Are fighters born with a fight IQ or can they be taught to be clever in the ring?

the guy I always think about when I think of a fighter who wasn't a "natural" fighter is Michael Grant. it seemed that when he got hit he didn't react right. As long as things were going right, he was fine, but when taken out of his game he didn't adjust well. Maybe because he was a big, strong, athletic guy, he didn't have to fight much growing up?

On the other hand, I'm a believer in the fighters who as greynotsoold said were "immersed" in the sport from an early age. Guys like Chris Byrd, Tyson Fury, RJJ, FMJ, Lomachenko, the Russells, Shakur Stevenson, etc. the ones who had relatives who boxed or trained and who were in the gym as at least spectators when they were young. Those types seem to have an understanding of boxing that almost none of the others will ever achieve.

 

I was 13 when I first started putting the gloves on with friends. Some allegedly had experience but I could always figure them out time then and land clean punches. I would just throw a jab and see what they would do and counter that. I would swarm and overwhelm some. Then I realized o had some natural talent. I started wrestling in high school instead of boxing because it was more accessible and cheaper. Later I practiced boxing and would be able to hold my own against dude that had been training for years. I hated the fact that everybody would tell me I would have been a world champion if I started early. I was already 23 by this time and was more into mma. I notice my 16 year old has less physical attributes that my 17 year old but he is a much better boxer and seems to just figure it out. He is slower less strong but sees everything. There is things you just can’t teach

 

Exactly. Fighters can be taught from an early age to have high IQ but that doesn’t mean all styles will suit them. High IQ, different styles.

 

If that was true we would have thousands of Mayweathers.

 

This is like asking can anyone become an astronaut. Yes, and no