This is a good list...except you don't have RJJ on it who happens to be the most athletically gifted fighter ever IMO
I was going to say Mundine and also Curtis Woodhouse. Both have been professionals in other sports that require completely different attributes. I'm sure there's more about that have crossed over too.
I agree that Wlad panics a lot, and it seems to affect his stamina or perhaps he just has bad stamina; however, for a big guy, he's a good athlete. I think his brother is a good athlete too. His brother I'd say is a more natural athlete, if not as fast.
Surprised no one has mentioned Anthony Mundine. To reach the top in a sport like Rugby League is a major achievement but to do then do it in another sport that is completely different like Boxing is just phenomenal and must go down as one of the greatest athletic achievements of the last 30 years. Also consider that he nearly become a World Champion within 18 months of turning Pro of a sport he had very little amateur background in, that's just pure athleticism right there.
If anyone is having any difficulty with defining what athleticism is, just think, RJJ is top. The speed, reflexes, strength mixed in with movement. Wlad doesn't come in to the picture because he just isn't agile enough, no matter how good of a mover you think he is for a big man. The athletic fighters are the ones who you would think would fair well in other sports, including track and field, therefore we can't forget the man who changed the rules himself, the late, great Ken Norton. Another example being Sergio Martinez, was on his way to become a professional footballer only to be hampered by an injury. Laced gloves at 20?! And due to his supreme athleticism got to as high as P4P no.3. Question out of curiosity, which boxer would be the fastest in a 100metre sprint?
spot on there, Anthony mundine is an awesome athlete, a very good fighter, he would be great if he started boxing at a younger age :good
I think it's agreed Anthony Mundine is the best all round Athlete in boxing. Had he stayed in Rugby he could well have been part of the Aussie national squad and in boxing he was a World Champion and at his best a Top 5 Super Middleweight. RJJ is a close 2nd place, he was the Boxer of the 90's and he was also a pretty decent Semi-Pro Basketball player.
Nothing extraordinary about, SRR He was a big well conditioned excellent Welter who beat the tar and pasta out of poorly conditioned toughe guys He did everything by the book, like many exciting boxers do...He was ahead of his time physically possibly due to genetic advantages and luck...but not as we see it in RJJ Roy Jones Jr is exceptional... Fairly he was robbed of his Gold Medal...because he had an unfair genetic advantage