The Most Important Quality A Great Fighter Must Have?

[Me La Pelan]

I think to get to the level where you are considered "GREAT" you can't have a glass chin! No matter how you see it, CHIN has to be a pre-requisite to become GREAT. I've never known a GREAT FIGHTER with a glass chin.

[Addison]

I think to get to the level where you are considered "GREAT" you can't have a glass chin! No matter how you see it, CHIN has to be a pre-requisite to become GREAT. I've never known a GREAT FIGHTER with a glass chin.

Well said. ^ I agree with this man.

[Fox McCloud]

Well said. ^ I agree with this man.

Terry Norris wasn't too bad though.

[ElGranLuchador]

being a power puncher it will get u to the top fast

[Addison]

Terry Norris wasn't too bad though.

True, which is a testament to his overall strength and individual strengths in other areas. Damn good, but shy of great.

[Njord777]

Recently I can think of a few men: Gatti, Baldomir, Andrade- men who lack some crucial elements of skill but have enough heart, will, and determination to go around. Obviously passion and drive- the intangibles- are very important to boxing, but men like those I listed had all the heart in the world and will just never have, or never will, be able to compete at an elite level.

I mean, honestly, we all love the underdog. We want the little guy to overcome the odds and show, by sheer heart, he can achieve all his goals. In real life, though, the elite athlete smacks down the determined, yet limited, man nine times out of ten.

I think the ability to adjust is crucial- ring intelligence can take you places even skill sometimes can't. If a boxer is slower than his opponent, not as powerful, has less overall ability and a glass chin- but is such a brilliant tactician in the ring that he can see what punch, strategy, or nuance is working for him- that's when David can topple Goliath.

[Feint]

So many of these attributes are important for a great fighter to have if they are going to rise to the top. But ultimately if your going to stay at the top it will be because of your intelligence and ability to make adjustments during a fight.

One-trick ponys, no matter how good they are at that one trick, ultimately will lose.

[warp1432]

I put handspeed, but didn't see mental adjustment. That would be the best one.

Handspeed though is my second choice. If you have good handspeed you can always beat fighters to the punch. If you have horrible defense/chin you can potshot. Average defense average chin you can have a juan diaz type fighter (even though Diaz has above defense and chin, but still point made).

You can do a lot of things with handspeed.

[Idgas]

intelligence.

with intelligence, you give the boxer the capabilities to handle any opponent.

[!! Shawn]

Well said. ^ I agree with this man.

Roy Jones Jr.?