Should the number of years you have been alive for factor in for your skill or experience in boxing?
We have had many situations and arguments about our younger fighters and older fighters.
Thoughts?
It's more about how much damage they've taken than age.
Wilder is four years older than Artur Szpilka, but Szpilka has been savagely knocked out four times. Consequently he's looked at as a washed up fighter.
It's partly style, partly mileage, and partly genetics. Anybody will tell you if you get in wars, you leave something in the ring every time. If you're a KO artist you can have a longer career, since most your fights end in a couple of rounds. If you're a boxer that rarely gets hit flush you can also have long career. With swarmers and brawlers the damage usually catches up to them sooner than others.
But genetics plays a huge role. A guy like Jerry Quarry took a bunch of beatings and became a vegetable. Whereas George Chuvalo also took legendary beatings over a long career and he's fine - dude is in his 70s and sounds exactly the same as when he was in his 30s.
Everyone wants to measure age like they do height, boxing record, etc. You just can't. Too many factors come into consideration like wear, genetics, how a fighter's style plays into or against aging factors.
Hopkins had great longevity because he changed his style to sort of game the system. Others have had short careers because they had nothing to fall back on once they lost their athleticism. You just can't measure a fighter based on years alive. You can only say that age rarely helps them once they get into their 30's.
yes well said
Everyone wants to measure age like they do height, boxing record, etc. You just can't. Too many factors come into consideration like wear, genetics, how a fighter's style plays into or against aging factors.
Hopkins had great longevity because he changed his style to sort of game the system. Others have had short careers because they had nothing to fall back on once they lost their athleticism. You just can't measure a fighter based on years alive. You can only say that age rarely helps them once they get into their 30's.
Fighters are generally damaged goods past age of 35, unless they are a canelo Alvarez opponent and then people pretend they are still prime
Pac-Man still going strong at 40, think he is reaching his limit anytime soon? Pac-Man an extreme outlier considering his recent fights against Broner, Thurman.