Raw Talent or Fundamentals

[cortdawg25]

With this latest Roy TKO, it got me to wondering....it seems like all the great fighters who relied on simply raw talent to rise to the top of the boxing pot eventually got taken out the game in an embarrassing way either by age, fighting to long, or meeting a fighter with raw talent and technical attributes.

Roy is the latest victim, but Ali got it, whitaker got it,holmes got it ....the prince got it. lol. Then u see fighters like Hopkins who are very technical and still fighting and finding success. Mosley as well and Nate Campbell....even big George came back and gave us 1 hell of 2nd career.

do the fundamentals and technical skill really trump raw talent in the long run or are fighters like george Foremen and hopkins have a different fortitude that makes them unique?

I don't really know if there is true answer, but the fighters who learn the fundamentals seem to do well in the sport for a long long time! And the the fighters with talent go as soon as their talent isn't what is used to be....

[REMOVED SHARK 97]

Fundamentals only get you so far but you will last longer.

Great Fighters in there Prime should have both, but once they start losing there sharpness that's when they should hang up the gloves, because eventually you will only have the fundamentals left against someone who might have both = 1st round KO.

Not saying Green had raw talent, but it does diminish over time e.g. jones.

[Bushbaby]

For me,I'd say size has a major role to play with that!!For example,at cruiser & heavyweight,fundamentals play a bigger role than raw talent,speed or agility because the bigger man can't move as much as a smaller man!!Which is why the Europeans are taking over the higher weight classes,because they are very technical & fundamentally sound!!

But in the lower weight classes,where speed,quickness & agility, can be explosive,raw talent has a better chance!!

[ThePunchingBag]

Fundamentals ALWAYS ALWAYS beats out raw talent alone.

Raw talent means that the sky is the limit, but without fundamentals you have no starting point from which to climb.

[Ryn0]

Holmes got it? Larry has very good fundementals and worked behind a jab at all times to set up shots as well as being very talented. I would hardly call two controvertial (I thought Holmes won both) losses to Michael Spinks embarressing.

Getting KO'd by Tyson after being retired for two years was a past prime fighter facing a in prime excellent (possibly ATG) fighter.