Tougher or more durable. What are they? I've heard that some... weird solution used to be used to toughen the skin on a fighters face. Things like that. I just see these guys punching each other dozens if not hundreds of times over the course of a fight and sometimes being, on the surface, none the worse for wear. It's almost supernatural, and I seem to hold most fighters on a level elevated above typical folk due to their ability to perform above and beyond what most are capable of, by leaps and bounds. Thoughts?
Dempsey used a brine solution on his face in hopes of toughening up the skin. There's no evidence that it works. I think some fighters, like Muhammad Ali, are blessed with skin that resists damage and swelling, and others just have fragile skin. I recall a heavyweight fight within the past few years in which a single jab caused the opponent's face to practically burst open. It was horrifying. The guy who threw the punch was so startled he stepped back and gestured frantically at the ref to stop the fight. The other guy didn't even realize how badly he'd been cut. Chopping wood and similar exercises have long been used to strengthen the back. Muhammad Ali wore boots for roadwork and often jogged backward to maintain his phenomenal footwork. I've seen many boxers use some ergonomically damaging exercises to strengthen their necks and backs. It may help while they're boxing, but they probably pay for it in later years with chronic pain.
Ugggggggh.... Any idea what fight that was? I'd love to see it. And yeah... Ali had a very rounded face. The exact opposite of, say, Gatti.