Massachusetts Commission: Double Weigh-Ins at Fighters’ Discretion

For the time being, double weigh-ins will remain on the books in Massachusetts, but it will be up to fighters whether or not to adhere to them.

The state’s athletic commission this past weekend amended its unusual weigh-in policy, which bars fighters from weighing more than 1.0625 of their contract weight on fight night. The rule discourages excessive weight cutting and gains. Under the change, fighters will not be weighed twice if both agree to waive a second weigh-in.

“Both fighters in a particular fight would have to agree,” commissioner Todd Grossman said. “And if that’s the case, then they would acknowledge essentially that there’s no restriction on the amount of weight that their opponent could put on by the time they face them the next evening.”

The commission has yet to draw up the verbiage for the double weigh-in waiver, but it would be included as an option in standard bout agreements.

The weigh-in regulation, enacted as a placeholder while the commission discusses more permanent regulations, caused consternation among fighters, managers and promoters. Concerns included last-minute fight cancellations, insufficient time to rehydrate and a disadvantage for local prospects who go on to compete in states where fighters are only weighed in on the eve of a fight and then allowed to gain as many pounds as they can.

Grossman said the commission, which was activated March 1 and voted its first draft of regulations last week, reserved its right from the beginning to revisit them. He said the weigh-in procedure was tweaked in part because of the feedback to the original version, which is in place for boxing matches in the state.

“It’s being done so that the issue can be more fully explored without turning the entire industry on its head right out the gates here,” he said. “This needs to be discussed on a national level. If there is going to be a restriction I think you want to see if we can accomplish that nationally, not just in Massachusetts.”