Why Do The Best Boxers Nearly Always Come From Childhood Poverty?

[max baer]

Hey guys,
Can you explain to me why nearly all boxing champions came from childhood poverty?
Can you give me examples of wealthy privileged kids who grew up to be champions?
Why is that?
It is not the case in other sports is it?
What is the reason that poorest kids love boxing?
Is it because poor areas where they live are dangerous so they have to be able to fight good like iron mike.
Can anyone name some boxing champions that were middle or even upper class. Was it like that in john l sullivan's era?

[Eff Pandas]

I don't think middle class & rich ppl like getting hit in the head.

And hell a lot of it in the US is you gotta be in the worst neighborhoods in a lot of communities to have access to a gym. Only ppl living in poverty are near them & ppl not from there realllllllly need to wanna be a boxer to wanna go there & I bet a lot of parents are like nah. A lot of well-to-do parents don't like their kids playing any rough sports let alone one of the roughest like boxing.

Nothing is 100% tho. Always outliers. But generally I think this is more or less a lot of what's going on.

[Willie Pep 229]

Both Ali and SRL came from working class families. Ali's dad was a postman I believe, might be wrong.

[Rockin']

Hey guys,
Can you explain to me why nearly all boxing champions came from childhood poverty?
Can you give me examples of wealthy privileged kids who grew up to be champions?
Why is that?
It is not the case in other sports is it?
What is the reason that poorest kids love boxing?
Is it because poor areas where they live are dangerous so they have to be able to fight good like iron mike.
Can anyone name some boxing champions that were middle or even upper class. Was it like that in john l sullivan's era?

First, boxing was inexpensive at the time. $25 a year to join the ABF (now USA Boxing) and you're sanctioned to box.

Darrin Vanhorn was not living in poverty as a child, I believe.

He won a world title.

I just loved the adrenaline and the testosterone dripping in to my blood. (I didn't realize it at the time doe)

I just always thought that I could do the sport and just fell in love with it after a short time.

The first time I experienced boxing was when we moved to a farm and they had 2 pair of gloves.

That's where it all started. Wanting to impress my step dad.

I called all over looking for a gym but found nothing.

Then my mother remarried again and we moved to Livonia, the city that I was born in.

New people, new school...........

Then in an English class this kid sitting in front of me turned around and told me that he was a boxer and that he could kick my ass.

I was amazed that there was a gym in the city. He told me to go to the gym that same night and that he would kick my ass.

I showed up that night and years followed. He never showed up doe.

I fought at the Palace a couple of times as an am against team Ray Leonard and Team Jimmy Ellis, got my name in the local papers and then kids at school took notice. They also said that I won am titles over the school PA system.

My step dad was at my first amateur bout and then my pro bouts at the Palace.

I never won a title doe, not in the pros atleast.

Poverty is tough and boxing is tough.

It takes a special frame of mind to compete in the sport...............Rockin'

[GhostofDempsey]

That's what makes them hungry, poverty is a powerful motivator.

[Ivich]

Both Ali and SRL came from working class families. Ali's dad was a postman I believe, might be wrong.

Ali's Father was a sign writer, and they never went without financially

[Ivich]

I don't think middle class & rich ppl like getting hit in the head.

And hell a lot of it in the US is you gotta be in the worst neighborhoods in a lot of communities to have access to a gym. Only ppl living in poverty are near them & ppl not from there realllllllly need to wanna be a boxer to wanna go there & I bet a lot of parents are like nah. A lot of well-to-do parents don't like their kids playing any rough sports let alone one of the roughest like boxing.

Nothing is 100% tho. Always outliers. But generally I think this is more or less a lot of what's going on.

It;s been my experience that nobody much likes being punched in the head.

[Ivich]

Hey guys,
Can you explain to me why nearly all boxing champions came from childhood poverty?
Can you give me examples of wealthy privileged kids who grew up to be champions?
Why is that?
It is not the case in other sports is it?
What is the reason that poorest kids love boxing?
Is it because poor areas where they live are dangerous so they have to be able to fight good like iron mike.
Can anyone name some boxing champions that were middle or even upper class. Was it like that in john l sullivan's era?

Barrera.

[max baer]

Darrin Vanhorn was not living in poverty as a child, I believe.

He won a world title.

I just loved the adrenaline and the testosterone dripping in to my blood. (I didn't realize it at the time doe)

I just always thought that I could do the sport and just fell in love with it after a short time.

We were poor in my early years then..... Look in to the city that I fought out of as an am, Livonia, Mi.

The first time I experienced boxing was when we moved to a farm and they had 2 pair of gloves.

That's where it all started. Wanting to impress my step dad.

I called all over looking for a gym but found nothing.

Then my mother remarried again and we moved to Livonia, the city that I was born in.

New people, new school...........

Then in an English class this kid sitting in front of me turned around and told me that he was a boxer and that he could kick my ass.

I was amazed that there was a gym in the city. He told me to go to the gym that same night and that he would kick my ass.

I showed up that night and years followed. He never showed up doe.

I fought at the Palace a couple of times as an am against team Ray Leonard and Team Jimmy Ellis, got my name in the local papers and then kids at school took notice. They also said that I won am titles over the school PA system.

My step dad was at my first amateur bout and then my pro bouts at the Palace.

I never won a title doe, not in the pros atleast.

Poverty is tough and boxing is tough.

It takes a special frame of mind to compete in the sport...............Rockin'

rockin' that is a fantastic story you tell here thanks for sharing it. i don't think i have ever heard a single famous boxer or mma fighter that didn't start as a kid to not get bullied. ali had his bike stolen and wanted to find the thief and the policeman told him "before you fight you better learn how to fight" and directed ali to the gym.
i really noticed that you come at these boxing debates as an actual boxer who has much experience unlike me who only boxed a tiny bit but are a huge huge boxing fan. you know stuff about technique that a lot of us here don't know. thanks for sharing a bit with us.

[max baer]

That's what makes them hungry, poverty is a powerful motivator.

i agree totally