For boxers, training and learning the skills to avoid getting your face punched in are only half the battle. Boxing features a variety of different weight classifications, and to gain an advantage, most try to lose substantial weight to avoid fighting against larger opponents.
A study conducted by the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences in Liverpool proved that a steady approach to gradual weight-cutting may be better than last-minute, extreme measures. Many boxers, however, still engage in such forms of cutting weight because of the need to lose weight fast.
Low-Carb Loads
In the period leading up to a fight, boxers often cut down significantly on intake of foods containing carbohydrates, such as bread and other starchy items. The reason: Carbs have been identified as a primary reason for weight gain, and by cutting them, boxers force their bodies to burn through existing body fat. The catch: By lowering carb intakes to minimal levels and forcing their bodies to basically feast on themselves, boxers risk suffering from low energy levels.
Turning Up the Heat
Participants in sports dictated by weight classes, such as boxing, have long relied on losing water weight in the days leading up to contents. This is because it's the easiest weight to lose, and can often be done by cranking up the heat in the gym while working out, doing jumping jacks in a sauna and various other sweat-including practices.
According to a 2010 study by Virginia Tech University, drinking plenty of water -- at least 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 for women -- can aid long-lasting weight loss. But for boxers cutting weight for an upcoming fight, this is probably considered too long-term.
Hitting the Sauna
Boxers and athletes in other weight-classified sports have long used the sauna as another way to lose water weight and shed significant amounts of weight in the days leading up to weigh-in. And they don't stop there, sometimes wearing form-fitting suits, ski caps and other things used to seal in body heat.
This practice doesn't come without peril, though. In 2008, U.S. Olympic boxer Gary Russell Jr. collapsed after the vinyl sauna jacket he was wearing spiked his body temperature to 105 degrees. He was then disqualified.
Low-Fat Diets
Because they endure such rigorous workouts every day, boxers do need fat in their diet for their bodies to restore energy levels. But they tightly control portions, especially avoiding foods that contain saturated fats, which come in lots of dairy and meat products as well as fried foods. Saturated fats contribute most heavily to weight gain, so boxers focus on choosing more lean cuts of meat and avoid all forms of junk food in the days before a fight.
Bowel Clearing
Boxers often make frequent trips to the bathroom leading up to weigh-ins, trying to shed every ounce possible by way of urination and defecation. They've also been known to take laxatives the night prior to, and day of, the weigh-in. The human intestine can contain as five pounds of material or more, so the goal is to eliminate as much of that as possible. This comes with risk as well. Such practices can cause dehydration, which can sap the strength of a boxer come fight time.
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