Boxing is __% Physical & __% Mental: Whats More Important?

the two are intertwined.

i'll give you an example of what it's like to train for a fight and, for me at least, why it's impossible to see the physical and mental side of boxing as seperate entities.

when you're training for a fight you eventually (after a couple of weeks for me of intense training) live it and it becomes more of a spiritual search almost.

by that i mean you're sharpening and improving your physical and mental capabilities, but as a whole you're defining and redefining your boundaries - and for me at least i found it impossible not to become fanatical about eating right, doing my exercises right - everything. it became a routine with the sole purpose of feeling absolutely brilliant for the final 2 hours of the day when you could just soak up all the hard work and be satisfied with what you'd done.

i remember oscar's missus in the 24-7 documentary saying that oscar changes when he's in training and he shuts things out during it.

this is exactly what happened to me each time too. i just shutdown on social life and had no interest at all in seeing my best mate. at the time he thought i was dissing him but he knows different now.

the whole thing becomes a lifestyle and it genuinely changes who you are while you're training.
if i was given a day off training (this is again after a couple of weeks at least of really intense training) then i couldn't just relax and do nothing. when you live it day by day to the point when you feel like a machine (because that's really what you're doing anyway, conditioning your mind and body to be stronger in every sense).

i still rolled out of bed (literally, first thing i did when i woke up) and dropped for sets of pushups and situps, threw on my shoes and went for a run. in the afternoon i'd do a light workout again before taking another run.

it's exactly like a deck of cards in that the more your body is primed and sharp to train the more energy you generate to the point that you feel unbeatable. in the end you want to push your body to do more out of celebration (i know that might sound cheesy but it's absolutely true), because there becomes a point where it doesn't feel like work anymore - it's a drug and you have to have it.

the trainer's job initially, say when you aren't fit or in shape, is to keep you focused and keep you disciplined and stop you from pushing too hard sometimes.

when you feel carved out of wood - because you're ripped and you ARE carved out of wood - his job is simply to stop you from doing too much and peaking too soon.

this is the best way i can think to answer this thread because, for me, it's just self-discovery and the physical and mental side of training for a fight are part and parcel of that.

 

audely harrison has 95% pysichal and 5% mental = Fraudley and bum

Alfonso gomes had 20% pysichal and 80% mental = people say what a warrior


you get my point. its has to be a balance. you can have all the tools in the world buh if you dont have the mind set you cant get anything done

 

boxing is 100% Physical and
100% mental

 

There is no what's more important. BOth are important and fighters need to have a balance of both.

 

Both are important. It is assumed a fighter will be in great shape. Mental toughness has everything to do with boxing.

 

To put it simply, you can be in the shape of your life and be 100% mentally switched on but when you get tagged you get tagged, if your physical conditioning is high you might weather the storm, I think that mentally fighters break down simply because most go through their careers not really getting hit hard in the right places but as soon as these fighters step into that world of pain and hurt they soon find out that even if your physically and mentally tuned 100% it boils down to how much heart, will and determination you got. Cotto vs Margarito prime example. High pain threshold is something a lot of fighters dont have. Audley Harrison to afraid to take a punch but then who can blame him if he is in the Heavyweight Division. You either put it all on the line or you dont, mentally & physically.

 

Yup.

 

People who say its 90% mental and crap like that are talking bollocks.
If it was Holyfield and Gatti would still be world champs.

Mental strength can be an important,even crucial,factor when the fighters are very evenly matched.

 

I personally think the key is to have your body at it's maximum capacity to be able to execute whatever the mind needs it to do. So basically I think they're both equally important because without one another you practically have nothing. The body alone will only get you so far, and if your body is unable to execute what your mind needs it too you will also fall short.

 

that's very well put

 

Physicality and mentality go hand in hand, if you have the correct mentality, that will get you through training and tough times in the ring. If you are physically the best you can be, that gives you an edge mentally as you know that you are prepared for anything.
You cannot have one without the other and you need the right balance to be successful.

 

I'd say its around 80 to 90% mental because even perfect technique is pretty much useless without the right tactics.

 

that's exactly right.