Would it even be a question that the US would still dominate the HW division

[sentax]

If genetic freaks like 18 year old Zion Williams were pushed into going into boxing like he maybe would have a few generations ago?

6'7", 280 lbs, 45+ inch vert



Someone like Deontay Wilder is considered a freak athlete in boxing when that guy would have been lucky to make it on a division 3 college team as a baller.

[Holystroke3]

Anyone who pushed Zion Williamson to boxing over basketball in any time period should be hanged

[Jsmooth9876]

You ever seen an NBA fight? They make Deontay Wilder look like Willie Pep.

[Bad_Guy]

US can dominate every sport: boxing, soccer, cricket. I'm surprised we send any pros to the Olympics. Instead, we should be sending pre-teen US athletes, so they can dominate everyone.

[sentax]

You ever seen an NBA fight? They make Deontay Wilder look like Willie Pep.

Yes obviously because for all intents and purposes they are untrained fighters.

My point is if some of these guys went into boxing in their youths.

Look how far Deontay Wilder has made it in the US HW scene and this guy wouldn't really get a second look as pro-baller despite what he says as to why he left basketball (he wouldn't have gone far).

Now imagine someone with truly great athletic gifts?

[jglvz256]

I'm pretty sure basketball and football existed even when US dominated the heavyweights. It's more that Britain and Europe started producing good heavies and there are all the Eastern Europeans now that weren't allowed to fight professionally before under Communism. I'm sure Americans will keep using the "basketball!" argument from now until the end of time though.

[kafkod]

If genetic freaks like 18 year old Zion Williams were pushed into going into boxing like he maybe would have a few generations ago?

6'7", 280 lbs, 45+ inch vert



Someone like Deontay Wilder is considered a freak athlete in boxing when that guy would have been lucky to make it on a division 3 college team as a baller.

There have been several genetic freaks like him who tried their hand at boxing and it didn't worked out well for any of them.

And guys like that exist all over the world, btw, not just in the USA. There are huge rugby players who could pick that kid up, toss him over their shoulder and run the length of the pitch with him.

[boliodogs]

You have being huge and great at basketball confused with being a potentially a great boxer. They are two completely different sports with different skills and assets required. Being great at one doesn't mean you would be worth a damn at the other. It's very possible that Zion has a glass jaw and can't break an egg aqnd absolutely hates pain and getting punched'. As you say Wilder is not good enough at basketball to play pro ball and Fury and AJ probably both such at basketball and they are our three best heavyweights. No heavyweight champion in history would have been good enough to play pro basketball and no pro basketball player has ever been successful as a boxer. You are trying to say being a huge strong great basketball player make a guy a great heavyweight boxer and it just doesn't. Would you say Zion would be a great football or baseball or tennis or soccer player? I doubt it and boxing is harder and more specialized than any of those sports.

[boliodogs]

I'm pretty sure basketball and football existed even when US dominated the heavyweights. It's more that Britain and Europe started producing good heavies and there are all the Eastern Europeans now that weren't allowed to fight professionally before under Communism. I'm sure Americans will keep using the "basketball!" argument from now until the end of time though.

Yes they will continue to use the basketball argument and the football argument as well. I am a USA boxing fan and I believe both arguments are BS. I don't think either pro basketball or pro football has ever cost the USA a single heavyweight champion or top contender. To be the best at any sport you have to be naturally good at it and then want badly to be the best and try your ass of to be the best. Those guys that ended up as great pro ball players had potential for their sport and that was what they wanted to be. If they had potential to be a great boxer and wanted to be one they would have pursued boxing instead. The heavyweight champion make a lot of money. Wilder, Fury and AJ are all very rich men.

[TheIronMike]

Yes. The US would still dominate. If a lanky ****** like Deontay can make it to the world level. Imagine if the millions of basketball players who are 6'6 and 220+ started boxing. Brits and Euro's can deny it all they want but its a fact.