Why No 185ish pound class?

[gregregegg]

When they moved cruiser from 190 to 200 surely it would of made sense to put a weight-class in-between 175 and 200. There are weight classes 2 and 3 pounds apart at light weight-classes with very little interest. then you have a 25 pound gap between 175 and 200. I would of thought that 185/187 would be one of the better weight classes. Its a great balance of power and speed and endurance at a very relatable size. surely there is money in that, if i were a sanctioning body i would be making a 185 belt asap (if they can? i assume they could if they wanted)

Look at the 185 guys in MMA in the recent past and present. Anderson silva, robert whittaker, yoel, bisbing, rockhold, weildman and now israel adesanya. It has been and arguably is currently one of the more stacked divisions. why would it not be in boxing after an adjustment period.

Has the introduction of 185 ever been seriously contemplated by any of the governing bodys?, or any of the armature organizations?
Are there boxing fans calling for it?
Are there boxers calling for it?

[Cent0089]

more weightclasses mean more belts and less top fights IMO. Maybe changing of weightcalsses would be better:
Minimumweight: 110 lbs
Bantamweight: 115 lbs
Super bantamweight: 122 lbs
Featherweight: 130 lbs
Lightweight: 138 lbs
Welterweight: 146 lbs
Super welterweight: 155 lbs
Middleweight: 165 lbs
Super middleweight: 175 lbs
Light heavyweight: 185 lbs
Cruiserweight: 200 lbs
Heavyweight: 200+ lbs

[Enlightened-One]

The classification of weight classes is not an exact science, since some of the divisions were created based on traditional standard increments or based on what was deemed medically “safe” (as per the lighter classes), but it makes sense to consider other barometers for heavier fighters.

If you plot the population of the United States on a bell curve, the average American male is slightly shorter than 5’ 10” and weighs close to 200lbs, because most non-athletes are fat (or at least carry excess weight).

A fighting weight for a 5’ 10” guy would normally be around 160lbs, which is a middleweight.

Much less of the population is over 220lbs in fighting shape.

So from a larger pool of potential fighters, you’d expect to find more good ones and from a smaller pool, fewer.

This is compounded when you consider the fact that other sports catering for larger athletes are more lucrative in the US than boxing (i.e. baseball, American football & basketball).

There are fewer sports in America whereby 160lbs athletes can earn a decent payday competing against similar sized opposition, hence the reason why the calibre of middleweight fighters is far superior than their heavyweight counterparts.

So in my mind, it's sensible for the classifications between the divisions to be increased in size for the heavier weight classes (i.e. 25lbs between light heavyweight and cruiserweight, in comparison to 7lbs between light middleweight and middleweight), because there has to be enough competent athletes available to compete against each other.

[Winter king]

Totally aggree. Look at the size difference between a GGG and A sergey kovalev and between kovalev and usyk. How is there no weightclass between them?

[Bandog]

If Canelo was that big, there would be.

[Tony1244]

No, No, No, No more weight classes, we need Less weight classes.

[1okstcsb]

No, No, No, No more weight classes, we need Less weight classes.

AND Less Champions per Weight, They had it right a LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time ago, 8 Weight Divisions with 1 Champion per Weight.

8 to A MAXIMUM of 12 Weight Divisions, ONLY 1 Champion per Division. Champion ALWAYS gets a 70-30 Money split in his favor.

[margaret thatcher]

TBF, cruiser and light heavy have been pretty good divisions over the last few years. I'd be more comfortable keeping them as is than diluting the talent pools.

Cruiser was generally less interesting in the old 190 days

[Paci]

I do find it funny that some of the weights around superbantam starts with 3 pounds differents between them. Asian market was growing or something?

[margaret thatcher]

I haven't done the math, but of course the lighter in weight the division is, the more significant each pound of difference is. But ya, stuff like 115 to 118 or 126 to 130 seems much less significant than some of the higher jumps

[Boxtune]

I think they should creat 190lbs and move cruiserweight up to 205 or 210 because lot of cruiserweight struggle to keep the limit, so they have no choice to move to heavyweight.

[gregregegg]

No, No, No, No more weight classes, we need Less weight classes.

AND Less Champions per Weight, They had it right a LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time ago, 8 Weight Divisions with 1 Champion per Weight.

8 to A MAXIMUM of 12 Weight Divisions, ONLY 1 Champion per Division. Champion ALWAYS gets a 70-30 Money split in his favor.

I want less classes and less belts. Just think going 115 to 118 so about a 3% increase, or 168-175 about a 5% increase then 175-200 about 15% dosent make sense.

