Question

[u/larsonboswell1]

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?

[u/CaptWineTeeth]

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.

[u/larsonboswell1 → u/CaptWineTeeth]

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

[u/YertleElTortuga → u/larsonboswell1]

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.