Which Non-Boxing Athlete Could Come Best To Boxing Cold

[The Old LefHook]

Is it even Chamberlain at all? Or is there another athlete from another sport who could do better than Chamberlain in boxing right out of the gate? Some football players (notably defensive backs) are fast-twitch-fiber machines and hard as marble. I expect a receiver like Terrel Owens would have been highly athletic in the ring and pretty fast. More so than most basketball players, I imagine. I would not expect basketball players overall to do so great in boxing. Few boxers are built like basketball players.

[The Old LefHook]

Most men would expect Bob Cousey to do just as well in boxing as Wilt. Cousey would have had some dazzling footwork, perhaps.

[JAB5239]

Is it even Chamberlain at all? Or is there another athlete from another sport who could do better than Chamberlain in boxing right out of the gate? Some football players (notably defensive backs) are fast-twitch-fiber machines and hard as marble. I expect a receiver like Terrel Owens would have been highly athletic in the ring and pretty fast. More so than most basketball players, I imagine. I would not expect basketball players overall to do so great in boxing. Few boxers are built like basketball players.

I always thought Allen Iverson would have made a helluva middleweight. 6' tall and lightning quick, he wasn't afraid to drive into the middle against far bigger men. He was just a very tough, athletic kid. Who can really tell though. Maybe if he had grown up boxing instead of playing basketball. I'd pick him to do better than Wilt though. Wilt had size, but his mental fortitude has been questioned by at least one past NBA player.

[JAB5239]

Most men would expect Bob Cousey to do just as well in boxing as Wilt. Cousey would have had some dazzling footwork, perhaps.

Another athletic guy who was very tough. Vousy would be a lightheavyweight.

[Rockybigblower]

Roger Federer. Imagine being hit by his serve arm.

Same with Tiger Woods. His swing arm uppercut would shatter your face. Obviously he doesn't have good footwork though.

[HOUDINI563]

With no boxing background, NONE. Boxing requires much more than athleticism. The idiosyncrasies developed by great fighters over time would never be mastered or comprehended. The toughness to take punches and fire back instead of cowering is a requirement that a great athlete but none boxer would more than likely totally lack.

As proof quite a few great athletes from other sports tried to cross over. All failed and looked miserably in process. Remember Too Tall Jones? Great athlete, great football player. Absolute horrid fighter.

[QueensburyRules]

- - Ernie Ladd, a defensive tackle then in his prime with the Houston Oilers was 6-9, 325 lbs and built like a Greek God was also couched as an Ali opponent, but he had no national or international following like Wilt did.

My buddy and I were down at the Oiler ticket office when he walked in wearing slacks and a sporty Banlon shirt. Had to duck and turn slightly sideways for his entry that swallowed the whole of the space. Made my 6-4, 200lb buddy look like a 6yr old. He had no trainer nor made any challenge. His was just the usual suspects looking around for some other massive guys for Ali to fight.

Too Tall turned boxer with the retirement announcement of Ali like a few hundred men did back then. Thing is he signed with a fast talking sleaze promoter(see Jack Dempsey when he first hit NYC) who gave him a sleaze trainer and had him boxing in sleaze backwaters against sleaze opponents, yet still Jones racked up 10-0, 9 KO record, problem being next to nothing made with no brighter future on the horizon. That's better than 99.9% of the fighters who ever fought, but of course we know most here can't figure out how to tie their shoelaces much less calculate statistical figures, so Too Tall with the funny name is derided by those unable to carry his jockstrap.

Wilt had Cus and was gonna make a million bucks, unheard of in that time frame. Ali turned Wilt down on Cosell's ABC sports program, ie recorded video taped history. Poor Ali fans were so traumatized that it's become a lifetime of denial for them. Not even Joe Frazier could beat Ali. Noone could...NOONE!!!

[Willie Pep 229]

How about a thoroughbred race horse jocky at minimum weight (105 lbs).

All those guys are much stronger than their little bodies suggest and should possess good reflexes.

They would certainly have to be trained well, all the little guys have good technique, but there are usually no big bangers at 105, they wouldn't have to be concerned whether they can take the 'big' punch.

[The Old LefHook]

With no boxing background, NONE. Boxing requires much more than athleticism. The idiosyncrasies developed by great fighters over time would never be mastered or comprehended. The toughness to take punches and fire back instead of cowering is a requirement that a great athlete but none boxer would more than likely totally lack.

As proof quite a few great athletes from other sports tried to cross over. All failed and looked miserably in process. Remember Too Tall Jones? Great athlete, great football player. Absolute horrid fighter.

The real question is: did athletes crossing over to boxing do worse in general than athletes crossing over to any other sport? I don't recall athletes crossing over to have set the world on fire. Jordan didn't, in baseball.

What are some counter-examples of athletes who switched sports and did really well? Are there any?

[Willie Pep 229]

The real question is: did athletes crossing over to boxing do worse in general than athletes crossing over to any other sport? I don't recall athletes crossing over to have set the world on fire. Jordan didn't, in baseball.

What are some counter-examples of athletes who switched sports and did really well? Are there any?

Chuck Conners jumped from the NBA to MLB and had some success with the Dodgers.

Some say he was a superb athlete.

Quit both because he could make more money with acting - which says much about the poor state of the NBA at the time and the reserve clause in Baseball.