It's one of those times where we have gotten stuck with the current system. If boxing started from scratch I don't think anyone would ever suggest as many lighter weight classes as we have now, and I don't think anyone would leave a random 25 pound gap.

[1okstcsb]

AND Less Champions per Weight, They had it right a LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time ago, 8 Weight Divisions with 1 Champion per Weight.

8 to A MAXIMUM of 12 Weight Divisions, ONLY 1 Champion per Division. Champion ALWAYS gets a 70-30 Money split in his favor.

I want less classes and less belts. Just think going 115 to 118 so about a 3% increase, or 168-175 about a 5% increase then 175-200 about 15% dosent make sense.

It's one of those times where we have gotten stuck with the current system. If boxing started from scratch I don't think anyone would ever suggest as many lighter weight classes as we have now, and I don't think anyone would leave a random 25 pound gap.

[1okstcsb]

I want less classes and less belts. Just think going 115 to 118 so about a 3% increase, or 168-175 about a 5% increase then 175-200 about 15% dosent make sense.

It's one of those times where we have gotten stuck with the current system. If boxing started from scratch I don't think anyone would ever suggest as many lighter weight classes as we have now, and I don't think anyone would leave a random 25 pound gap.

112
118
126
135
147
160
175
Heavyweight

Those were the ORIGINAL Weight Divisions Maybe add a 105, and 200 that would work, You want people to be able to name All The Champions off the top of their head, which is doable with 8 Champions (12 MAX) With 17 Weight Divisions and at LEAST 4 Champions per Weight Division, I would think even among Boxing Writers who cover Boxing for a Living, it would be hard to name ALL the Champions.

[Bandog]

112
118
126
135
147
160
175
Heavyweight

Those were the ORIGINAL Weight Divisions Maybe add a 105, and 200 that would work, You want people to be able to name All The Champions off the top of their head, which is doable with 8 Champions (12 MAX) With 17 Weight Divisions and at LEAST 4 Champions per Weight Division, I would think even among Boxing Writers who cover Boxing for a Living, it would be hard to name ALL the Champions.

Someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong. Henry Armstrong was the only guy to hold 3 of the above titles at the same time. 126, 135, and 147. For the huge Pac fans saying he is the ATG, could he have done that?

[margaret thatcher]

lol bringing Pac into this , you can't get enough of him

[gregregegg]

112
118
126
135
147
160
175
Heavyweight

Those were the ORIGINAL Weight Divisions Maybe add a 105, and 200 that would work, You want people to be able to name All The Champions off the top of their head, which is doable with 8 Champions (12 MAX) With 17 Weight Divisions and at LEAST 4 Champions per Weight Division, I would think even among Boxing Writers who cover Boxing for a Living, it would be hard to name ALL the Champions.

Only problem with so few classes and one belt is activity. Champ Can't fight 2 a year in a stacked division. Imagine welter, but add in the big 140s and the smaller 154s. 2 shots a year. There would be a 7 year queue...
But I guess on the plus it would force top contenders to fight each other cause that's the only way to a shot.

[gilgamesh]

No, No, No, No more weight classes, we need Less weight classes.

[gregregegg]

more weightclasses mean more belts and less top fights IMO. Maybe changing of weightcalsses would be better:
Minimumweight: 110 lbs
Bantamweight: 115 lbs
Super bantamweight: 122 lbs
Featherweight: 130 lbs
Lightweight: 138 lbs
Welterweight: 146 lbs
Super welterweight: 155 lbs
Middleweight: 165 lbs
Super middleweight: 175 lbs
Light heavyweight: 185 lbs
Cruiserweight: 200 lbs
Heavyweight: 200+ lbs

These weights. with 1 belt. 1 mandatory a year, and all voluntarys must be top 10 of and actual decent ranking system (unless you have beat em all, then you can vs 10-15. thats my dream.

[1okstcsb]

112
118
126
135
147
160
175
Heavyweight

Those were the ORIGINAL Weight Divisions Maybe add a 105, and 200 that would work, You want people to be able to name All The Champions off the top of their head, which is doable with 8 Champions (12 MAX) With 17 Weight Divisions and at LEAST 4 Champions per Weight Division, I would think even among Boxing Writers who cover Boxing for a Living, it would be hard to name ALL the Champions.

Someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong. Henry Armstrong was the only guy to hold 3 of the above titles at the same time. 126, 135, and 147. For the huge Pac fans saying he is the ATG, could he have done that?

Yes Armstrong Had The 126, 135 AND 147 Pound Titles at the Same Time when there was ONLY 8 Weight Divisions and ONLY ONE Champion per Division. Armstrong ALSO Fought the 160 Pound Champion to a Draw, when he still had the 3 Titles, so He LITERALLY could have had 4 of the 8 Titles at the SAME TIME, and those Were 15 Round Titles, Also before Catch Weights and other things to favor one fighter over another were even though of.

