The 100 man kumite is originally a tradition from Kyokushin Karate. In it, a top karate competitor takes on 100 opponents in a row, for 100 2-minute rounds. The opponents vary in quality from okay amateurs to very good fighters. The guy doing the 100 man kumite must win at least half the matches. So... Which professional fighters could complete 100 2-minute BOXING rounds (winning 50% or more of them) against Golden Gloves level boxing competitors from their weight class and below?
I'm not talking about matching him up against the Kyokushin guys (who are tough as nails, by the way). I'm talking about Foreman (or whoever) vs. 100 consecutive amateur boxers, one round apiece. Given that Foreman was tired after 5 in Toronto...
Somebody like Joe Louis would work well here -- a fighter with lots of stamina, a patient style, skill, and hitting power.
Isn't the style Chuck Liddell first learnt? I must admt I was very surprised when I read he had a Karate background, he just didn't seem 'the type' but now that I think about it he was considered a counter-puncher right? Would it be fair to say that the philosophy of Karate is about doing the most damage possible whilst throwing the least number of strikes, which would almost always mean a counter? What style of Karate have the most realistic (ie least rules) competition? As for the question, definitely someone who is a patient and precise counter-puncher, I'd nominate Floyd Jr, assuming of course his opponents are relative to his weight class.
He trained in "Hawaiian Kempo", or Kajukenbo, which is a very early (1940s/50s) attempt at a mixed martial art. It's based on Kempo karate, which itself incorporates elements of Chinese martial arts and boxing. The art's founders added Judo, a style of Kung Fu, a traditional jujitsu style, Western boxing, and a mishmash of other stuff. You can find a Fight Quest episode about it online that gives a good flavor. In the modern era, some styles of karate have created MMA competitions in all but name. Daido Juku, for instance. As far as "fewest rules" goes, there's a style of karate in Russia that permits everything. Including eye gouges. Pretty good choice. One problem I foresee is his lack of one punch power, which would mean that he has to fight the full three minutes of every round, and can't keep people off of him very easily.
me....clearly.....i'm surprised no one has even mentioned it. i guess sometimes, the answer is so obvious, people fail to see it... I forgive you guys.
Has to be someone with a patient style who hits really hard and has lots of stamina, people naming Calzaghe who throws 100 punches a round are deluded.
After some more consideration, I might be tempted to pick Monzon. He always had good stamina, power, and a very economical style. His durability would also put him in a better situation than Hearns, since getting KO'd multiple times over 100 fights is a recipe for failing this test. Best of all, Monzon outsizes most fighters in his weight class, so he doesn't have to work to get inside. He can sit back and outpoint anybody he doesn't KO. Welterweight Ray Robinson is another good choice if he remembers to slow down and take it easy. He's got the same durability, stamina, power, skill, and size combination to sit back and KO/outpoint people without putting himself at risk. Archie Moore as well. He doesn't have the height, but he's got the really long arms, a patient style, stamina, and hitting power.