Why do people think NFL players should be American Heavyweights ?

[The Hammer]

I saw several times everywhere that the real heavyweight champ is in a football field and it kind of upset me. Heavyweights in America are not like in the 70ies, i know that, but i don't know how the **** a big football player could be a great heavyweight boxer and beat someone like Klitschko.

Being big and strong doesn't make you a champion. In MMA, former NFL player Bob Sapp proved that. Being huge doesn't teach you how to fight.

You are absolutely right.

It's just that people like Teddy Atlas can't accept the reality that the best heavyweights in the world are no longer necessarily Americans.

[JR Rider]

Obviously NFL players wouldn't be top boxers if they just transfered straight over. The point being made is that there are some NFL players who have the natural size, speed, strength and dexterity to make (potentially) excellent fighters.

[AGM]

I lebron was trained to box since he was a little kid

he would be the GOAT no doubt about it

hes 265 with 3% body fat

and its all lean muscle which lets him keep his speed and agility

WTF? How can you be 100% certain that a person would be the greatest boxer of all time without knowing if they can take a punch?!

[ACHlLLES]

Obviously NFL players wouldn't be top boxers if they just transfered straight over. The point being made is that there are some NFL players who have the natural size, speed, strength and dexterity to make (potentially) excellent fighters.

For all we know they choose the sport they are in because they have china chins or they were too lazy to train as hard a boxer. Personally I think boxing is one of the hardest sports to train for, I've never trained professionally. But I know it requires great stamina, speed, power, and a chin to be atleast some what good.

Waiting for someone to make a wlad joke...

[Benny Leonard]

I lebron was trained to box since he was a little kid

he would be the GOAT no doubt about it

hes 265 with 3% body fat

and its all lean muscle which lets him keep his speed and agility

Sure, he might be a bigger version of Ali or he could be

Lewis vs. Grant


If I had to take my pic of sport to transfer (when very young), I would take the NFL players.



BO KNOWS

[JR Rider]

Most talented athletes these days won't even consider boxing, though. That doesn't mean that some of them wouldn't be rinsing fighters.

[dans]

You are absolutely right.

It's just that people like Teddy Atlas can't accept the reality that the best heavyweights in the world are no longer necessarily Americans.

No one is denying that fact here. But to be honest our American heavyweights are miserable, and there has to be some reason for the drop off. It's not that Europeans got that much better, they did get better but to say that Europeans just surpassed Americans by their own virtue is a little crazy. There are reasons why America does not have the best heavyweights and part of it is because our bigger elite athletes are not boxing. If you can tell me that Eddie Chambers, Chris Arreola, Tony Thompson, and Monte Barrett are among America's elite athletes and pass a lie detector test, I'd be shocked.

Not trying to make excuses, this is purely a hypothetical. If you were known for having the world's greatest heavyweights, and that title slipped from your grasp, you would want to know why. And you would also want to know how to fix it. Part of it for American heavyweight boxing is just getting better athletes.

[Blond Beast]

Mario Williams of the texans is 6'7 299lbs and he's quick and has good balance. If he started in the squared circle I think he'd be one of the better ones. No one really knows for sure but it would be nice if boxing could give out scholarships like football\basketball to entice these guys.

[JR Rider]

Try 6'6 280, mate.

[Benny Leonard]

You are absolutely right.

It's just that people like Teddy Atlas can't accept the reality that the best heavyweights in the world are no longer necessarily Americans.

American HW suck at the moment; David Haye mentioned this.

How can you tell there is a talent drop off?

Compare the American HWs now to years past; it doesn't compare.


It has nothing to do with fighters like Wlad...I'm talking American talent only.