Amateur boxing, weights, weight loss etc..questions!

[dookus]

So I'm training again, with a view to hopefully having an amateur bout at some point before it's clearly too late (I'm 27 now, so hopefully I've got a little while). I've been thinking a lot about the issue of what weight to aim for, and how to get there.

I'm obviously a long way off any sort of fighting weight - at the moment I come in at about 14st 4ish, carrying a fair bit of flab around my midsection (although I'm no tubbypants by any means), and I'm 6'3". I imagine that I'd most likely be aiming to get down to light-heavyweight, as I doubt I'd have the build for a heavyweight. Super-middleweight would have been realistic maybe 4 years ago, but time flies and I wasn't training at all then.

Thing is, 12st 8 is awful long way away, or it seems like it at least - that's a good 24 pounds, or 11% of my current weight. I have to plan a bit! My questions are..

1. What sort of weight does your average light-heavyweight amateur walk around at? 10 pounds over the limit? 20? 30? Is it realistic to try and get down to lightheavy given that I'm 14st 4 and not really fat per se (although nowhere near a six pack!)

2. How much do run-of-the-mill amateur fighters sweat the weight off, and how much is just through staying off the beer and fags?

3. How close is the weighin at your average small amateur show to the fight? Obviously, the closer the fight is to the weigh-in, the less I want to be sweating off..

Many thanks for any help you can give me in achieving this life-long ambition of getting my head punched in for the entertainment of others!

[dookus]

bump - edited the questions a bit - any amateur fighters care to chip in?

[alexpaterson]

The weight in is normally a couple of hours before the fighting starts. And just gradually get yourself down to a weigh. Good luck

[dookus]

Many thanks Mr Paterson, christ a couple of hours? No boiling the crap out of yourself then..

[Gooner123]

Are you doing any training at the moment? (gym,football,weights etc?)

[dookus]

I box a couple of times a week and play football for an hour sunday mornings - looking at going for runs a couple of times a week and possibly squeezing another boxing session in. No weights at the moment, I did plenty of those over the last year..

[bigped]

i boxed at light heavy as does my brother now, he walks about 4lbs over the weight, amatures dont really boil down mate.

[dookus]

So, going to have to see how much of the good life I can burn off my stomach, then....

[sy86]

I was around 10 stone when I started training properly.

Got down to 9.7 and walked around and fought at this weight. I wanted to get down to 9 for the novices and did 6 months steady dieting to do it.

Didn't quite get the weight right for the 1st fight and ended up 8.9, felt drained in the ring and turned into a war. Did enough for the win and sorted the weight for the next fight and won the regional title.

Wouldn't recommend trying to loose too much on the day. It's not really like the pro's with the massive weight drops. You need to be ready to fight all the time as you don't always get alot of notice for a bout.

[dookus]

dookus,

Do not over-complicate things. The internet is a great resource but it can also eff with your head and give some serious information overload.

This is all a rank novice needs to know:

Get in the gym and train like a madman. When you feel fit and your trainers are content that you can look after yourself in sparring and are ready for a fight, you'll be ready and your weight will be right.

There's no point getting all hung up about what weight to fight at, cutting weight etc if you are only half arsing it to begin with. Training twice a week and having a kick about on a Sunday doesn't cut it. Stop thinking and start training.

Agreed! Fitting more training in is the issue...

[dbf]

Your club coach should be best placed to give you advice on any of these issues. As said above I would focus on training regulary, getting fit, improving your technique etc. I am sure when your coach thinks you are ready he will medical you and then let you spar, and progress you to a point where he thinks you are ready to compete.

He'll be looking at what weight is suitable for you (you can make comfortably), so best for you not to worry about weight.

[kierny]

Many thanks Mr Paterson, christ a couple of hours? No boiling the crap out of yourself then..

this is not just amature when your pro you only have a day before weigh in if you have an opponent from abroad or its a title fight!

[rockyrandall2]

I used to box at light heavy in the amateurs, the limit being 81kgs. I used to walk around at around 84/85kg.

4 weeks of solid training I would come in at 81kg and I am 6.4".

[lurkyshaka]

Best advise i would give.....is to start eating right, cut out all the crap and the beer. Train hard and get your rest in for the next 6 weeks and see what weight you end up at. With Christmas around the corner might be best to start on a proper programme at the beginning of the New year. Don't look at the scales, just do your work and don't cut corners and your body will end up at the weight its supposed to be at. There is no point killing yourself to make amateur weight limits with the fights so close to the actual weigh in.

Best of luck.

[Mr_B1]

Hi All,

First post on the forum but as a current amateur coach and matchmaker thought i'd try and help.

Personally I wouldnt be too fixated on a weight for now, club shows are made at boxers current weights, it is only championships that you have to make a specific weight.

To echo the other comments which are bang on the money, train hard, run, spar and cut out rubbish food and beer etc. If you dedicate yourself the weight will start to come off and soon you and your coach will have an idea of the weight you could aim for. I try and get novices fit and well and then, when they are ready, match them with someone with similar age, weight and experience.

Another important thing to realise is that as an amateur you have to constantly live life correctly as you often get bouts at little or no notice. I expect my boxers to be constantly fit and let me know if they're not because I have taken bouts (both as a boxer and coach) as late as the day of the show.

Best of luck!

[SAPFO]

So what weekly training schedule you got in mind?

[Robert in NYC]

Rockrandall2: Are you related to Rocky Randall, the former pro from America?

[dookus]

So what weekly training schedule you got in mind?

Currently am going to boxing twice a week and playing football on sundays. (Not much, I know; I'm getting back into shape)

Going to put in an extra boxing session next week and a run one morning, with the aim of getting up to 4 or 5 boxing sessions a week and a couple of 3-mile runs over the next few months.

[SAPFO]

A 3 mile run will take no more than 25 mins on your time if you are of average fitness. Can you incorporate this into your daily routine for starters, say finish work, changed, run, home, shower, dinner....for example?

Step 1 is cardio you see. You can overcome a more skilled fighter with this asset alone.