to all sorts of distortions and mismatches. Take Bam Bam Rios back to the 1970's and he isn't fighting Roberto Duran at lightweight. Hell he may not even be fighting Ray Leonard at 147. He might be fighting Ayub kalule at 154! It also lead to the Gatti-Gamache disaster.

[Mars_ax]

How about Rios vs Ortiz? Rios keeps talking trash about Ortiz.

That fight won't happen unless Rios eventually moves up 2 weight classes, Ortiz is currently fighting at WW.

[chinchekked]

I still can't help but be a little uncomfortable with the way he rehydrates. It is just a bit unfair to me. But he is still a good and exciting young fighter. Im not trying to hate on him

It KILLS me that somehow the ability to cut weight has become a boxing talent.

WTF does THAT have to do with boxing?

Same day weigh-ins as close to fight time as possible. Force fighters to weigh in within 1% of the weigh-in weight 3-4 times in the last two weeks before a fight for safety reasons.

Of course that doesn't work with late replacements and we have to figure out how to penalize guys who miss weight (money) and when they aren't allowed to fight at all. Maybe if they are over 1% but under 2% in the run up weigh-ins they get fined. If over 2%? Not allowed to fight.

I am going to disagree. I believe making weight/cutting weight is an integral part of boxing.
I often marveled how Margarito could be a 200 pound man on the street yet make the sacrifices to come in at 147 (and other similar stories).
The fact of the matter is that some people just are willing to sacrifice to get into the right weight division where there size is an advantage (and frankly some can't).

I do recognize the safety factor, however, everyone has to make weight and it is by its nature, a very dangerous sport.

From JL Sullivan's day until the 1920's in title fight fighters weighed in just before stepping into the ring. From the 1920's-1990 or so? Same day weigh-ins generally within eight hourse of the fight. IMPOSSIBLE to reydrate. In other words for 110 years fighters didn't dehydrate and rehydrate hardly at all. They fought at or very close to where they weighed in.

It changed after the Jimmy Garcia died (more or less). It's lead to all sorts of distortions and mismatches. Take Bam Bam Rios back to the 1970's and he isn't fighting Roberto Duran at lightweight. Hell he may not even be fighting Ray Leonard at 147. He might be fighting Ayub kalule at 154! It also lead to the Gatti-Gamache disaster.

I also think that this may contribute to something Manny Steward said recently about the lack of focus on actual boxing technique and the overfocus on physical conditioning. When you are allowed to possibly have a ten or fifteen pound advantage come fight time it behooves many people to focus more on obtaining that advantage than working on boxing technique because they can just overwhelm their opponents on many occasions. This MIGHT just MIGHT be one of the reasons that some trainers like Stewart say that the actual craft of boxing is deteriorating.

[JazMerkin]

I still can't help but be a little uncomfortable with the way he rehydrates. It is just a bit unfair to me. But he is still a good and exciting young fighter. Im not trying to hate on him

It KILLS me that somehow the ability to cut weight has become a boxing talent.

WTF does THAT have to do with boxing?

Same day weigh-ins as close to fight time as possible. Force fighters to weigh in within 1% of the weigh-in weight 3-4 times in the last two weeks before a fight for safety reasons.

Of course that doesn't work with late replacements and we have to figure out how to penalize guys who miss weight (money) and when they aren't allowed to fight at all. Maybe if they are over 1% but under 2% in the run up weigh-ins they get fined. If over 2%? Not allowed to fight.

I am going to disagree. I believe making weight/cutting weight is an integral part of boxing.
I often marveled how Margarito could be a 200 pound man on the street yet make the sacrifices to come in at 147 (and other similar stories).
The fact of the matter is that some people just are willing to sacrifice to get into the right weight division where there size is an advantage (and frankly some can't).

I do recognize the safety factor, however, everyone has to make weight and it is by its nature, a very dangerous sport.

