Tweet
I'm going to eliminate the personalities for a moment .....
What I'm taking from both posts is that a boxer's prime is determined by how much damage they took along the way or to coin the phrase, how many wars they were in. I could accept that premise if there were severe head damage in previous fights, which in turn would diminish punch resistance. Still that wouldn't necessarily age a boxers ability or their talent, it would only make them more susceptible to incurring more damage. If damage incurred were to be the sole factor - which I don't believe it is - for determining whether a boxer is or can be considered in their prime, then many fighters would be past prime before they even had a chance to establish their career. This is providing that they had that face-first style where they take a beating in every fight, win or lose. What happens to that theory, when you have a brute-like, throw-back viking who no matter what, can take a beating all day long and won't be affected? How would their prime status be calculated?
And the other mention is that a boxers aggressive style causes them to burn-out faster as opposed to one who has a more subdued style. Here I would strongly disagree, since a boxer's style is derived from their personality. And if they were born\nurtured or even trained to fight in an aggressive manner then they will fight that way throughout their career, and hence that could not be solely used to determine whether they are in or past prime. Of course with age all fighters would eventually slow down as the wear and tear native to the sport takes its toll. Again, how would you calculate prime state, if a fighters genetic make-up allows them to function at or above 110% of their physical capacity for extended periods of time?
There are many examples (Actual boxers) that would contradict both ideas but I would lean on age being the most dominant factor across the board. Younger fighters have a better recovery rate than older fighters and in many cases can sustain more damage in the early part of their career.
A Prime fighter IMHO, is determined by several factors, above all their genetics would rank as the top factor followed closely by age. Genetics will always overrule age initially, but even that must eventually succumb because no one is immune to age and its effects. Its like we all will reach the point where the mind is telling the body to perform, but age has taken its toll and can no longer respond as it once did.
What I'm taking from both posts is that a boxer's prime is determined by how much damage they took along the way or to coin the phrase, how many wars they were in. I could accept that premise if there were severe head damage in previous fights, which in turn would diminish punch resistance. Still that wouldn't necessarily age a boxers ability or their talent, it would only make them more susceptible to incurring more damage. If damage incurred were to be the sole factor - which I don't believe it is - for determining whether a boxer is or can be considered in their prime, then many fighters would be past prime before they even had a chance to establish their career. This is providing that they had that face-first style where they take a beating in every fight, win or lose. What happens to that theory, when you have a brute-like, throw-back viking who no matter what, can take a beating all day long and won't be affected? How would their prime status be calculated?
And the other mention is that a boxers aggressive style causes them to burn-out faster as opposed to one who has a more subdued style. Here I would strongly disagree, since a boxer's style is derived from their personality. And if they were born\nurtured or even trained to fight in an aggressive manner then they will fight that way throughout their career, and hence that could not be solely used to determine whether they are in or past prime. Of course with age all fighters would eventually slow down as the wear and tear native to the sport takes its toll. Again, how would you calculate prime state, if a fighters genetic make-up allows them to function at or above 110% of their physical capacity for extended periods of time?
There are many examples (Actual boxers) that would contradict both ideas but I would lean on age being the most dominant factor across the board. Younger fighters have a better recovery rate than older fighters and in many cases can sustain more damage in the early part of their career.
A Prime fighter IMHO, is determined by several factors, above all their genetics would rank as the top factor followed closely by age. Genetics will always overrule age initially, but even that must eventually succumb because no one is immune to age and its effects. Its like we all will reach the point where the mind is telling the body to perform, but age has taken its toll and can no longer respond as it once did.
Comment