BoxRec

I am having a debate regarding weight classes in boxing - can a boxer come in at any weight as long as it is below the weight limit? E.g. a heavyweight can cone in at 12 stone for a fight.

I know its not likely but is it allowed?

Surely yes if you're inside the limit. I'm sure there would come a point where officials would step in if the gap was too wide though.

feeb wrote:I am having a debate regarding weight classes in boxing - can a boxer come in at any weight as long as it is below the weight limit? E.g. a heavyweight can cone in at 12 stone for a fight.

I know its not likely but is it allowed?

It depends how much below, they have check weigh-ins and then fight weigh-ins if the weight difference is more then a weight division for the fight, the board or governing body would have issue, for safety reasons, but for Heavyweights it don't matter as much, then it is about matchmaking.

I worked a heavyweight bout once where one guy came in at 14st and his opponent 18st. There was talk of it not being allowed to go ahead due to the difference. If he had come in at over 14st 4lb and there was a 4st difference it would have been different as he was at heavyweight.

Greg Houston wrote:I worked a heavyweight bout once where one guy came in at 14st and his opponent 18st. There was talk of it not being allowed to go ahead due to the difference. If he had come in at over 14st 4lb and there was a 4st difference it would have been different as he was at heavyweight.

Big weight differences happen a lot at heavyweight.

Anzi wrote:

Greg Houston wrote:I worked a heavyweight bout once where one guy came in at 14st and his opponent 18st. There was talk of it not being allowed to go ahead due to the difference. If he had come in at over 14st 4lb and there was a 4st difference it would have been different as he was at heavyweight.

Big weight differences happen a lot at heavyweight.

i am pretty sure Tyson Fury's debut opponent was about 13st 10

Counter-puncher wrote:

Anzi wrote:

Greg Houston wrote:I worked a heavyweight bout once where one guy came in at 14st and his opponent 18st. There was talk of it not being allowed to go ahead due to the difference. If he had come in at over 14st 4lb and there was a 4st difference it would have been different as he was at heavyweight.

Big weight differences happen a lot at heavyweight.

i am pretty sure Tyson Fury's debut opponent was about 13st 10

What was Tyson then, about 18st lol.

No one at all would step in if the gap was "too wide". Nikolay Valuev would have never had a fight under such rules.

Anzi wrote:

Counter-puncher wrote:

Anzi wrote: Big weight differences happen a lot at heavyweight.

i am pretty sure Tyson Fury's debut opponent was about 13st 10

What was Tyson then, about 18st lol.

he was 17st something i think

It's definitely allowed - division limits are maximums, there's no minimum threshold as far as I'm aware.

Although obviously common sense would presumably have to prevail from a matchmaking standpoint, as you wouldn't want to see Roman Gonzalez facing Deontay Wilder (actually, there's a little bit of me that would want to see that).

Boxerbeetle wrote:It's definitely allowed - division limits are maximums, there's no minimum threshold as far as I'm aware.

Although obviously common sense would presumably have to prevail from a matchmaking standpoint, as you wouldn't want to see Roman Gonzalez facing Deontay Wilder (actually, there's a little bit of me that would want to see that).

It would be wilder's best win.......

Tuan_Jim wrote:No one at all would step in if the gap was "too wide". Nikolay Valuev would have never had a fight under such rules.

It has happened in the UK recently. In a heavyweight fight iirc. I'm sure one guy came in at Cruiser and was not allowed to fight his much heavier opponent.

Loynesy wrote:

Boxerbeetle wrote:It's definitely allowed - division limits are maximums, there's no minimum threshold as far as I'm aware.

Although obviously common sense would presumably have to prevail from a matchmaking standpoint, as you wouldn't want to see Roman Gonzalez facing Deontay Wilder (actually, there's a little bit of me that would want to see that).

It would be wilder's best win.......

He might knock Wilder out ?

Souleymayne Mbaye lost a WBA interim title fight at Welterweight to a guy who was 137.75lbs... So that's proof of no lower limit...HOWEVER there will always be a safety concern. So a TOP cruiserweight fighting a fat but limited Heavyweight would probably not be an issue whilst an in shape top heavyweight shouldn't be allowed to batter some limited blown up super mid with a spare tyre struggling to make 190lbs

They weren't happy with Jones Jr being too light against Ruiz

I think at a world title level officials would be more lenient, but in the UK when you have a novice pro, it is within the Board's authority to not allow a bout to go ahead if the weight difference is too much, with the boxers coming in at different weight classes.

Greg Houston wrote:I think at a world title level officials would be more lenient, but in the UK when you have a novice pro, it is within the Board's authority to not allow a bout to go ahead if the weight difference is too much, with the boxers coming in at different weight classes.

A mate of mine had a late pull out and his management got a very late replacement and due to the size difference the fight went from 4 x3s to 4 2xs. The weights were 11st 1lbs v 10st 4lbs. But the board rep nearly pulled the fight

The Insider wrote:

Tuan_Jim wrote:No one at all would step in if the gap was "too wide". Nikolay Valuev would have never had a fight under such rules.

It has happened in the UK recently. In a heavyweight fight iirc. I'm sure one guy came in at Cruiser and was not allowed to fight his much heavier opponent.

But that would then be two different weight divisions. The OP is referring to weight gaps within the same division.

Example of Australian rule:-

4.5 A fight will not be allowed to proceed if the weight difference between matched contestants is as follows:
a. If the lighter contestant’s weight is less than 57.15 kilograms then the difference in weight between the two contestants must be no more than two kilograms
b. If the lighter contestant’s weight is between 57.15 and 72.57 kilograms then the difference in weight between the two contestants must be no more than five kilograms
c. If the lighter contestant’s weight is between 72.57 and 79.38 kilograms then the difference in weight between the two contestants must be no more than six kilograms
d. If the lighter contestant’s weight is between 79.38 and 90.72 kilograms then the difference in weight between the two contestants must be no more than eight kilograms

Weight converter http://www.metrictometric.com/weight-co ... 8k8vih95kh

Tuan_Jim wrote:

The Insider wrote:

Tuan_Jim wrote:No one at all would step in if the gap was "too wide". Nikolay Valuev would have never had a fight under such rules.

It has happened in the UK recently. In a heavyweight fight iirc. I'm sure one guy came in at Cruiser and was not allowed to fight his much heavier opponent.

But that would then be two different weight divisions. The OP is referring to weight gaps within the same division.

I don't think he is. He stated as long as you are below the weight limit. Depending on how low you go depends on which category you pass. The OP used Heavyweight v Super Middleweight (12st) as his example.

The Insider wrote:

Tuan_Jim wrote:

The Insider wrote: It has happened in the UK recently. In a heavyweight fight iirc. I'm sure one guy came in at Cruiser and was not allowed to fight his much heavier opponent.

But that would then be two different weight divisions. The OP is referring to weight gaps within the same division.

I don't think he is. He stated as long as you are below the weight limit. Depending on how low you go depends on which category you pass. The OP used Heavyweight v Super Middleweight (12st) as his example.

Oh I see, in that case I misread it. I thought he meant in the sense could a 160 champ defend versus a challenger who opted to come it at say 155, above light-middle but still well within the middle limit.