When did all the best American heavyweights start playing in the NFL?

[bojangles1987]

show me some american heavyweights who aren't fat and out of shape.

most young athletes in america will go into a sport like football or basketball that provides scholarships to universities, boxing doesn't offer these kids anything.

I don't see how this concept is hard to understand. Football and basketball are massively popular and the hundreds of professional athletes that play it now would not have around 30 years ago. And around 30 years ago, the heavyweight division began a decline that continues to this day. It's not a coincidence.

[nomadman]

Here's how I think it boils down over the ages.

1930s: Look ma, I'm athletically gifted and a whiz on the football field. I think I'll go into boxing and make my fortune.

1950s: Well what do you know, I can run real fast, dunk a basketball and benchpress a fridge. Looks like boxing is the only logical choice for me.

1970s: I'm seven feet tall, I'm quicker than a speeding bullet and my fast-twitch muscle fibres are off the chart! Look out boxing, here I come!

2000s: Yeah, getting hit in the head for a living doesn't sound so appealing. And what exactly are the promotion opportunities? Any pension plans?

[nomadman]

NFL has the shortest schedule of all the professional sports and great pay for the schedule. It also has a great history with a great support network from college and universities.

Although most don't make it, getting a top grade education for free is well worth it over boxing. Plus I don't see why when the finish college/university they would be early 20's so there is time to switch to boxing if they know they are not gonna make it professionally in the NFL.

No no, you have to start boxing at an early age.

You can't just put on the gloves in your late teens or early twenties after a childhood spent playing another sport and expect to become, say, middleweight champion of the world and earn a number 3 spot on the RING pound for pound list.

[nomadman]

To put it simply, because Boxing is dead in America.

The physically gifted athletes are not choosing to devote their lives to boxing, which is very high risk and very low reward sport, when there are more lucrative and safer sports, that can actually give them a life and a livelihood and a free education.

If you're 6'9 240 pounds an an amazing athlete,

and you have a choice between Football/basketball, which will give you a free ride in college and a multi million dollar pro, or average paying amatuer carreer.

And boxing, where you wont make any money whatsoever for at least few years, and you have to get a job on the side just to stay alive

What's the smarter choice?

Hmm, when you put it like that I wonder why anybody ever considered becoming a boxer. It doesn't seem like the safe, stable profession I always thought it was.

[DeadLikeMe]

Just be glad we don't play soccer either...then you'd really have nothing.

[Uns]

Here's how I think it boils down over the ages.

1930s: Look ma, I'm athletically gifted and a whiz on the football field. I think I'll go into boxing and make my fortune.

1950s: Well what do you know, I can run real fast, dunk a basketball and benchpress a fridge. Looks like boxing is the only logical choice for me.

1970s: I'm seven feet tall, I'm quicker than a speeding bullet and my fast-twitch muscle fibres are off the chart! Look out boxing, here I come!

2000s: Yeah, getting hit in the head for a living doesn't sound so appealing. And what exactly are the promotion opportunities? Any pension plans?

What do you think about the lower weights? Any changes?

[nomadman]

What do you think about the lower weights? Any changes?

No, only big guys now fear getting punched in the head for a living.

[StarshipTrooper]

Here's how I think it boils down over the ages.

1930s: Look ma, I'm athletically gifted and a whiz on the football field. I think I'll go into boxing and make my fortune.

1950s: Well what do you know, I can run real fast, dunk a basketball and benchpress a fridge. Looks like boxing is the only logical choice for me.

1970s: I'm seven feet tall, I'm quicker than a speeding bullet and my fast-twitch muscle fibres are off the chart! Look out boxing, here I come!

2000s: Yeah, getting hit in the head for a living doesn't sound so appealing. And what exactly are the promotion opportunities? Any pension plans?

Try this.....

1972: Best NFL running back makes $60,000.....Muhammed Ali rakes in millions.....And other big name fighters make a king's ransom in comparison as well.

2012: Best NFL running back makes millions.....Any fighter not named Mayweather makes chump-change in comparison.

[nomadman]

See, these guys are all ex-ball players too besides Malik Scott.

Mitchell - football till he was injured.

Bryant Jennings - played football & basketball from a little kid all through highschool.

Deontay Wilder - dreamed of playing in the NBA or the NFL his whole life, but gave up college football and basketball to care for his sick daughter (spina bifida).

None of these american's planned on being boxers, it just happened by pure chance.

How could I forget that all the greats of the past planned on becoming boxers from the very start. It wasn't to escape poverty, or prison, or because they were bullied at school. They weighed the pros and cons, looked at the long term prospects and drew out a three step business plan to maximise their earnings. I can respect that.

[paulf]

Try this.....

1972: Best NFL running back makes $60,000.....Muhammed Ali rakes in millions.....And other big name fighters make a king's ransom in comparison as well.

2012: Best NFL running back makes millions.....Any fighter not named Mayweather makes chump-change in comparison.

End thread, man. I can't see how this is even a debate. Not to mention that none of the top heavyweights from America are even remotely gifted athletes; ****, when was the last time we had a heavyweight that looked like this??