BoxRec

Just wondering - most people either have a non-boxing friend known for being (or fancy themselves as) a bit of a puncher.

For an average in-shape guy (assuming he can make Middleweight), with above average stamina but little or no boxing experience and being an average all rounder across most sports, how far could he realistically expect to go in the UK pro game turning over at say close to 30?

Is great power whilst being all round average at everything else enough to get to British level?

Does this guy have a large family, lots of friends and even more friends of friends?

johnswan1 wrote:Just wondering - most people either have a non-boxing friend known for being (or fancy themselves as) a bit of a puncher.

For an average in-shape guy (assuming he can make Middleweight), with above average stamina but little or no boxing experience and being an average all rounder across most sports, how far could he realistically expect to go in the UK pro game turning over at say close to 30?

Is great power whilst being all round average at everything else enough to get to British level?

Depends what you consider average. Average boxing skills in the pro game are pretty advanced and not easy to learn for a new starter. You might be a hard puncher in front of a heavy bag or when you take a run and swing. But that powers mean nothing when faced with a moving target and someone with decent boxing skills. They'll see the swings coming a mile off, they'll keep you off balance, they'll counter... etc etc.

Only way to get an idea is by going down the gym, learning the basics and doing some sparring.

Without the people Sklar mentioned, absolutely nowhere. Will be knocked f uck out of by novice amateurs whilst trying to land his big right.

I'm sure there's a Deontay Wilder joke here somewhere...

Sklar wrote:Does this guy have a large family, lots of friends and even more friends of friends?

Exactly! If the guy can sell tickets then a good promoter may even get a world title shot, swerve the British contenders and any good fighters, give them maximum PR. I.e -Frank Buglinoni Once they get found out they will ditch them asap

Sklar wrote:Does this guy have a large family, lots of friends and even more friends of friends?

Interesting. Careful matchmaking seems key, though you don't ever tend to see any journeymen KO artists out there, what happens them? They simply don't get work which could involve a knockout of a prospect?

Micky has it right imo

Nowhere. Average Joe would need to be extremely popular and have huge backing to "work" his way into domestic title contention.

The Average Joe can't box for shite. It's not an easy sport!

Also depends how durable he is himself.He will need to have good whiskers as it's likely the guy in question has defensive frailties.

The pros is a tough sport. At 30 it's probably too late to make any real impact beyond English title level, but it's not impossible. Better to start now than get to 35 and wish you'd given it a go like I have. I've been meaning to have a go at boxing since 25 and found x,y and z reasons why not to do it, mainly due to excess drinking and lack of focus on fitness.

In answer to the power bit, always better to have it than not!

mickey1975 wrote:Without the people Sklar mentioned, absolutely nowhere. Will be knocked f uck out of by novice amateurs whilst trying to land his big right.

TheCobra wrote:The pros is a tough sport. At 30 it's probably too late to make any real impact beyond English title level, but it's not impossible. Better to start now than get to 35 and wish you'd given it a go like I have. I've been meaning to have a go at boxing since 25 and found x,y and z reasons why not to do it, mainly due to excess drinking and lack of focus on fitness.

In answer to the power bit, always better to have it than not!

Good point. I regret not having a proper crack at it. Did alright sparring with local amateurs and had some talent but never made a serious attempt despite the encouragement of trainers. Injuries, minor health conditions, work and all the normal stuff discouraged me.

But I still wish I'd found a way.

So yeah, why not give it a go? Just keep expectations realistic.

ginty wrote:Look how crap Freddie flintoff was and he's an international sportsman.

But probably less fit than your average gym rat

Your mate might have a good dig, but how does he react when someone hits him back?

I think he could have a decent carreer iff he trained very seriously had a good trainer, and took his time.

Dixonian wrote:

TheCobra wrote:The pros is a tough sport. At 30 it's probably too late to make any real impact beyond English title level, but it's not impossible. Better to start now than get to 35 and wish you'd given it a go like I have. I've been meaning to have a go at boxing since 25 and found x,y and z reasons why not to do it, mainly due to excess drinking and lack of focus on fitness.

In answer to the power bit, always better to have it than not!

Good point. I regret not having a proper crack at it. Did alright sparring with local amateurs and had some talent but never made a serious attempt despite the encouragement of trainers. Injuries, minor health conditions, work and all the normal stuff discouraged me.

But I still wish I'd found a way.

So yeah, why not give it a go? Just keep expectations realistic.

Yep, I think as humans if we know in the back of our mind something is going to be tough or even a bit scary, we find reasons to leave it and choose a more comfortable path and stick with what we know. I think it's best, if you want to do something, to focus on the reasons to go for it rather than find all the reasons not to do it, which is what I've been really guilty of.

CaptainSpacerod wrote:

ginty wrote:Look how crap Freddie flintoff was and he's an international sportsman.

But probably less fit than your average gym rat

And a big, stiff, hopeless fucktard! I'd have honestly given my fat mate a shot of sparking him with little or no training! I still can't believe that actually happened!

Boxing fitness is completely different to other fitness. Really fit guys are absolutely spent after 3x2's in charity bouts.

Stevieb8006 wrote:

mickey1975 wrote:Without the people Sklar mentioned, absolutely nowhere. Will be knocked f uck out of by novice amateurs whilst trying to land his big right.

Exactly this.
And while the likes of Bugaloni may not be world championship material, he is certainly would be in the British title mix at least. Putting your pal in with him, and with Bugaloni having a good look, taking he time, I would expect him to last 20 seconds including the full count.

Stuarty30 wrote:

CaptainSpacerod wrote:

ginty wrote:Look how crap Freddie flintoff was and he's an international sportsman.

But probably less fit than your average gym rat

And a big, stiff, hopeless fucktard! I'd have honestly given my fat mate a shot of sparking him with little or no training! I still can't believe that actually happened!

Pure fix. Horrible to watch.

Coco wrote:

Stevieb8006 wrote:

mickey1975 wrote:Without the people Sklar mentioned, absolutely nowhere. Will be knocked f uck out of by novice amateurs whilst trying to land his big right.

Exactly this.
And while the likes of Bugaloni may not be world championship material, he is certainly would be in the British title mix at least. Putting your pal in with him, and with Bugaloni having a good look, taking he time, I would expect him to last 20 seconds including the full count.

Buglioni was an England international!

having a hard punch is ok but you need technique and good footwork/balance to realistically achieve anything in the sport, and those things arent picked up overnight.

Come on, anyone who has ever even heard of Boxrec should know there is so much more to becoming a complete novice boxer than being able to throw a hard punch.

Nowhere

You only have to look at how real life hardnuts and street fighters like Cliff Fields. He KO'd Lenny McClean in unlicenced boxing but ended up with a pro record of 11 wins, 4 losses (all by KO) and all against nobodies.

Didn't a street fighter take on Danny Williams a couple of years back and get knocked out too? Baring in mind Williams has been completely shot for years.