The Importance of Proper Weight Management From Perspective of Modern, Scientific Boxing
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 23 Mar 2023
Tszyu (R) connects at Harrison.
The importance of proper, scientific weight management was once again brought to fore in the recent Tim Tszyu versus Tony Harrison fight in Australia where Tszyu beat up and eventually stopped a surprisingly lethargic Harrison in the later round of a bout many expected to be a competitive contest between a brawler and a boxer.
One expert recently theorized that Harrison may have cut weight way too soon which resulted to his body behaving the way it did even after he had rehydrated to his real fighting weight after making the 154 lbs super welterweight limit during the official weigh in.
He observed that weeks before the fight, Harrison had weighed 160 lbs which was way too low given his physical frame. Though that gave him easier time to make the 154 lbs limit the day before the fight.
Harrison who normally weighed around 170-175 before training camp would be hard pressed to sustain 160 lbs for such an extended length of time prior to cutting down to the contracted weight limit which was 154 lbs.
Although he had more than 24 hours to rehydrate to his ideal fighting weight that was around the regulation 10 percent of his weighin weight or about 165 lbs, the rigors of maintaining 160 lbs for extended length of time prior to cutting further down to the contracted weight limit of 154 lbs eventually told on his body by fight time, affecting even his reflexes.
Undefeated WBO #1 rated Tszyu (22-0, 16 KOs) stepped out of the shadow of his ring legend father Kostya Tszyu to stop former world champion Tony “Superbad” Harrison (29-4-1, 21 KOs) in round nine to claim the vacant WBO interim junior middleweight title on Sunday morning at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Harrison was able to keep Tszyu on the end of his jab in round one. Tszyu upped the pressure in round two. Tszyu rocked Harrison with heavy artillery in round three. Harrison continued to land the jab, but most the power punches were landed by Tszyu. Tzsyu finally dropped Harrison hard with a barrage of punches in round nine. Harrison barely beat the count, but referee Danrex Tapdasan waved it off. Time was 2:43 of round nine.
At the time of the stoppage, Tszyu was ahead 77-75 on all three cards.
The same expert responding to a query said he will not be worried about Ryan Garcia weighting 146 lbs a few days before his scheduled bout versus Tank Davis because his camp knows how to properly manage his weight prior to the official weighin and that Garcia has more than 24 hours to rehydrate to his ideal fighting weight after meeting the official weight at 135 lbs.
Filipino fighters particularly those fighting in the higher weights should learn about proper management of weight so as to gradually cut weight thereby not affecting their effectiveness and efficiency after the official weighin through proper rehydration.
The Games and Amusements Board should consider hiring and maintaining experts not only to help Filipino fighters in proper nutrition and conditioning but more importantly so in proper weight management especially in important fights, more so if they are held abroad.
Everybody is now aware of what happened to Johnriel Casimero in his tumultuous failed title defense versus Briton Paul Butler.
But not many know about the possibility that it would have been a Filipino that contended for the then vacant IBF super featherweight title versus Emanuel Navarrete had he not suddenly outgrown the division.
Noynay drops Wilson during their first encounter.
In late 2021, Joe Noynay defended his WBA Asia Pacific super featherweight title by stopping Australian Liam Wilson in Australia after easily making the weight limit, even coming below 130 lbs.
The Wilson camp called for a rematch a few months later also in Australia, but lo and behold Noynay suddenly shoot up to super lightweight! It goes without saying that he and his camp tried their best for him to cut the excess weight but all in vain as he came in about 140 lbs in the weighin disqualifying him from defending or winning his own belt.
Perhaps due to frustration and the rigors of cutting weight, despite the extra weight that weakened him, Noynay went down in defeat by second round knockout to Wilsom.
After one more winning fight, it was Wilson who fought Navarrete for the vacant world crown, losing by late round stoppage but not after scaring the undefeated Mexican with a first round knockdown and giving him a he'll of a fight.
It could have been Noynay.
Noynay is now campaigning as a welterweight.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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