The Most Idiotic Rule In Boxing

There's something in boxing that needs to be changed.

For the life of me, I can't stand why this rule is in place. It has needlessly altered countless fights. It's created huge mismatches for no apparent reason.

It might be the dumbest rule in sports.

I'm talking about the weigh-in. The weigh-in that happens 24 hours prior to the fight.

The weigh-in that allows fighters to drop up to 10 pounds in water weight and gain it all back by fight time.

What's the point of having weight classes if they're meaningless?

The latest controversy revolved around Floyd Mayweather Jr. versus Juan Manuel Marquez. Not only did Floyd weigh-in two pounds over the weight limit, he proceeded to gain about ten pounds back prior to fight time.

Even watching the fight, it was obvious Floyd was the much, much bigger fighter.

Fighters and trainers have used this archaic rule to their advantage. Bigger and stronger fighters can go down to a lower weight class because of this rule.

They ruthlessly agree to fight at a certain weight limit, knowing they'll be up to their natural weight by fight time. Some fighters gain back as much as 15 pounds.

The fix is so, so simple.

Just have a weigh-in an hour before the fight before any water weight can be put on.

At that point and time, both fighters are at an honest weight.

I can't tell you how many times I've watched a 147-pound fight when one of the fighters is at around 160. It isn't a fight at that point, it's a massacre. That much weight, at the professional level, is like allowing one fighter to wear 4 ounce gloves and the other fighter to wear 22 ounce gloves. It's no contest.

If I were Manny Pacquiao, I would have demanded a one hour weigh-in when Floyd started all the blood testing shenanigans.

In my opinion, the only reason a one hour weigh-in rule doesn't happen is because there's no governing body over boxing. With five distinct sanctioning bodies, nobody has the consolidated power to enforce such a rule.

It's a shame because it is determining the outcome of too many fights.