The often neglected and under-appreciated attribute of power

Power is awesome. Power is special and power is a part of boxing plain and simple. A boxer's power can be his greatest strength or his greatest weakness. Great power can make a mediocre boxer borderline great and lack of power can make a great boxer just a weak champion of perpetual contender.

Power is what made the great Duran and Frazier succumb in just two rounds. Power is what made Julian Jackson one of the greatest 154 pounders of all time. Power is what made Manny Pacquiao one of the greatest weight climbers in history and the fighter of the decade.

Power is an eraser, a respect gainer, an entertainer. It's a lot of things. Is it the most important thing in boxing? Probably not, but boxing demands more from it's athletes than any other sport. Power, speed, stamina, skill, toughness, heart, etc. It all matters, any deficiency in either of those areas can prevent any fighter from reaching greatness.

Power commands such fear and respect that there are fans and probably fighters who wish to essentially legislate (lack of better word) the attribute away. They wish to go to amateur style boxing where power is of less importance. A place where hit and don't be hit is of singular value with no emphasis on hurt and don't be hurt.

They wish to give a handicap to those not blessed with power. Because they fear it's utility. Yet these same hypocrites do not want to give for example, a low stamina fighter a handicap. There are no calls for a maximum punches allowed to be thrown per round for example just so guys with poor workrates can better compete.

The only handicap given in boxing is size. Yet there seem to be many who want to handicap power. It's not the way it's supposed to be.

 

I agree that if you cannot apply the power it means less.

But like I said in the OP boxing demands the most from it's athletes. Speed and skill are important just like boxing. Everything matters in boxing, any deficiency in any areas of your game matters. Including power.

 

Tell Monzon and Arguello that you need speed.

You don't really NEED anything in boxing except for a halfway decent chin.

All I said was that power is a very important attribute that is overlooked. And that people are trying to take away power from pro boxing because they fear it's utility.

 

I get what you're saying, but Monzon and Arguello were still slow.

Of course speed helps, everything helps.

But you don't really NEED anything except for a decent chin IMO.