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What is a catchweight in boxing and UFC?

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BOXING and MMA are sports jam-packed with fighters of all different shapes and sizes.

And it’d be foolish to have anyone fight whoever they please, regardless of their physical size or stature, so weight classes were introduced.

Deontay Wilder weighs in before his second heavyweight fight with Tyson FuryCredit: The Sun
UFC bantamweight star Amanda Nunes is one of the sport’s greatest athletesCredit: AP:Associated Press

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In boxing, there are 17 different weight divisions, starting at strawweight and ending all the way up in the sport’s blue-riband division, heavyweight.

In the UFC, the world’s largest MMA organisation, there are 12 weight classes, eight for the male fighters and four the females.

But what happens when two fighters can’t agree to a fight in a particular weight class? Introducing the catchweight…

What is a catchweight in combat sports?

A catchweight is the weight agreed to by both participants in a fight which is stipulated to take place outside of the exciting weight classes in the sport.

This weekend, Amir Khan takes on Kell Brook in a huge Brit grudge clash, and although both have fought their careers from super-lightweight all the way up to super-welterweight, the pair won’t be fighting in any of those.

Instead, the fight is taking place at 149lbs, which is two pounds above the standard welterweight limit.

Catchweights are agreed to in a contract and they’re usually brought in to accommodate a fighter who struggles to make weight, with the opposing fighter unlikely to want to move up a full weight class.

Should a fighter weigh-in heavier than the agreed-to weight class, there are usually purse charges in place as punishment.

In the case of Khan and Brook, if either fighter misses the 149lb limit, it’s been reported that they face a huge six-figure fine for their troubles.

Catchweight fights don’t happen as often in the UFC as they do in boxing, but there have still been some instances.

Current featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski fought at a 150lbs catchweight against Shane Young in 2017, taking the fight on a weeks notice.

Boxing weight classes

  • Strawweight – 105lbs
  • Light-flyweight – 108lbs
  • Flyweight – 112lbs
  • Super-flyweight – 115lbs
  • Bantamweight – 118lbs
  • Super-bantamweight – 122lbs
  • Featherweight – 126lbs
  • Super-featherweight – 130lbs
  • Lightweight – 135lbs
  • Super-lightweight – 140lbs
  • Welterweight – 147lbs
  • Super-welterweight 154lbs
  • Middleweight – 160lbs
  • Super-middleweight – 168lbs
  • Light-heavyweight – 175lbs
  • Cruiserweight – 200 lbs
  • Bridgerweight* – 224lbs
  • Heavyweight – 200lbs+

*Only recognised by the WBC in boxing.

UFC weight classes

Female weights

  • Strawweight – 115lbs
  • Flyweight – 125lbs
  • Bantamweight – 135lbs
  • Featherweight – 145lbs

Male weights

  • Flyweight – 125lbs
  • Bantamweight – 135lbs
  • Featherweight – 145lbs
  • Lightweight – 155lbs
  • Welterweight – 170lbs
  • Middleweight – 185lbs
  • Light-heavyweight – 200lbs
  • Heavyweight – 200lbs+

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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk

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