If you could take any athlete from any other sport and bring them into boxing

[ab4life]

Watching the NBA playoffs and seeing how explosive / powerful a lot of these players are has gotten me to realize that boxing as an option is very low for a lot of great athletes growing up. Looking at the state of the heavyweight division makes me think what would of happened if a young Lebron chose to be a fighter instead of basketball player?.....I do understand that boxing has some intangibles that other non combat sports do not, such as chin durability.
If you could go back knowing what you know of these athletes careers and take an athlete from any sport and get them at a young age into boxing.....who would you take?

I would have to go with a Lebron James

[Heavy Hitter]

I think NBA point guards, a lot of them, have the physical skills that would translate into being good fighters.
Imagine someone like ALlen Iverson, when he was young being a boxer. Someone like him looks to have the physical tools to be an amazing boxer.

[mushahadeen]

Lebron James is a superior athlete. If you gave him 1 year to train he would dominate until he got hit flush. Then he would quit.

[ab4life]

Lebron James is a superior athlete. If you gave him 1 year to train he would dominate until he got hit flush. Then he would quit.

I could see him wanting to stop after a hard shot. Lol. Can you imagine if he choice boxing as a child instead of basketball?

[mushahadeen]

I could see him wanting to stop after a hard shot. Lol. Can you imagine if he choice boxing as a child instead of basketball?

Remember when Seth Mitchell got rocked but came back to win? Ya that would not happen with Lebron.

[ab4life]

I think NBA point guards, a lot of them, have the physical skills that would translate into being good fighters.
Imagine someone like ALlen Iverson, when he was young being a boxer. Someone like him looks to have the physical tools to be an amazing boxer.

Iverson might be a better option than my choice of lebron based on his physical abilities as well as mental toughness. If he started young I could see him being the Roy Jones type in regards to physical gifts

[ab4life]

Remember when Seth Mitchell got rocked but came back to win? Ya that would not happen with Lebron.

True words. That mental toughness is so important. It's one thing to give up in the 4th quarter of a basketball game. In boxing?.....really bad idea. On the flip side though...someone with his gifts might be so superior that the question of mental toughness under extreme fire won't need to be addressed.....at least for a while

[DAN916]

Dudes that like playing with balls dont do well in boxing!!

[Tha_Greatest]

rookie year shaq or 2000 version shaq

dwight howard

terrell owens

barry sanders

allen iverson

[ab4life]

rookie year shaq or 2000 version shaq

dwight howard

terrell owens

barry sanders

allen iverson

All really good. I wonder about shaq though. His handspeed just seems like it would be lacking no matter how long he's boxed. I take that back...just remember seeing a video of him sparring with Oliver McCall. He would be a beast if he had started at say 8-16 years of age