Is Moving Up In Weight Worth The Payday, Or Is It A Health Risk?

Boxers often move up multiple weight classes to secure the biggest fights, but is the financial reward worth it?

Boxing has already seen a fight that divided public opinion over the weight disparity when Chris Eubank Jr. faced Conor Benn. Eubank was coming down to 160, with a ten-pound rehydration clause. Meanwhile, Benn was moving up from 154 to face Eubank when he is naturally a 147 fighter. Chris Eubank Sr. was against the fight due to safety worries, but he turned up to support his son. Eubank won a unanimous decision, earning himself around £10 million, while Benn walked away with approximately £8 million.

Eubank failed to make the 160-pound limit, showing how much he put his body through. While the financial reward will soften the blow, will he be the same fighter? Terence Crawford will face a similar risk by facing Canelo Alvarez at 168. He will move up two weight classes from 154, having boxed mostly at 147. Crawford has also only fought once at 154.  

Khan On Canelo

Amir Khan faced off against Canelo Alvarez for the WBC and Ring Middleweight World Titles. The fight was at a 155-pound catchweight, although it is believed Canelo entered the ring at around 190 pounds. Khan fought for most of his career at 140 and then at 147. Khan was outboxing Canelo before getting knocked out with a big right hand. He was never the same fighter, going on to lose two of his next five fights before he retired. Khan revealed he received the biggest purse of his career, making the decision easier. However, he did put his health at risk.

"My lawyer tried to get a rehydration clause, but he [Canelo] said ‘No’, so he must have walked into that fight 190lbs, I was like 155, 156lbs. I’m so happy that I got to share the ring with all the top fighters, pound-for-pound, you name it. It was like four times [more than most other fight]. When that deal (The Canelo fight) was put to me and it was about £11/12 million.

"Now look at it this way, I have to fight Danny Garcia, [Andreas] Kotelnik, Zab Judah, Peterson, and maybe Lo Greco to make that much. It’s not the fight that’s hard, it’s the training camps. So when you get an opportunity like that, you’re gonna take it because you know that it’s only one fight. Whereas instead of you taking five fights, now Canelo knocked me out, fine, knocked me out with one shot, but you’d probably take more damage in all the other fights," Khan said

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