Daniel Geale is fortunate to have a chance at the WBC middleweight title against Miguel Cotto on June 6 after being knocked out quickly in a title fight by Gennady Golovkin last summer, but he is still not happy about fighting at 157 pounds.
Cotto, a small middleweight, imposed the catch weight on this fight, as he imposed a 159-pound catch weight in his title fight against Sergio Martinez. Geale's promoter Gary Shaw spoke about his distaste for catch weights on a Thursday conference call.
"Me personally, I do not believe in catch weights," Shaw said. "You can fight whatever you want but the other fighter should be able to weigh in at the divisional limit. This is how we confuse people."
Geale, a former middleweight titlist himself and a natural 160-pounder, expects to make weight nonetheless.
"I just read an article with Freddie Roach. I have a world of respect for Freddie Roach but he thinks in regard to catch weights 'It's part of a new world of boxing.' I don't believe that for one minute. I just don't think there should be catch weights. That's my own personal view. Daniel will make 157 the day of the weigh-in."
Geale admitted the catch weight could affect him in the ring, but said he has been working hard to avoid that. "Jumping me down a few pounds might weaken me a little bit but I'm going to make sure that's not the case."
Catch weights are imposed on the day of the weigh-in, but they do not have any bearing on what a fighter might weigh on fight night. Shaw said that Cotto has made a mistake picking Geale as a perceived easy defense, likening the decision to his fateful bout with Austin Trout, which Cotto lost.
Miguel] could be facing a guy who could be as a high as 175-pounds," Shaw said. "It will be interesting to see the effect of the weight in the fight. I think this will be a lot like the fight with Trout. With a lot of movement and Miguel has problems with that. That's what gave Miguel problems with Trout. Daniel is a good fighter, and uses a lot of body movement."
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