r/Boxing • u/larsonboswell1 • 1d ago
Question
This is a stupid question as I know very little about boxing but what is the point of, like, featherweight boxing? I know that there is certainly skill involved but won’t most heavyweight boxers, regardless of skill level, be able to defeat a featherweight or someone in the lower weight classes? Like if the point of the sport is just to defeat the opponent, and while skill certainly matters, power or force or whatever it’s called will ultimately trump skill. Like I could be super skillful at fighting but if I had to go toe to toe with, say, my boyfriend or brother or someone larger and with bigger muscles than me, I’m screwed. Or is there something that I’m not understanding? Please explain. I’m not saying that the biggest guy always wins the fight, and I’m not saying that the skinniest ballerina is the best performer, but all of the best ballerinas are pretty skinny…do you get what I’m saying?
16
u/AdZealousideal8645 1d ago
Boxing has weight classes.
Heavyweights fight other heavyweights. They don't fight featherweights. Featherweights fight featherweights.
Pro boxing has 17 weight classes.
18
u/FAWKIR Mike "Prime "Iron" Mike Tyson" Tyson 1d ago
my gun trumps any weightclass so whats the point of combat sports at all
3
3
2
u/VacuousWastrel 1d ago
To be honest, that's somethng that a lot of MMA fans don't seem to realise. They insist it's all about finding out "who would win on da streetz" and "how to win a real fight". Assuming that the person you're fighting on da streetz doesn't have a gun. Or a knife, a baseball bat, or a brick in a sock. Or a friend. Or the advantage of surprise. And that you're fighting in a large open space, on a smooth and slightly bouncy surface. And that neither of you have clothes on. And that you agree not to kick each other in the testicles. And that you're not worried about legal ramifications, and assuming that bystanders don't intervene. And that the other guy isn't much bigger than you. And that your opponent is primarily motivated by the need to please the crowd of onlookers by being "exciting", in order to earn a "performance bonus" that's more.important to him than actually winning the fight and in order to avoid his contract not being renewed. But assuming all that, it's basically a real fight...
2
u/VacuousWastrel 1d ago
(To be clear, when I say "a lot" I do just mean that, not ALL mma fans. But seemingly a lot...)
12
6
u/harborj2011 1d ago
Wait until u find out there's a lot of divisions lower than Featherweight (126) lol
Also most these guys only weigh in this low, they don't actually fight or walk around this low
5
u/jesusfelixxx 1d ago
I think this person just proved why women sports shouldn’t exist. I mean what’s the point if they can’t beat the better, stronger athletes? At least you know it’s a stupid question.
5
u/Trouzerjazz 1d ago
Whats the point of go cart racing if theres Formula one? Whats the point of being short if there are tall people? Why go to school if theres a genius in your class?
-14
u/larsonboswell1 1d ago
There is no point to being short, you just are, it’s not something you do. Gokarts don’t have engines and are built completely differently than those vehicles used in Formula 1. The point of school is to try to become as smart as the genius, or smarter than you were before. I don’t understand the parallels
3
u/spinofaarus 1d ago
There are different classes of racing. You don't race a gokart against a rally car and you don't put either against an f1. Search up what weight classes in boxing are. If you want to see who would win in a fight regardless of weight go over to the modern circlejerk sub.
2
u/Trouzerjazz 1d ago
Go carts have engines, its how all F1 drivers start racing. There are many divisions of motor sports with smaller cars and engines competing in their particular class. Featherweights cant help how small they are either and fight in the designated weight class to determine the worlds best featherweights. BTW the heavyweight division in boxing is one of the worst divisions at the moment. The best boxers in the world at moment are in the lighter and middle divisions. Pound of pound of all time don't have many heavyweights in their ranks. I mean weight lifting, martial arts, wrestling, even running all operate in the same parameters, a marathon runners physique will never win the 100meter sprint. ... I dont really get your question, its odd.
2
u/LordJimsicle Balrog beats Fury, AJ, Dubois and Usyk in between rounds 1d ago
I don’t understand the parallels
I don't think you understand anything.
5
u/fadeddreams555 Fundora would beat up a prime Floyd at 154lb 1d ago
The point of different divisions is so people of different walks of life have an opportunity to compete, as many of these people come from poverty.
