Freak Genetics

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Shahpoor Saiq, Sep 20, 2021.

  1. Shahpoor Saiq

    Shahpoor Saiq Member Full Member

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  2. Conteh'sLeft

    Conteh'sLeft Active Member Full Member

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    Pacquiao's legs were something else, that buzzsaw never stopped once before 2012 when the power of the pee finally prevailed.
     
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  3. Rakesh

    Rakesh Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Ken Norton was gifted with those absolute Hercules abs and torso.
     
  4. Dance84

    Dance84 Unicorn and seastar land Full Member

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    Sonny Liston
     
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  5. SwarmingSlugger

    SwarmingSlugger Active Member Full Member

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    Hearns, Saddler, Fitzsimmons and Arguello were def freaks.
     
  6. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    Ali and Foreman were both freaks in their own way. SRR as well. To be able to do some of the things they could was pretty special.
     
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  7. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Roy Jones Jr.

    The man could probably close his eyes, trust the force and pluck the wings off flies as they buzzed by.

    His reflexes were from another planet.

    The best of physiques have six-pack abs: Roy had an eight-pack.
     
  8. cross_trainer

    cross_trainer Liston was good, but no "Tire Iron" Jones Full Member

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    How would you even know, for the most part? Most contenders probably have genetic gifts, but they're also the product of training.

    When you get to the level of elite boxers, most of them are already (probably) going to be born athletes from the get-go. You're trying to distinguish the genetically gifted from the super-genetically-gifted in a sport where many athletes keep their training relatively private.

    Tyson is abnormal, yes. But young Cleveland Williams was also knocking adults out. (Actually looked a bit like Tyson, come to think of it.) Jimmy Wilde was allegedly beating up adults in a boxing booth as a kid, and he was tiny even as an adult. Etc.

    The only guys I can immediately think of with verifiable genetic gifts/abnormalities would be Carnera and Valuev.

    Hank Armstrong allegedly had an abnormally slow heart beat even by athletic standards, but he might just have been a *merely* gifted athlete who worked out like the Dickens.
     
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  9. Eddie Ezzard

    Eddie Ezzard Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I noted that in another thread on lookalikes. Compare this to the photo the original poster added. There's another shot of Cleve smiling, showing a gold tooth. Even details like that, and the little parting cut into his hair. Uncanny resemblance, like Haugen and Greb.

    https://photos.com/featured/cleveland-williams-the-stanley-weston-archive.html
     
  10. cross_trainer

    cross_trainer Liston was good, but no "Tire Iron" Jones Full Member

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    Or Dempsey and German Dempsey.
     
  11. Eddie Ezzard

    Eddie Ezzard Boxing Addict Full Member

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    But I think my answer would be Liston. How the hell could a child grow up in that environment, one of 25 with not much food for more than a few, and yet have that upper body? It was like a barrel of muscle. He can't have had a full meal until he was in St Louis in his mid teens, surely.
     
  12. cross_trainer

    cross_trainer Liston was good, but no "Tire Iron" Jones Full Member

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    I mean, the gibbon arms are just weird. His wingspan was like one of those party horns that just keeps unrolling.
     
  13. Bulldog24

    Bulldog24 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Nigel Benn’s natural punching leverages
     
  14. The Fighting Yoda

    The Fighting Yoda Active Member Full Member

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    Mike "Hercules" Weaver was very muscular. Maybe he used PEDs (especially in his later fights) but I think he was naturally gifted too.

    Nicolino Locche (El Intocable) was a smoker and I heard he did not train as much either. His punches were rather soft but his natural reflexes were out of this world.
     
  15. robert ungurean

    robert ungurean Богдан Philadelphia Full Member

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    Saad Gatti Chuvalo and Cobbs ability to absorb punishment and keep on fighting on 8 cylinders not to mention Battling Nelson and Ade Wolgast
     
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