One of the Chin theories has been gaining popularity on ESB. Endorsed by Zak.

Gradual, no question. The Rahman case is much for typical than the Jones case, for example.

 

Sooner or later your whole body starts to break down no matter how tough you are. Look at running backs in the NFL. They're usually done by around thirty. Other football players at other positions have much longer and more effective careers. Your body takes wear and tear, and as you get older it becomes harder to recover from. So why would your chin be any different?

 

Again, basic physiological decline in humans is a reason for believing in this theory!!! atsch

 

I think punch resistance has so many facets its impossible to discuss it while only taking one or two factors into account.

We'd have to take into account how punishing a persons career was, quality of opponent, how hard/well both parties had trained, history of the person in question, compare nutrition and fitness between eras/trainers/countries etc, take into account fighters personal lives/mental state etc. And many, many more.

 

Well, it makes sense that punch resistance might be linked to such variables as the strength of neck muscles, or the ability to recover from blunt force trauma, doesn't it?

I'm not passing myself off as a physiologist, I'm a social scientist - but this does make sense.

 

A lot of it has to do with conditioning. Peak conditioning in an athlete usually is in his 20's and early 30's. A 38-44 year old man just isn't going to be as conditioned, much less as motivated most often. Hence, the chin confusion. As Ali said "If you're conditioned you can take a good punch easier."

 

Every fighter is different. There is no exact science to this. Circumstances I think factor into this. Bhops has been dropped, but never ko'd. Other than the Rumble in the Jungle, Foreman also never ko'd especially late in his career.

I have tried to also come with a conclusion with this subject, but for every case in favor their is one against it. Many fighters in the twilight of their careers on occasion can lose to a journeyman by ko, but then there are many that don't, and stay on their feet. So it pretty much varies and nothing is set in stone.

 

It's conditioning as well as age, and of course the reflexes slow making it harder to ride out a hard shot or even see it coming.

But, yes, over-the-hill fighters have weaker chins than they did in their primes.