Weight drained Heavyweights.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 29 Oct 2006, 15:19

Usually when talking about Heavyweights Boxing fans often complain that talented Heavyweights are coming in too heavy for whatever reason Tua, Toney, Witherspoon etc you all know who I mean but what about Heavyweights that 'may' have come in too light for a fight or for periods of their careers?

A few that may belong in this list in my opinion are

FranK Bruno.
http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=000505

Bruno was a big, strong muscular guy with real KO power but I heard stories for years that he had a thing for always wanting to come in under 230ibs, something his camp were not too happy about. Around 1992 he started coming in heavier and looked a better fighter for it. Maybe if he had done this a few years earlier he just may have been more effective?

George Foreman.
http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=000090

I of course mean the 1970's version, Foreman was a real giant, a monster of a fighter. But I am sure like me many of you have all heard the stories that Foreman liked to dehydrate himself before some fights as he was concerned about not coming in too heavy and also wanted to looked 'ripped'. If these stories are true can you imagine was a monster he would have been without these 'weight issues' and was coming in say 10-15lbs heavier and in better shape for it?

Gary Mason.
http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=003829

For one fight only I felt that Gary Mason at 235lbs was too light against Lennox Lewis. At this weight he seemed to have lost some of his strength and power, his two biggest assets. No matter how light he came in he was never going to be as quick or mobile as the young Lewis. Having said that no matter what weight big Gary had come in that night Lennox would have beaten him.

Any thoughts one the above fight fans? Are there any other Heavyweights you can think of that may have for one or more fights come in too light?

tagjohnson · Post by **tagjohnson** » 29 Oct 2006, 17:55

I definitely think Big George in his first incarnation fought at too light a weight. Even at the 220 he weighed against Ali he looked like he wasn't as meaty as he chould have been aroung the chest and shoulders. I think until fairly recently there was a feeling that coming in at the lightest weight you could was a goal for heavyweights.

sweetsci · Post by **sweetsci** » 29 Oct 2006, 18:49

I believe Ali (and his people) was too concerned about coming in at a light weight for Holmes, instead of just trying to get in the best shape possible.

Also Bowe lightened up too much for Golata the second time around.

zojo · Post by **zojo** » 29 Oct 2006, 22:53

Years ago I read a book about Joe Louis that stated that Joe was very dehydrated when he fought Billy Conn and that is why he did so poorly in the fight.

The story stated that Joe did not want to weigh over 200 pounds when fighting a guy who weighed around 174 so he drained himself to get to 199. That was the last time he weighed in under 200.

dempseyfire · Post by **dempseyfire** » 30 Oct 2006, 19:00

Ken Norton got way too light at 205 for the Ali rematch, and he himself blames that overtraining on his fatigue late in the fight that arguably cost him the fight in the 12th and final round, in which Ali was able to flurry on an exhausted Norton.

Foreman post Ali got his weight right. His weight of 224 in the Frazier rematch was perfect. He still had his great strength and power but retained his speed and fairly fast reflexes.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 31 Oct 2006, 14:45

mercman wrote:Henry Cooper. He was fanatical at getting down to what he perceived as his 'fighting weight' and consequently was drained and gaunt coming into his fights. Even in his late 30s he was under 190lbs - thats pretty light for a guy around 6'2". I can't help thinking he would have been more effective at around 200lbs.

Strange as I remember seeing an interview with Cooper on TV a few years ago were he said the opposite in that no matter how hard he tried he could never 'bulk up'. Ragardless of what he ate and how he trained.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 11 Nov 2006, 11:02

sweetsci wrote:I believe Ali (and his people) was too concerned about coming in at a light weight for Holmes, instead of just trying to get in the best shape possible.

I think that was more to do with some 'Doctor' misdiagnosing Ali with a thyroid problems and giving him medication that resulted in Ali losing a lot of weight in the final build up to the fight. I also read that Ali was taking these pills like they were sweets and way overdosing on them, whatever they were.

It was all very strange.