Punchers are made or born ?

A naturally average puncher can be turned into a good puncher with great training and technique practice + coaching.

A naturally good puncher can be turned into a very puncher with great training and technique practice + coaching.

However, great punchers are born. You can't teach someone to throw 5-6 punch power combinations like Louis or Tyson just with great training.

However, when with great punchers like Tyson and Louis, there is a small but noteciable improvement as a result of training, muscle memory, coaching and practice.

Take someone like Evander Holyfield for example. He is an example of a naturally above average puncher who became a good puncher. However, no amount of training, coaching and practice was going to give him a right hand as powerful as Tyson. Of course, he more than made up for it in other ways, but still.

As far as Hearns is concerned, he was appearently punching with his hands open in the amateurs. He might have been reluctant to throw full power punches out of concern for counters etc. Hearns was not a featherfirst; even as an amateur, he just wasn't putting his bodyweight into his punches. Once his technique was fixed, his natural power manifested itself. Hearns is 1 in a million in terms of genetic gifts.

You cannot teach anyone to punch like Hearns, Foster or Tyson unless they have a genetic gift.

However, you can teach a lot of fighters to punch like Holyfield, Usyk, Mayweather Jr, Toney etc. Good but not great power. And good power combined with great skills is a recepie for success.

 

I think almost anybody can punch hard if,
(1) they are willing to sit down (commit) on punches and are willing to get hit hard in return, and
(2) have the right technique for punching hard. The technique for punching hard IMO is shifting the weight (pivot the foot, turn the hips, torso), and punching as close as possible across the front foot. People who instinctively shift their weight and punch across the front foot are probably the "natural" punchers. I think anybody can be taught how to punch hard, but some/most don't want to set themselves and punch hard because while committing to their punch they are open to getting hit back hard.

 

Not really people forget he wasnt an adult when he was boxing in the unpaid ranks and at that time scoring points was what it was all about.
If you spar someone when say they are 16 years old and then comeback and spar them when they are 21 I promise you they are going to be alot stronger and hit alot harder.

 

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Made.
Every single one of the 'natural', 'born' punchers mentioned have the same thing in common; hundreds upon hundreds of hours of practice under the supervision of somebody that knew what he was trying to teach and knew how to do it.
You can't teach somebody to throw combinations like Tyson? Cus did. Read or listen to what Tyson says about all the hours of repetition and instruction. You can't teach somebody to do what Louis did? Jack Blackburn did.

 

Technique can make a difference but some ppl come out the womb able to crack. Just depends on the boxer but ofc that doesn't apply to all as some can't put a dent in a pillow lol.

 

A boxer who is too light may gain those qualities when getting more muscular, but generally yes-except chin should also increase, although not proportionate to strength.

 

Born and shaped.

Torque, leverage, and increase in speed develops punching power, but there is a reason the blessed by the gods of war saying still goes around in boxing. Some physical characteristics which predispose a monstrous puncher are just genetic (bones, hip to shoulders ratio etc.)

 

Great analysis.

 

It’s like any other athletic skill. You can teach anyone to punch a lot harder with correct technique, but no matter how good their technique and how much they practice, the vast majority will never be known as elite punchers.

 

“Punchers are born then made” @scrap

I gotta agree with him. The humour might be that all people born are punchers lol.

 

It’s like you’ve said actually “boxing is lots of little simple movements” forgive me if I’m paraphrasing or misinterpreting.

 

"There is no such thing as a natural puncher. There is a natural aptitude for punching and that is different. Nobody is born the best. You have to practice and train to become the best.” - Cus

 

Hearns was an arm puncher in the amateurs. This was fine under such conditions. When he turned pro Steward taught him leverage, proper technique and how to lock his elbow and fist out and other Kronk power tricks. He was also given a few easy fights early to gain confidence, power wise.

 

Hearns is a shining example of latent ability that was developed by an astute trainer.