From JL Sullivan's day until the 1920's in title fight fighters weighed in just before stepping into the ring. From the 1920's-1990 or so? Same day weigh-ins generally within eight hourse of the fight. IMPOSSIBLE to reydrate. In other words for 110 years fighters didn't dehydrate and rehydrate hardly at all. They fought at or very close to where they weighed in.

It changed after the Jimmy Garcia died (more or less). It's lead to all sorts of distortions and mismatches. Take Bam Bam Rios back to the 1970's and he isn't fighting Roberto Duran at lightweight. Hell he may not even be fighting Ray Leonard at 147. He might be fighting Ayub kalule at 154! It also lead to the Gatti-Gamache disaster.

That's just not true. We generally get somewhere between 4-7 hours depending on fight time to rehydrate after weighing in for amateur bouts & I find I can usually put on a few pounds (2-5) after through the meal, drinking & the tried & trusted banana. Although obviously it is true that the kind of rehydration Rios & Ortiz manage would simply be impossible.

[Spicoli]

I've always thought alot of it is a wink and a nod by networks and promoters to ensure a major event comes off as set. Everything is resolved today with guys basically making a financial agreement when weights are off or unable (unwilling) to be made. There is no insentive really. Just dock my purse and I don't have to sweat it. They take a trinket off the line if a guy doesn't make weight and make it a one way result, try that with a fighters purse and watch him start running laps.

[Hulk]

Rios is a tough tough little bastard and he showed some great punches against Antillion. Both men were throwing beautiful combos !

However, Rios is also lucky that aside from Marquez, who is in the twilight of his career and may yet retire after the Pac fight, he is in a relatively weak lightweight division. I mean Robert Guerrero is the only other threat aside from Marquez.

A few years ago if Rios had tried to mix it up with Diego Corrales, Joel Casamayor or Jose Luis Castillo, he would of been just another contender.

Hell, I'd put a prime Juan Lazcano up against Rios.

[CFH]

Rios is a tough tough little bastard and he showed some great punches against Antillion. Both men were throwing beautiful combos !

However, Rios is also lucky that aside from Marquez, who is in the twilight of his career and may yet retire after the Pac fight, he is in a relatively weak lightweight division. I mean Robert Guerrero is the only other threat aside from Marquez.

A few years ago if Rios had tried to mix it up with Diego Corrales, Joel Casamayor or Jose Luis Castillo, he would of been just another contender.

Hell, I'd put a prime Juan Lazcano up against Rios.

Corrales - Rios would have been a hell of a fight.

[marbleheadmaui]

I still can't help but be a little uncomfortable with the way he rehydrates. It is just a bit unfair to me. But he is still a good and exciting young fighter. Im not trying to hate on him

It KILLS me that somehow the ability to cut weight has become a boxing talent.

WTF does THAT have to do with boxing?

Same day weigh-ins as close to fight time as possible. Force fighters to weigh in within 1% of the weigh-in weight 3-4 times in the last two weeks before a fight for safety reasons.

Of course that doesn't work with late replacements and we have to figure out how to penalize guys who miss weight (money) and when they aren't allowed to fight at all. Maybe if they are over 1% but under 2% in the run up weigh-ins they get fined. If over 2%? Not allowed to fight.

I am going to disagree. I believe making weight/cutting weight is an integral part of boxing.
I often marveled how Margarito could be a 200 pound man on the street yet make the sacrifices to come in at 147 (and other similar stories).
The fact of the matter is that some people just are willing to sacrifice to get into the right weight division where there size is an advantage (and frankly some can't).

I do recognize the safety factor, however, everyone has to make weight and it is by its nature, a very dangerous sport.

From JL Sullivan's day until the 1920's in title fight fighters weighed in just before stepping into the ring. From the 1920's-1990 or so? Same day weigh-ins generally within eight hourse of the fight. IMPOSSIBLE to reydrate. In other words for 110 years fighters didn't dehydrate and rehydrate hardly at all. They fought at or very close to where they weighed in.

