Speed, strength, these aren't the things you need!

They just help. There are several skills and attributes a boxer needs to develop if he or she wishes to be any good, and speed and strength are nearly last on the list.
Without getting bogged down with the almost mythical categories of 'heart' and 'chin', I'll talk briefly about some very valid and applicable traits that natural talents should surely want to know about.

Distance - if you can control distance, you can control your opponent, and it really is as simple as that. This is ties in with footwork, and I'm not necessarily referring to dancing or running. Subtle shifts of your own bodyweight while your feet remain steady may be all that it takes to slip into optimal punching range.

Angles - which are, of course, related to distance. The next step up in class. A lot of Cuban amateurs are great at snaking round an opponent quickly, leaving their opponent tied up at the feet and vulnerable.

I'm on a ****ing Playstation and it's ****! More to follow.

 

Timing - knowing when to punch really is the difference between exhausting yourself through missed shots and being able to counter effectively, or even intercept. If you've got timing and later you develop speed, you'll be Roy Jones.

Pacing - a given bonus to all who master the aforementioned. With skill in each area comes economy of movement and ultimately, plain professionalism in the ring. Never fight so hard that you leave yourself with nothing because nothing gets you nowhere; you fight in a way that leaves you with more than the other fighter. Don't use it.

These are fairly scientific aspects of boxing, but you don't have to be scientific. Spar often, and shadow box with intention. It's about visualisation. It'll become natural.

And by all means expand. Feint the **** out of somebody, throw unusual combinations, invent your own methods. Man has nearly perfected this art so don't ignore the textbook, but remember there's room for innovation.

Disclaimer: I'm not a trainer so don't take my word for it.

 

I clearly stated that they do help. I'm just an advocate of the more overlooked traits.

I'll concede it's a strange post, but I'm typing using a game controller and it takes ****ing ages. There's more I wanted to say.

 

Of course. When I have a real computer I'll go into depth in all what I believe and hopefully others can take something from it.

You touched on another point which is the importance of versatility and dynamism inside the ring. A variety of punches is only part of it; there are myriad ways of defending, too, and a thousand tricks to conserve energy, open opportunities and control the fight.

 

I'm all for rhythmic fighting, micro movements and grooving round the ring. With the right understanding, you can become unreadable.