Henry Cejudo Faces 19lb Cut for 136lb Boxing Debut Against Deen The Great

Q: Will a brutal 20-pound weight cut jeopardize 39-year-old UFC legend Henry Cejudo's boxing debut against influencer Deen The Great?

Yes, it is a real risk to Cejudo’s debut, even if it may not decide the fight on its own. Cutting from around 155 pounds to a 136-pound catchweight is severe for a 39-year-old athlete, especially one crossing into a sport where sharpness, timing and stamina are critical. Rapid weight loss can drain energy, reduce punch resistance and slow recovery, which matters in boxing more than in wrestling because there are fewer ways to hide fatigue once exchanges begin. Cejudo does have reasons for confidence. He spent much of his UFC career competing at 125 and 135 pounds, so making the mid-130s is not unfamiliar territory. He also remains active, has elite combat-sports discipline, and owns some amateur boxing background, including an Arizona Copper Gloves title. If he manages the cut professionally and rehydrates well, the damage can be limited. But the danger is higher because of the circumstances. He has recently been competing at heavier weights in wrestling, and boxing is a new professional setting for him. Deen The Great, while far less accomplished overall, is the more experienced boxer in this specific format, with a 7-1 influencer-boxing record under Misfits. That gives Deen an edge in ring rhythm and recent boxing-specific conditioning. So the weight cut is probably the biggest variable in the fight. Cejudo’s pedigree may still carry him, but if the cut goes badly, it could undermine the speed, endurance and durability he needs for a successful debut.

1 articles · Updated · Bloody Elbow · Sep 14

Cejudo said he must lose nearly 20 pounds to hit the 136lb limit for his September 26 professional boxing debut against Deen The Great.
155lb was Cejudo’s most recent weigh-in for last month’s wrestling match with Merab Dvalishvili in Cleveland, leaving him roughly 19lb to shed within two weeks.
125lb and 135lb are familiar territory for the former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion, but he has stayed around 155lb during recent RAF Wrestling appearances after retiring from the UFC in December.
September 26 at Miami’s James L Knight Center will mark another code switch for the Olympic gold medalist, who has moved from freestyle wrestling to MMA and now into Misfits Boxing.