Does being physically fit give European heavyweights an advantage over Americans?

[hookoutofhell]

i think the europeans are definetly hungrier and take their boxing more seriously than some of the americans. There was an interview i watched with manny steward on youtube, he was taking about the klit's and he said that euro fighters seemed to be more hungry and more dtermined than their american counterparts.

take fast eddie for example the guy is not a big HW but if he got himself a conditioning coach and committed himself to the sport he could be a genuine HW champ. Instead he seems content on just getting by.

i think american media should start to have a pop at fat american HW's rather than look back on the golden days of tyson, bowe, briggs, morrison and holyfield.

[Ben_London.]

i think the europeans are definetly hungrier and take their boxing more seriously than some of the americans. There was an interview i watched with manny steward on youtube, he was taking about the klit's and he said that euro fighters seemed to be more hungry and more dtermined than their american counterparts.

take fast eddie for example the guy is not a big HW but if he got himself a conditioning coach and committed himself to the sport he could be a genuine HW champ. Instead he seems content on just getting by.

i think american media should start to have a pop at fat american HW's rather than look back on the golden days of tyson, bowe, briggs, morrison and holyfield.

Good post, especially the last paragraph.

[MELLY-MEL...]

is this a trick question tunney?

[Cuauhtémoc1520]

So many American heavyweights like Arreola, Estrada, Toney, Chambers, and Peter (lives in the US) are carrying around pot bellies.

Yet I see European heavyweights like Pianeta, Dimitrenko, Boytsov, the Klitschkos, Pala, Kretschmann, the Roths, and *****ko always coming to fight in reasonably good shape.

Some like Povetkin are a little plump, but that's natural for some Russian people - but you never see the really large bellies on these guys like you see on Chris Koval and Byron Polley.

Do the extra pounds put the American heavyweights at a disadvantage? I know if someone is highly skilled, they can still win despite being overweight, but they will definitely have less stamina.

Your physical build has nothing to do with the way you fight or how good you are. Everyone of those American fighters no matter how hard they worked out couldn't look like Vlad in a million years. It's called genetics, doesn't mean that if they land a punch, Vlad wouldn't get knocked out.

The only exception is Toney, we all know he isn't in shape but then again, he isn't a heavy weight. He's just incredibly skilled and his boxing ability has allowed him to compete at weight classes much higher than he should ever be at.

[Shanks]

americans love they're fast food too much. last time i was in the US i saw some fat motheruckers

[Ben_London.]

Your physical build has nothing to do with the way you fight or how good you are.

Wrong - it you are grossly overweight, it 1) slows your movement, and 2) reduces your stamina. Ask any boxing trainer.

[Shanks]

Wrong - it you are grossly overweight, it 1) slows your movement, and 2) reduces your stamina. Ask any boxing trainer.

correct. but your boy vitaly will get smashed on by Haye

[Left Hook Tua]

Your physical build has nothing to do with the way you fight or how good you are. Everyone of those American fighters no matter how hard they worked out couldn't look like Vlad in a million years. It's called genetics, doesn't mean that if they land a punch, Vlad wouldn't get knocked out.

The only exception is Toney, we all know he isn't in shape but then again, he isn't a heavy weight. He's just incredibly skilled and his boxing ability has allowed him to compete at weight classes much higher than he should ever be at.

i don't know about that.

i know looks don't mean nothing in boxing.

the big buff dude could get knocked out by some fat , out of shape dude.

the thing is though , people look different when they're in shape and you can tell by how their body looks how much roadwork and other work they've done in training camp.

[Joe2608]

If they trained harder and lost the flab then of course they would have more of a chance. Increased stamina and speed, better movement will all contribute to your performance. At the moment, they seem to rely on their power too much, thinking they can land a lucky shot, which is not a good plan. And obviously, the fact that there are no weight limits at Heavyweight doesn't help because it will make them think they don't have to work hard to make weight.

[paul750]

Look, put it this way: if you want to be the best you can be, regardless of how talented you are, you need to be as fit and conditioned as possible. Why would anybody not want to be less than 100%? The fact that a lot of these heavyweights are not particulary skillful is all the more reason they should put a bigger emphasis on their conditioning. Fights can be won through a war of attrition. It seems as though the only war most of the heavyweights are fighting is a war with their fridge.

Another thing people forget is that good fights mean a lot. And by good fights, I mean fights not necessarily involving great fighters, but well conditioned athletes going at it at a high pace.