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

[mick1303]

It's a ridiculous thing to even suggest it.

So what the guy is tall and big? he would just be the same size at the other HW champs today, so it'd still be down to whether he can box or not. There's plenty of 6'7 journeymen.

Why just consider heavyweights?

it's about as valid an argument as saying Roger Federer would be a great middleweight or Lionel Messi would be a great super featherweight, just because they're good at other sports and they might be the right size for that division.

It could sound strange at first, but tennis has more common features with boxing, than basketball and chances of succeeding are higher for tennis players. For once - tennis is one-on-one combat, not a team sports (except doubles, which are very different all together). It is very important to prevail not only physically but also psychologically over your opponent in tennis. Tennis commentators even often use boxing terminology.

[_Rexy_]

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.

I think the argument OP is trying to make is that if these guys took up boxing as kids instead of being pushed towards Basketball and Football. Of course the guys are going to be garbage when they leave college and take up boxing at 22.

This is Dwight Howard at 19. I remember looking at those shoulders and thinking "jesus, if he got into boxing, he could kill someone with a jab!"



Yes He'd be garbage if he quit basketball today and took up boxing, but if he started boxing at the age he started basketball....well yeah...

[Deus]

Oh look it's the 'we would be great, but... *insert sport* topic. Americans feeling insecure again?

[DaaamnSon]

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

Well said. That sort of athletic freak would be wasted fighting.

[Earl-Hickey]

I think the argument OP is trying to make is that if these guys took up boxing as kids instead of being pushed towards Basketball and Football. Of course the guys are going to be garbage when they leave college and take up boxing at 22.

This is Dwight Howard at 19. I remember looking at those shoulders and thinking "jesus, if he got into boxing, he could kill someone with a jab!"



Yes He'd be garbage if he quit basketball today and took up boxing, but if he started boxing at the age he started basketball....well yeah...

yes but look at that tiny pea head

just screams "glass jaw"

[Laligalaliga]

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.

Lolx.... This is laughable.

[Citizen Koba]

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.

Ah. This old gem.

Unless you're of the belief that Americans have somehow had their DNA spliced with that of aliens or otherwise tampered, then they're the exact same species as the rest of humanity, with all the same strengths and weaknesses. There's big dudes everywhere, man and the average size of people everywhere is increasing. The US may have the most illustrious boxing history and culture, but the same sized dude from anywhere given the same training and opportunities is gonna perform (on average) just as well.

[asgarth]

Ah. This old gem.

Unless you're of the belief that Americans have somehow had their DNA spliced with that of aliens or otherwise tampered, then they're the exact same species as the rest of humanity, with all the same strengths and weaknesses. There's big dudes everywhere, man and the average size of people everywhere is increasing. The US may have the most illustrious boxing history and culture, but the same sized dude from anywhere given the same training and opportunities is gonna perform (on average) just as well.

I get what you are saying, but the athletes in both of the US's most popular sports are in relation to other sports on average very tall and big.

Thus, the talent pool of potential heavyweight boxers in the US is reduced significantly, because if you are athletic, tall and big and you have to choose between football/basketball and boxing, you (and your parents) probably choose the former.

[Citizen Koba]

I get what you are saying, but the athletes in both of the US's most popular sports are in relation to other sports on average very tall and big.

Thus, the talent pool of potential heavyweight boxers in the US is reduced significantly, because if you are athletic, tall and big and you have to choose between football/basketball and boxing, you (and your parents) probably choose the former.

Indeed. And the US has more oversized dudes on average cos it got better nutrition earlier than most other places. The only point I'm making is that there's no intrinsic biological superiority between people from the US and people from other places whether they're big or small. ie. it ain't really anything to brag about (not that I really understand anyone taking vicarious pride in anyone other than close friends or loved ones anyway, so maybe I ain't the best one to speak) - unless you're taking pride in the USs unmatched ability to feed it's citizens well (or at least plentifully). That is, after all, a more important achievement than anything that could ever happen between the ropes of a boxing ring.

If any other country devoted sufficient resources to promote and advance the sport they would also have increased success... we need look no further than the examples of Ukraine and UK to see what a significant push at amateur level can produce down the line.

[jglvz256]

I'm just saying it's probably not a coincidence that the top US Heavyweight boxer right now is someone who just happened to be not good enough to make a career out of basketball and just ended becoming the best US HW boxer instead.

If Deontay Wilder happened to be a little more skilled in bball he wouldn't even be boxing right now and he'd likely admit it.

So imagine the really skilled/athletic guys US boxing has missed out on?

Up until the mid to late 80's, the top HW boxers were indeed making more money than those in the NBA or certainly NFL. Talent always follows money.

Well, you're kind of saying that if the US devoted all its' athletic resources solely to boxing they would completely dominate it and that may well be true. But that obviously would never happen and might apply to many other nations anyway. It's not like boxing is the #1 sport anywhere else either. In the UK it's what - #5, #6? If that.