Rapid weight gain in professional boxing and correlation with fight decisions: analysis from 71 title fights

Gianlorenzo Daniele, Richard N Weinstein, Paul Wesley Wallace, Vincenzo Palmieri, Massimiliano Bianco*

*Autore corrispondente per questo lavoro

Risultato della ricerca: Contributo in rivistaArticolopeer review

13 Citazioni (Scopus)

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:\r\nBoxing is a sport where athletes compete in several weight categories. Professional boxers typically dehydrate to cut their weight for the weigh-in (24 h before the contest) and then rehydrate before the fight. The International Boxing Federation (IBF) mandates a second weigh-in 12 h before the fight. Our objectives were: 1) To quantify the weight gain (WG) from the 1st to the 2nd weigh-in; 2) to investigate whether rapid WG affects boxing performance (win/loss rate) and 3) whether weight discrepancy (WD) 15 between boxers exposes them to increased health risks (rate of fights ended before time limit).\r\nMETHODS:\r\nFrom official weigh-in reports of 71 IBF fights (142 fighters) the following data were gathered/calculated for each boxer: age, weight division, 1st weight, 2nd weight, WG between weigh-ins (kg and %), WD between opponents, and fight decision.\r\nRESULTS:\r\nBetween the weigh-ins, the average WG was 2.52 ± 1.37 kg (range -0.3/6.4 kg) and 3.8 ± 2.2% of the initial body weight (range -0.4/9.3%) and the average WD 1.94 ± 1.50 kg (maximum 7.10 kg). Both WG and WD did not affect match outcomes. We observed tendencies for higher loss rate among boxers gaining more weight, and for higher victory rate in boxers with larger WD, however without reaching significance. A significant negative correlation was found between the 1st weight and the WG, both in absolute (r = -0.278, p = 0.001) and relative value (r = -0.497, p < 0.0001).\r\nCONCLUSIONS:\r\nAlthough correlations between WG, WD and boxing performance were not found, single cases with an alarming high WG and WD were noted.
Lingua originaleInglese
pagine (da-a)349-354-354
RivistaTHE PHYSICIAN AND SPORTSMEDICINE
Volume44
Numero di pubblicazione4
DOI
Stato di pubblicazionePubblicato - 2016

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Ortopedia e Medicina dello Sport
  • Terapia fisica, Terapia dello Sport e Riabilitazione

Keywords

  • Combat sport
  • concussion
  • hydration
  • martial art
  • traumatic brain injury

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