Rank these attributes in order of their importance to greatness

Generally speaking, how would you rank these traits in terms of their importance to boxers' chances of achieving greatness?

-punching power
-handspeed
-mobility/footwork
-punching precision and accuracy
-durability and chin
-defensive abilities (reflexes and technique)
-mental toughness/heart
-professionalism and consistency
-Ring IQ and the ability to adapt on the fly
-luck/chance

 

Not sure this can truly be done but....

8 -punching power
7 -handspeed
3- mobility/footwork
4 -punching precision and accuracy
5 -durability and chin
2 -defensive abilities (reflexes and technique)
6 -mental toughness
9 -professionalism and consistency
1 -Ring IQ and the ability to adapt on the fly
N/A -luck/chance

 

Good answers. Thanks for taking a crack at this!

 

To be truly great? It depends on the fighter, but I'll try and sort them.

1. mental toughness
2. Ring IQ and the ability to adapt on the fly
3.durability and chin
4.mobility/footwork
5.punching precision and accuracy
6.defensive abilities (reflexes and technique)
7.punching power
8.handspeed
9.professionalism and consistency
10. luck/chance

Note that I'm think from purely a H2H viewpoint. If resume and era was considered, luck /chance and consistency would be much higher, as luck influences the opponents you may meet, and consistency is more obvious through retrospect, which is why you cannot judge a fighter till his career is over. I assume you judge both mostly equally?

Some fighters were absolutely great without some of these things on the list, mainly power. However, no fighter was great without mental strength.

 

Also, great thread. Very interesting to think about in an otherwise individualistic sport.

 

I'm slightly confused on why defense abilities has (reflexes and technique) next to it... but there is no place for offensive technique or reflexes which seems as important. I get there are offensive categories like Handspeed, Punching power, Punching precision... still though I think technical prowess/reflexes, offensively, are just as important if not more so than those listed.

 

1. Heart (I know it's not there but it's required)
2. Mental Toughness
3. Durability and Chin
4. Footwork
5. Hand speed
6. Defence
7. Punch accuracy
8. Punch Power
9. Professionalism

I replaced Luck with Heart as it's neither are really a skilled but one is a must and the other is well luck

 

Good point. I thought about using offensive skills and technique but I ended up punting on that because there’s so little consensus about what that even means (some posters seem to think that even the crudest heavyweight champions had excellent offensive technique).

 

I guess I see heart as overlapping with mental toughness. Both seem to revolve around how people perform while dealing with pressure and adversity.

 

Yeah Fair enough, I always linked heart as an in ring quality, like can you get up after Tyson's just knocked you down, and always linked Metal Toughness as an out of ring quality, like being scared if him

 

Fair enough. Though we should all KNOW what the hell technical ability means, when people aren't being disingenuous that is.

 

1. Ring IQ and the ability to adapt on the fly
   
2. professionalism and consistency
3. mental toughness
4. punching precision and accuracy
5. durability and chin

I think these can be workable in any combination, as long as there's enough overal.
punching power
handspeed
mobility/footwork
defensive abilities (reflexes and technique)

And lastly
luck/chance

 

Durability and chin
Mental toughness
Ring iq (and a good corner)
Power
Accuracy
Foot work
Speed
Defense
Professionalism
Luck (which to me isn’t even a factor these guys work hard for results or done and have not so good results)

 

First attribute in hindsight of greatness or H2H lvl:

1) class.
2) "Because he was on another level."

Ohhhhhhhmmmmmmmm

 

Dedication and conditioning should be an entry as well.

Find me a great fighter who didn’t have those attributes ... and that edge in conditioning (which comes from dedication) has many a time made the difference in a close fight — either finishing rounds stronger or finishing the fight stronger.