Which is more difficult? Being an elite pro boxer or an elite NFL quarterback?

[CubanGuyNYC]

Good point on the sheer numbers involved. Lotsa people play football. Much less try boxing. That matters with the degree of difficulty.

Also its worth noting we got a current live example in Dominic Breazeale who was a HS & College QB but failed to make it to the NFL, but he worked himself to two HW title shots on the biggest stage of boxing. And sh^t it wouldn't surprise me if he gets a 3rd shot one day or even finds himself winning a vacant belt or shocking someone.

Yeah, some people seem to be focusing on the physical difficulty involved. I think that the sheer numbers involved make it harder to rise to the top in football.

Breazeale is an interesting example, and one which recalls a discussion here a few years ago. As a good all-around athlete of a certain size, he got himself a couple of title shots. He never got a sniff at the NFL, let alone be considered a top QB. Yet, if boxing was as popular as it was decades ago, Dominic probably wouldn’t be stepping into the ring with a champion.

[j.razor]

The Quaterback is THE team numbnuts.

Ali never had to perform at the level of Brady or Manning. Hell, even Brees and Rodgers carried more pressure and abuse over more years.

If the QB is the team then the Patriots would of beat the Titans in the playoffs.

[sicko]

The Pressure that is on QB's especially here in America and how Popular American Football is like no other honestly. It is a reason why they get paid the most money and get talked about the most. That being said a QB is only as good as the team around him so he at least gets help from the 10 other men on the field with him

With Boxing...you have no help what so ever and it is nobody else to take blame for you when you lose

I would say Elite Boxer, plus the process is much longer and difficult in boxing. It is no Collegiate Boxing so it is no Scholarships for Boxing compared to being a QB in which you can get a Scholarship. QB's are allowed to Develop in College vs top level talent for 3 years with their School paying for them to attend that University. Then they get Drafted to the NFL and instantly make Millions $$$. In boxing, it takes a long time to make Millions and most fighters never ever make it to that level to make Millions

[j.razor]

Way more people try out for football so I would say QB. Also lots of bums in boxing.

Boxing is global & football in only in the states & canada. Try again.

[MasterPlan]

Yeah, some people seem to be focusing on the physical difficulty involved. I think that the sheer numbers involved make it harder to rise to the top in football.

Breazeale is an interesting example, and one which recalls a discussion here a few years ago. As a good all-around athlete of a certain size, he got himself a couple of title shots. He never got a sniff at the NFL, let alone be considered a top QB. Yet, if boxing was as popular as it was decades ago, Dominic probably wouldn’t be stepping into the ring with a champion.

Berry Gordy was a professional boxer at the pinocal time of the sport in the 40s-50s. So I guess it could go both ways.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Berry Gordy was a professional boxer at the pinocal time of the sport in the 40s-50s. So I guess it could go both ways.

Just looked up his record on Boxrec. Berry was 12-3-2. Respectable for a regular guy, but a far cry from getting a title shot.

[SplitSecond]

boxing is harder. It’s a head to head sport and I don’t think most understand what that really means. You can be an insane person who trains like the maniac you are, coming in to prove a point but on the other end you can get someone just like you. If a guy doesn’t let you rest, you’re not resting in boxing. Yea you can go decently far with skills, but the top fighters are also insanely conditioned.

[GGG Gloveking]

If it's less of something wouldn't that make it harder to achieve elite levels of it?
We had 4 teams in High School. Varsity, JV and 2 Freshman Teams. There was no boxing at our school.
I didn't even play football but if I tried out Freshman year I would have at least made one of the Freshman teams.

If there is a larger sample size, then there are smaller odds. If there are 10,000 boxers, then the odds of being the best are 1:10,000. If there are 1,000,000 football players, then the odds are 1:1,000,000 that you'll be the best.

[emceetns]

The boxing pool comes from the entire world. The nfl pool is basically one country. Plus you factor in getting hit, without a helmet, boxing elite is much harder to achieve.

The pool isn't necessarily that big though if you look on Boxrec. I explained in my previous post, but to make a long story short, there are only 1,308 heavyweights currently rated on boxrec throughout the world. I know there are more novices in training of course but there are millions of high school football players in the United States. And again, there is a big difference between "being" and "becoming".

[Vasyl’s dad]

The pool isn't necessarily that big though if you look on Boxrec. I explained in my previous post, but to make a long story short, there are only 1,308 heavyweights currently rated on boxrec throughout the world. I know there are more novices in training of course but there are millions of high school football players in the United States. And again, there is a big difference between "being" and "becoming".

HW is one single division. An elite pro boxer extends to every division. Edit. Did not see your post. With that said, boxing is still harder.