I CAN understand why people skip weigh-ins. The process is often viewed as a formality, the mostly ceremonial and uneventful stop-gap between the last words uttered and first punches thrown. But with so much attention in the build-up to Saul Alvarez-Matthew Hatton centred around weight, when the pair hit the scales today for tomorrow?s vacant WBC light-middleweight title fight, the event was rendered unmissable.
The original fight contract, agreed before the WBC title tag was added to the match, stipulated both men weigh no more than 10st 10lbs. The sanctioning body stated that as far as they were concerned the limit remained at the usual ? Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito aside ? 11st. So when Alvarez came in at 10st 11lbs 13oz, the WBC had no problem but the Mexican was in breach of contract. Despite dubious claims from members of the Spanish-speaking media that Alvarez?s team had assumed the contest?s elevation to a world title fight as a result increased the weight limit, ?Canelo? was forced to try and remove the excess. He was allowed two hours and, as the assembled press pack loitered outside Anaheim?s Honda Center, the cheerful performance of the mariachi band long since forgotten, Alvarez was whisked away and did not return for 90 minutes. ?No weight, no fight,? came the strict response from the Hatton camp. They stuck around as Matthew departed the scene, eager to replenish his reserves.
Alvarez returned looking drawn and disconcerted. Stripping naked, he this time weighed 10st 11lbs 6oz, having lost just 7oz, a proportion of which would have been his underpants. ?He?s got another 25 minutes,? said Hatton?s trainer Bob Shannon. ?We might give him more time but he has to make the weight.?
Shannon?s stance appeared uncompromising but so was the 20-year-old Mexican. Alvarez determined not to try to lose any more weight and, 15 minutes later, unceremoniously left. Cue furious discussions ? and from my vantage point peering through the Honda Centre windows they were clearly raised voices and wagging fingers. Around an hour passed before a deal, sealed with handshakes all round, prevailed. Golden Boy head Oscar De La Hoya emerged to tell reporters the fight was on, Alvarez would pay a fine ? later revealed as 20 per cent of his purse, half due to Hatton and half to the California State Athletic Commission ? and Saul had committed to a fight night weight limit, believed to be 11st 6lbs, to be achieved by 3pm tomorrow (Saturday).
I do not accept the excuse that Alvarez assumed the stipulation he had agreed in the contract became null and void when a title was added. Nor do I believe it is right to blame the fact that Saul is still growing. Alvarez has not weighed above 10st 10 1/2lbs in over three years ? including for three WBC Silver 11st title fights ? and weighed 10st 9 1/2lbs in his last fight, three months ago. He may be finding it tougher to make weight, but to disregard the fight contract was unprofessional. Many people will disagree with that notion, given this is a light-middleweight title fight and Alvarez remained well within the limit for that division but when the fight was agreed, it was made at catchweight. Hatton was fortuitous in that his already-scheduled bout became a title fight but as he pointed out earlier this week, he may never have taken the contest at 11st.
Ultimately, Hatton has gained more than he has lost here, especially given his only trump card was to pull out of the fight; Alvarez is WBC No. 1 and the body were happy with an 11st limit, so if the showdown had been cancelled, the Mexican would have simply fought another opponent for the belt at a later date. While Alvarez did weigh above the amount Matthew and his team would have liked, that they forced him to weaken himself in trying, unsuccessfully as it transpired, to hit 10st 10lbs at the second attempt, effectively prevented him from eating or drinking until 2pm, thus negating any advantage he?d gained from the midday weigh-in, and forced an agreement on Saul?s fight night poundage all represent significant feathers in their collective cap. Add that the pair looked very well-matched physically when they faced off by the scales and Hatton has many reasons to feel positive. On the flip-side there is now something he will not be able to justify on fight night if he fails to triumph ? excuses.
