Least Intelligent Fighters?

Did I not say he depended on a degree of physical attributes?

 

Trinidad and Jeff Lacy.


Some strange theories in this thread. Foreman seemed unintelligent and one dimensional in his younger years, but he redeemed himself in the moore fight.

Hearns, and Lamotta I wouldnt call intelligent but definitely not dumb. And to whoever said Eubanks, thats a joke right.

 

Ali was a man of extremes. Excellent athletic intelligence, but he scored a whopping 78 on his IQ test. "I am the greatest -not the smartest."

 

I wouldn't call Hearns that either, to do so would create issues with those that have hearing problems. What I am comfortable with stating, regarding Hearns, is that he, at best, is very limited regarding pure mental ability. The guy was able to box through physical ability..... Forget turning him into anything more than that.

 

I'll just say I bet all of the fighters listed have a much higher IQ in the ring than all the 99.9% pompous posters commenting on it!.... Geez. What a disrespectful thread.

 

what else could you turn him into to? He was an extremely athletic, hard hitting, quick boxer with a glass chin. Sure he didnt adapt well in his later years but neither did Jone Jr. either. Is he limited too?

 

In terms of in-ring savvy....Eric Crumble.

 

He held a title, though!

 

How?

An amateur one?

 

Ali is proof that IQ tests can often be overrated. I saw his interviews by some English talk show dude in the 70's and Ali came across as a very intelligent, sometimes brilliant individual. Not that I agree with all his exploits, but his psychological warfare was also the work of a pretty sharp man.

Tyson is also an intelligent man. I believe it was the late Dick Schapp who said Tyson was not just one of the brightest boxers, but one of the brightest athletes that he'd ever met.

More important than IQ is the Wisdom Quotient. I have a sibling who's IQ is way up there, but when it comes to common sense, man it is just lacking.

 

If your talking about education levels and IQ's, I'd say some of our champs forever qualify. I don't think Foreman, Frazier, or Holmes finished school. Holmes dropped/got kicked out mid-way through 7th grade. I think Foreman made it to 9th. Frazier I think made it around there as well. But as we well know, Foreman and Holmes both have a ton of common sence and are finacial wizards.

If we are talking ring smarts, then prime Foreman was pretty dumb. Tyson always did the same thing and couldn't switch up his style, he could only do what he trained months for. Ali did dumb things as well, but he only did them with guys he could pull some stuff and get away with it. From what Ive seen LaMotta and Pryor refused to change up, but Ive seen only limited footage of both.

 

I gotta believe Dick Schapp was way off base on this one.

 

He was gifted with some boxing skill.

If you want me to say Hearns is a person of immense intelligence, that isn't gonna happen. He did OK with the physical stuff he was given, nothing more.

I don't insult those that have a real gift of intelligence! If it makes you feel better, I've never noted any boxer, with an exception or two, that was in the top 5 of intelligence.