Why some Boxers have fast reflexes but average hand speed ?

[WillieWild114]

James Toney got fast reflexes but his hand speed was average how come ?

[Roadblock]

The reflex is the brain activation signal, the physical punch is a whole bunch of mechanics that take time to execute, an analogy could be an electric switch vs hydraulic arms.

You could also have the case where a guy reacts slower but his body executes faster and so he beats the guy to the punch.

Boxing always has been a speed sport, the old saying, be first.

[Citizen Koba]

The reflex is the brain activation signal, the physical punch is a whole bunch of mechanics that take time to execute, an analogy could be an electric switch vs hydraulic arms.

You could also have the case where a guy reacts slower but his body executes faster and so he beats the guy to the punch.

Boxing always has been a speed sport, the old saying, be first.

Also vital to understand the fundamental importance of anticipation - top level guys are playing chess in there, not merely responding to what their opponent does. They act - a shift of balance, a cutting of the ring, an offered opening, a poised counter or the suggestion of any of the above, knowing that their opponent will also be watching them and reacting. The best boxers will act in ways that corral their opponents' actions - limit them to a few predictable responses (and by trial and error can be further refined within a coupla of rounds). Look at guys like Floyd, Ward - any high level boxer to an extent... they ain't just quicker (in fact Dre wasn't even particularly quick) they just seem faster because they know what their opponent is gonna do next, and they know what their opponent is gonna do next because they steered em there - cut their options down until there was only one or two things they could reasonably do next.

Don't need to have super fast hands if you know what your opponents gonna do next.

[Roadblock]

Also vital to understand the fundamental importance of anticipation - top level guys are playing chess in there, not merely responding to what their opponent does. They act - a shift of balance, a cutting of the ring, an offered opening, a poised counter or the suggestion of any of the above, knowing that their opponent will also be watching them and reacting. The best boxers will act in ways that corral their opponents' actions - limit them to a few predictable responses (and by trial and error can be further refined within a coupla of rounds). Look at guys like Floyd, Ward - any high level boxer to an extent... they ain't just quicker (in fact Dre wasn't even particularly quick) they just seem faster because they know what their opponent is gonna do next, and they know what their opponent is gonna do next because they steered em there - cut their options down until there was only one or two things they could reasonably do next.

Very true it's so dynamic on two fronts the brain in planning ahead and reacting on the fly tuned in to all senses, and then the physical side in executing.

Boxing is an F1-level sport.

[MONGOOSE66]

The reflex is the brain activation signal, the physical punch is a whole bunch of mechanics that take time to execute, an analogy could be an electric switch vs hydraulic arms.

You could also have the case where a guy reacts slower but his body executes faster and so he beats the guy to the punch.

Boxing always has been a speed sport, the old saying, be first.

Toney didn’t have slow hands. Maybe after he was fat and old. His fighting weight was around 168.

[PRINCEKOOL]

Toney's handspeed was not slow. This was still evident when he moved up to Heavyweight.

And yes there are fighters who react, and fighters to anticipate 'And can decode the action, this makes them appear faster than they actually are'.

Deontay Wilder predominately reacts to the action, Fury? Can anticipate moves of his opponents, at-least better than Fighters like Wilder.

Joshua is still adding this anticipation element to his game. I think going 24 rounds with Usyk, would of improved this aspect of his game 'He had to anticipate and decode Usyk, he could not just react'.

[Silence]

Toney's hands were fast asf u dumb. L observation.

[Cypocryphy]

There's not much to separate them. To answer your question, hand speed slows down due to muscle fatigue. Reflexes are overall response time. So if his reflexes seem faster than his hand speed, it is due to using muscles that are not so fatigued as those of his shoulders, back and arms to throw punches. That's basically what it is.

[Roadblock]

Toney's handspeed was not slow. This was still evident when he moved up to Heavyweight.

And yes there are fighters who react, and fighters to anticipate 'And can decode the action, this makes them appear faster than they actually are'.

Deontay Wilder predominately reacts to the action, Fury? Can anticipate moves of his opponents, at-least better than Fighters like Wilder.

Joshua is still adding this anticipation element to his game. I think going 24 rounds with Usyk, would of improved this aspect of his game 'He had to anticipate and decode Usyk, he could not just react'.

I didn't say he did I said fighters, the same principles apply to all of them.