When there is debate about a fighter's toughness/durability. His ability to take punishment and hard shots critics often single out a boxer's chin as the sole determining factor. A fighter either has granite chin or a glass jaw. I feel that body toughness (the ability to withstand punches to the body) should be taken into account as we. For example, we often hear that Roy Jones wasn't that durable and had a glass chin because he was knocked out several times as a Light Heavy. However, we never consider the fact that he took body punches well. I have never seen him knocked out or knocked down by a body shot. I've seen him hurt though just like every other fighter that ever laced them up. In my opinion there are several fighters today who are able to take body shots extremely well, primarily due to the rigorous training exercises they undergo to prepare for fights. Your thoughts.
Yeah body conditioning contributes to overall toughness. Look at Castillo and Tapia, both granite jawed, yet stopped by body shots.
Holyfield absorbed a punch to the jaw a lot better than he did to the body. But his sheer courage and competitive allowed him to come back from body blows most of the time. He certainly wasn't as 'rugged' in the ribs as he was in the jaw though
very very important. its underated but its not like reflexes/reactions the most important thing in boxing.
Your right. People are too hung up on tough guys, the ones to admire are the ones that dont get hit. Totally contradiction what I said....you still gunna uploading those Stan Ketchel pictures? (a tough guy with no defense, lol)
Yes, it's another reason of why Ali is in his world. Can others imagine the body shots Holmes, Lewis, and others would have to take from Frazier the way Ali had in Manilla and in Zaire if they had to? I can't...
Ali took it to the body amazingly well. The only time I ever saw him really hurt there was FOTC in the 11th round but he was hit flush on the chin before that so it could have contributed to the effect. Jones is another good shout and Mayweather really got his ribs worked over by Cotto and seemed to cope OK but saying that he did seem to slow up mid rounds before rallying again late.
Tony Galento had a granite chin and zero defence which all attributed to his legendary toughness but the only time I ever saw him take a backward step from a punch was when Max Baer landed a right flush in his gut. Didn't go down nor did it look like he was about to so how they react to getting hit and what they once they are also attributes to how tough we perceive them to be. Ali was def. hurt by some body shots by Frazier but he never gave anything away.
Sounds good so far. Just want to throw some fighter names out there and see how everyone would rate their body toughness out of 10 when they were in their prime. Oscar Dela Hoya Tito Trinidad Roy Jones Joe Cagalzhe Floyd Mayweather Pernell Whitaker Manny Pacquaio Naseem Hamed Mike Tyson Lennox Lewis Ray Leonard Thomas Hearns
He may have hurt him but ali as always was a warrior and didnt show it. Another attribute that makes him the greatest
People overlook the fact that fighters are defensively good to bodyshots. I think Jones Jr was one of those guys who never really left his body open to get hit in the right spot. You see Mayweather Jr doing that a lot now. He can position himself on the inside so his opponent is banging his belt and not taking direct shots to the liver.