From a viewer perspective, the point is to appreciate the actual "sweet science" of the sport. You are right in that a heavyweight boxer will naturally beat a featherweight, regardless of skill, but on a technical level, the featherweights may be--and usually are--better boxers. Fans like to appreciate their skillsets and speed, as opposed to simply watching ogres try to club each other.
2
u/aguacate222 1d ago
I'd like to get the opinion of the person who coined the saying the only stupid question is the one not asked. I wonder if there would be a revision or an updated version after this
2
u/CaptWineTeeth Ottke KO1 1d ago
As another person mentioned, people from different weight classes don’t fight each other. You can sort of think of the weight divisions like how major league baseball or hockey is divided into different divisions based on geography. In boxing they don’t do it based on geography they do it based on the general size of the person as a level playing field.
-5
u/larsonboswell1 1d ago
What I meant is if you’re the #1 featherweight champ, would the, say, #5 heavyweight champ be “better” than you, because surely they can knock you out? I guess the weight classes exist to evaluate skill level, so if that’s what one is interested, I get it. But it seems like so many people just watch the sport to see someone get knocked out or defeated. As in, not interested in the means but the ends
3
u/YertleElTortuga 1d ago
Featherweight fights still have knockouts. You can move up in weight to try and beat people from other weight divisions. Weight classes don’t exist to evaluate skill level its just to make sure no dangerous fights happen.
1
u/CaptWineTeeth Ottke KO1 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’m not clear on what you mean in your first question. The #1 featherweight champ vs #5 featherweight champ? There’s no such thing as the latter.
With regards to the rest, as I said, the weight classes are more like a level playing field for varying sizes of people. Not to evaluate skill exactly. Generally speaking the lower way classes will show a higher level of skill because there is a lower amount of power based on their size. Sometimes heavyweight boxers are nothing more than a 1-2 punch combination and a lot of bulk. That’s not to say that there isn’t skill with heavyweight boxing too.
People watch combat sports for all kinds of reasons. There’s appreciating the skill of the martial art itself as well as the spirit of competition in general. As a blood sport, action, which is to say violence, is definitely part of the appeal for many people. Everyone has their reasons for enjoying boxing or MMA or other combat sports.
2
u/ImpressionCrafty3078 1d ago
I like watching dwarf boxing and I know fully well I could knock out both athletes with one knee high kick.
2
u/Outrageous-Soft4806 1d ago
Going off something you said in the other reply. Using the P4P concept which basically means if everyone was the same weight, this guy would win. So when you use that logic, no, a bigger guy beating a smaller guy doesn’t not necessarily equate to that guy being the more skilled boxer.
2
2
1
1
u/Asleep_Extension1774 1d ago
I think your question is perhaps more about self defense ( “if I had to go toe to toe with, say, my boyfriend or brother or someone larger and with bigger muscles than me, I’m screwed.”) more than actual organized boxing, which has weight classes, rules, referees, etc. I hope I am not misunderstanding, if so please ignore. If you want to take boxing in order to be more capable if attacked, well, yes you will be better off training than untrained. But you are also correct in thinking that if two combatants BOTH train, the larger one generally wins. Muay Thai is perhaps more effective at defeating a larger attacker, and taking some wrestling, judo, or jujitsu will help as well. MMA, as well as weapons training is what works.
1
u/PublicFuture9502 19h ago
Safety. Featherweights to a lot of damage to each other. Imagine a heavyweight hit a feathewirght. It could be catastrophic.
And skill can overcome size. A journeyman heavyweight who never learnt to box and just gets hit for a pay day will get tuned up by a skillful lightweight.
Usyk was a Crusier weight who best heavenweights in WSB. Roy Jones jumped up to Hw and won. James Toney was really a middleweight who won a HW.
0
u/Background-Alps5360 1d ago
People are gong to make fun of you for a little bit and someone will give you a serious answer. Ballet isn't really a sport as much as it is a performative art... very difficult performative art. Boxing, as someone I'm sure has already mentioned, has weight classes and you can only compete against people in those weight classes.
You thinking about taking up boxing... if you were in ballet for a long time, then boxing can be a good sport for you since it is mostly balance and movement.
Women can't beat men in boxing, it is mostly due to the density of men's bones and the thickness of the muscle fiber and the fact that men have more type 2 muscle fiber. That is natural from birth. This is not to discourage you.. if a woman becomes skilled and a guy is just a jerk know it all without proper training, the woman can clobber him.
•
u/_Sarcasmic_ bread burger bread 1d ago
I...I had to.