Does weight matter in boxing? This old lady, I tell ya, I seen a lot of things in my time. And these boxing fellas, they’re always talkin’ ’bout weight. Weight matters in boxing, you ask? Well, lemme tell ya, it sure do seem like it does.
These young bucks, they get in that ring, and sometimes one’s big as a house, ‘nother’s skinny as a rail. Now, you might think the little fella’s got no chance, but sometimes, he’s quicker. Still, most times, that big fella, he just wears the little one down. So, yeah, weight matters.
I heard them talkin’ on the TV ’bout how these boxers, they gotta “make weight.” They starve themselves, sweat buckets, just to get down to a certain number. Why they do that? They do it because weight in boxing is a big deal. They even got names for all them different weights. Flyweight, lightweight, heavyweight… sounds like a bunch of nonsense to me, but they take it real serious.
Now, why’s it so important, this weight thing? Well, if you’re heavier, you probably hit harder. Like a big ol’ truck comin’ down the road. More weight behind the punch means more oomph, ya know? That’s what I figure, anyway. Stronger punches, that’s what a big fella’s got.
- Stronger punches
- More energy
- Can push the other fella around more
And it ain’t just about hittin’ hard. If you’re bigger, you got more meat on your bones. More muscle, probably. That means you can take a hit better, too. Like tryin’ to knock over a big oak tree versus a little sapling. The oak’s gonna stand strong. If you weigh more than the other guy, you probably got more energy. It’s like, the bigger the engine, the more gas it can hold. So a heavier boxer might be able to go longer without gettin’ tired. That’s gotta count for somethin’, right?
And then there’s just plain ol’ pushin’ and shovin’. If you’re bigger, you can push the other fella around more. Lean on him, tire him out. It’s like when my old cow, Bessie, used to lean on the fence. That fence didn’t stand a chance. So, if you’re thinkin’ ’bout weight in boxing, remember that a bigger fella can just physically overwhelm the smaller one sometimes.
I heard some folks sayin’ that size don’t matter. Well, maybe in some things, but in boxin’, it sure seems to. Now, I ain’t no expert, mind you. I just watch it on the TV sometimes. But it seems to me like if you’re 30 pounds heavier than the other guy, that’s a big deal. Like carryin’ around a whole sack of potatoes. They are sayin’ it’s a huge challenge. But some boxers have speed, skills and mobility. I don’t know what mobility is.
They also talk about things like age, reach and height. Natural attributes, they call it. I don’t know. I think age just makes you tired. And reach, that just how long your arms are, right? Height, well, that’s just how tall you are. Does that matter in boxing? Maybe. A taller fella can probably punch down on a shorter fella. Or keep him at a distance with those long arms.
I seen a fight once where one fella was way bigger than the other. It was like a bear fightin’ a weasel. Now, the weasel was fast, I’ll give him that. But the bear just kept comin’. Eventually, the bear got him. So yeah, when you ask does weight matter in boxing, that is the picture coming to my old brain. They say if a boxer is over the weight limit, he’s got two hours to lose the extra pounds. If he can’t, the fight might be canceled! That’s a lot of pressure. They said it’s part of the sport.
Now, I heard them talkin’ ’bout somethin’ called “grapplin’.” Sounds like somethin’ you’d do with apples, but I guess it’s when they get all tangled up, tryin’ to wrestle each other. And if you’re heavier, it’s harder for the other fella to move you around. Like tryin’ to move a big ol’ boulder. You ain’t gonna budge it much. It’s like in those sports, wrestling, Judo, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. They all got different names for it, but it’s all about who can push who around the most. The big guy usually wins. So, does weight matter in boxing? Yep, sure does seem like it.
So, next time you see a boxing match, take a look at those fellas. See how big they are compared to each other. And you’ll probably see why weight matters in boxing. It ain’t everything, but it sure is somethin’. It’s a tough sport, that’s for sure. All that sweatin’ and punchin’. I’d rather be sittin’ on my porch, drinkin’ sweet tea. But hey, to each their own, right? They said “if a guy weighs 175 and fights a guy weighing 170 that will make a difference”. I think it is true.
