What does 'athletic' mean in boxing?

[margaret thatcher]

I see it all the time but it's always used so vaguely, to the point where I'm not even sure what people mean by it. What abilities mark a boxer as an 'athletic' one?

[samwbr]

Looks the part at the weight, aesthetically and is a great mover. Can go the rounds well without losing his style too much.

[Delta Jay]

Black

[Ruthless-RKO]

Black

Basically..

[stujones]

Quick, looks the part and has a lot of attributes without necessarily having a high boxing IQ (although you can still have that)

Going to be helishly controvesial here but I would describe RJJ as athletic, whereas FMJ was a bit more than that. When RJJ athleticism started to erode he fell apart.

Probably the dictionary definition of athletic now is Deontay Wilder. David Haye was another one. Power, Speed and Stamina (Haye eventually proved he had the later), I wouldn't call the body builders esque (Bruno / Joshua) as athletic. Not exclusive to black boxers, I'd describe Carl Frampton as athletic, as I would Klitchsko and certainly Amir Khan.

[DrDuke]

Being fit physically and well-prepared functionally, I believe.

[Ezzard]

I think it means speed and power... Someone who would be good at sprinting, long jump, javelin etc...

[rubberneck]

IMO Oscar De La Hoya in his prime was a great example of an athletic fighter: fast hands and feet, endless gas tank, not carrying excess mass/muscle. Shame he turned in to such coke fuelled sex pest, allegedly.

[Grilling Machine]

For me it just means anyone you'd expect to be good at track and field if they committed to it, regardless of whether they're actually fit or not.

[Verdi]

I see it as someone with a good engine, not just being black. I'd certainly describe Usyk as being athletic.

[handsofstone]

Fit, fluid, mobile and shredded i would say

[rob h]

A young Lennox Lewis

[chiggsy]

Mandingo

[stujones]

I see it as someone with a good engine, not just being black. I'd certainly describe Usyk as being athletic.

I wouldn't, whilst he is no doubtely IS atheletic - I would say his number 1 asset is his boxing IQ. I don't think athletically he was the quickest or even hardest punching Cruiserweight (let alone heavyweight) - but no one could touch his IQ.

Great call whoever said DLH. Particularly if contests were 10 rounders - but that is exactly what I would phrase it. Someone who has it all athletically - speed, power, engine - doesn't really need a high boxing IQ to get to the very top. A pomp Mosley is another.

[ALI]

I guess the flip side to athletic would be something like robotic, or as Tyson Fury would say, a big stiff.

[margaret thatcher]

What about Loma? Fast, sharp reflexes, highly mobile and agile, good engine.

[Wee Tommy]

I guess the flip side to athletic would be something like robotic, or as Tyson Fury would say, a big stiff.

Tyson Fury is my definition of ‘unathletic’

[ALI]

Certainly Fury's physique does not scream athletic, but to be fair to the big man, he is not trying to be adonis, for his size and weight he has fast hands and good foot movement, but call8g him athletic would certainly be stretching the meaning of the word.

[margaret thatcher]

What about Loma? Fast, sharp reflexes, highly mobile and agile, good engine.

Loma isn’t black though

Good point

[stujones]

Khan certainly didn't look to athletic seeing him on the News (about the Harry / William thing) - certainly enjoying his time off.

[banjo]

Marvin Hagler

[Fightnight Scores]

Always took this to mean the look and body composition. Not overly muscular or the body builder look/thick framed (see Joshua, or the likes of Yarde, Mke Perez when he trimmed down to cruiser weight).

Athletic I'd define as more slender frame but still with some lean muscle definition.

You can obviously get the fat out of shape heavies...

And there's those who are just kind of nondescript like your everyday not over weight bloke on the street with a composition like Joe Calzaghe. But he had a great engine and stamina, so could be seen as athletic in a way.

Not sure what you would classify someone like Gervonta Davis as though? He has that thick set body, not overly muscle but still some athleticism about him. Shorter and stocky, but probably not athletic?

Who knows what it even means actually

[brilo33]

I see it all the time but it's always used so vaguely, to the point where I'm not even sure what people mean by it. What abilities mark a boxer as an 'athletic' one?

to me it means in good shape looking wise , because it does not necessary mean you have a good engine , i dont like term
in boxing means nothing.

[dookus]

I think of it as, basically, "physically gifted" in terms of speed, strength, power, balance etc. It may or not mean you have all (or any) of the other things it takes to fight well.

[Monte Fisto]

I see it all the time but it's always used so vaguely, to the point where I'm not even sure what people mean by it. What abilities mark a boxer as an 'athletic' one?

Wears a tracksuit on a first date.