[Enlightened-One]

Yes Armstrong Had The 126, 135 AND 147 Pound Titles at the Same Time when there was ONLY 8 Weight Divisions and ONLY ONE Champion per Division. Armstrong ALSO Fought the 160 Pound Champion to a Draw, when he still had the 3 Titles, so He LITERALLY could have had 4 of the 8 Titles at the SAME TIME, and those Were 15 Round Titles, Also before Catch Weights and other things to favor one fighter over another were even though of.

Because I like to learn, and it seems you’re an expert on Henry Amrstrong, then it should be very easy for you to answer the following questions?

• How many Henry Armstrong fights are freely available to watch online?
• When did you first watch Henry Armstrong?
• What are some of your favourite Henry Armstrong fights?
• What is Henry Armstrong’s fighting style?
• Which opponents did Henry Armstrong face that impressed you the most?

[1okstcsb]

Someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong. Henry Armstrong was the only guy to hold 3 of the above titles at the same time. 126, 135, and 147. For the huge Pac fans saying he is the ATG, could he have done that?

Yes Armstrong Had The 126, 135 AND 147 Pound Titles at the Same Time when there was ONLY 8 Weight Divisions and ONLY ONE Champion per Division. Armstrong ALSO Fought the 160 Pound Champion to a Draw, when he still had the 3 Titles, so He LITERALLY could have had 4 of the 8 Titles at the SAME TIME, and those Were 15 Round Titles, Also before Catch Weights and other things to favor one fighter over another were even though of.

My bad Armstrong had lost his Lightweight title before he fought The Middleweight champion to a Draw.

[1okstcsb]

Yes Armstrong Had The 126, 135 AND 147 Pound Titles at the Same Time when there was ONLY 8 Weight Divisions and ONLY ONE Champion per Division. Armstrong ALSO Fought the 160 Pound Champion to a Draw, when he still had the 3 Titles, so He LITERALLY could have had 4 of the 8 Titles at the SAME TIME, and those Were 15 Round Titles, Also before Catch Weights and other things to favor one fighter over another were even though of.

Because I like to learn, and it seems you’re an expert on Henry Amrstrong, then it should be very easy for you to answer the following questions?

• How many Henry Armstrong fights are freely available to watch online?
• When did you first watch Henry Armstrong?
• What are some of your favourite Henry Armstrong fights?
• What is Henry Armstrong’s fighting style?
• Which opponents did Henry Armstrong face that impressed you the most?

Best thing is to watch him on Youtube

[Enlightened-One]

Because I like to learn, and it seems you’re an expert on Henry Amrstrong, then it should be very easy for you to answer the following questions?

• How many Henry Armstrong fights are freely available to watch online?
• When did you first watch Henry Armstrong?
• What are some of your favourite Henry Armstrong fights?
• What is Henry Armstrong’s fighting style?
• Which opponents did Henry Armstrong face that impressed you the most?

Best thing is to watch him on Youtube

I just think that we shouldn’t demand fewer weight classes based solely on the boxing landscape from 80+ years ago, because I strongly-suspect you’re like me, in that you know very little about the sport during that era.

And that’s not a criticism, by the way, very little is actually known about the sport of boxing 80+ years ago.

None of us should be nostalgic about an era we know almost nothing about, as illustrated by your response.

[1okstcsb]

Best thing is to watch him on Youtube

I just think that we shouldn’t demand fewer weight classes based solely on the boxing landscape from 80+ years ago, because I strongly-suspect you’re like me, in that you know very little about the sport during that era.

And that’s not a criticism, by the way, very little is actually known about the sport of boxing 80+ years ago.

None of us should be nostalgic about an era we know almost nothing about, as illustrated by your response.

When I was in Elementary school I knew who ALL the Champions were off the top of my head, now they have 4 plus Champions per weight class and they keep adding more, Franchise, Recess, Gold, Super, Regular etc. I wonder if even boxing analyst's or writers can name them ALL off the top of their head now, much less the average person, that is NOT good when people don't even know the Champions, I do know Fighters in the old days, like Armstrong had BRUTAL 15 round fights and often fought a week or 2 later, now we have Eddie Hearn saying Joshua will have to vacate, because he cant fight BOTH Usyk and Pulev in a 6 month Period, which is BS, he could probably fight them a couple of weeks apart as is proven by old time fighters who fought 15 brutal hard fought rounds and had either a rematch or another MAJOR opponent a few weeks later.