It changed after the Jimmy Garcia died (more or less). It's lead to all sorts of distortions and mismatches. Take Bam Bam Rios back to the 1970's and he isn't fighting Roberto Duran at lightweight. Hell he may not even be fighting Ray Leonard at 147. He might be fighting Ayub kalule at 154! It also lead to the Gatti-Gamache disaster.

I also think that this may contribute to something Manny Steward said recently about the lack of focus on actual boxing technique and the overfocus on physical conditioning. When you are allowed to possibly have a ten or fifteen pound advantage come fight time it behooves many people to focus more on obtaining that advantage than working on boxing technique because they can just overwhelm their opponents on many occasions. This MIGHT just MIGHT be one of the reasons that some trainers like Stewart say that the actual craft of boxing is deteriorating.

Hadn't thought of that. Nice post.

[Hulk]

Rios is a tough tough little bastard and he showed some great punches against Antillion. Both men were throwing beautiful combos !

However, Rios is also lucky that aside from Marquez, who is in the twilight of his career and may yet retire after the Pac fight, he is in a relatively weak lightweight division. I mean Robert Guerrero is the only other threat aside from Marquez.

A few years ago if Rios had tried to mix it up with Diego Corrales, Joel Casamayor or Jose Luis Castillo, he would of been just another contender.

Hell, I'd put a prime Juan Lazcano up against Rios.

Corrales - Rios would have been a hell of a fight.

It really could have been. Rios can take a punch.

But, I think Corrales would have got him early to mid with that great left hook of his.

[marbleheadmaui]

I still can't help but be a little uncomfortable with the way he rehydrates. It is just a bit unfair to me. But he is still a good and exciting young fighter. Im not trying to hate on him

It KILLS me that somehow the ability to cut weight has become a boxing talent.

WTF does THAT have to do with boxing?

Same day weigh-ins as close to fight time as possible. Force fighters to weigh in within 1% of the weigh-in weight 3-4 times in the last two weeks before a fight for safety reasons.

Of course that doesn't work with late replacements and we have to figure out how to penalize guys who miss weight (money) and when they aren't allowed to fight at all. Maybe if they are over 1% but under 2% in the run up weigh-ins they get fined. If over 2%? Not allowed to fight.

I am going to disagree. I believe making weight/cutting weight is an integral part of boxing.
I often marveled how Margarito could be a 200 pound man on the street yet make the sacrifices to come in at 147 (and other similar stories).
The fact of the matter is that some people just are willing to sacrifice to get into the right weight division where there size is an advantage (and frankly some can't).

I do recognize the safety factor, however, everyone has to make weight and it is by its nature, a very dangerous sport.

From JL Sullivan's day until the 1920's in title fight fighters weighed in just before stepping into the ring. From the 1920's-1990 or so? Same day weigh-ins generally within eight hourse of the fight. IMPOSSIBLE to reydrate. In other words for 110 years fighters didn't dehydrate and rehydrate hardly at all. They fought at or very close to where they weighed in.

It changed after the Jimmy Garcia died (more or less). It's lead to all sorts of distortions and mismatches. Take Bam Bam Rios back to the 1970's and he isn't fighting Roberto Duran at lightweight. Hell he may not even be fighting Ray Leonard at 147. He might be fighting Ayub kalule at 154! It also lead to the Gatti-Gamache disaster.

That's just not true. We generally get somewhere between 4-7 hours depending on fight time to rehydrate after weighing in for amateur bouts & I find I can usually put on a few pounds (2-5) after through the meal, drinking & the tried & trusted banana. Although obviously it is true that the kind of rehydration Rios & Ortiz manage would simply be impossible.

What's not true?

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

The emboldened part I assume

But I am in agreement with same day weigh in's. Have been for years. Especially with cases like Rios. Makes me sick to watch fighters abuse the system, fighting small guys... I's the reason I've never really like Paul Williams.... Always used to say that their was a reason he got up at 4am to run every morning.

As long as the fighters weight loss is sufficiently monitored along the way, there is no harm to the fighter and really would be beneficial to the sport.