What plays the biggest role in a fighter’s career longevity?

Avoiding punishment.

 

It's one of those where it has to be a good combination of what you posted, It can't just be one.

Style, Age Started, Genetics, Lifestyle a big one, training is another huge one. How much punishment you receive throughout your career.

Many things.

 

Punishment and genetics. Nothing else.

 

I would think a big factor would be year round conditioning. That is why someone like Vitali is still as dominant as he is at almost 40.

When you balloon up, then slim down, then back up, it must start to diminish your body's ability to keep reaching its peak.

 

It is all of the above which longevity is about, and will to win. The great fighters have a certain perseverance. They can have a knockout loss and comeback and get to the point they were when they had that first loss.

 

The Klitchko's have it easier than most fighters. They are bigger than the guys they fight, so they have the advantage always and do not take much punishment. If they were the size of the guys they fought it would be rough for them.

 

Lifestyle and health


Most fighters have poor diets and do not live peaceful existences. Women, entourages, reckless spending, getting in and out of shape


Classic era fighters, aside from fighting more often, were also in the gym much more, likely ate much healthier (Im generalizing but recognize there were no fast foods joints, and much less recreational drugs in the 50s and 60s) and had to fight as a FULL TIME job, necessitating they live a more spartan existence. Even the big name guys

 

punishment taken should go under fighting style cuz if your fighting style is to avoid punches then that is a factor to but lifestyle and physical condition in between fights is a ahuge factor too

 

Sugar Ray Robinson was no Pernell Whitaker but he managed to fight for a long time

 

A-side meth:deal

(and motivation)

 

:good
Defense and being carefully matched.

 

Obviously, a guy needs a bit of everything listed. But it seems to me that the guys who keep themselves in the gym and don't put their bodies through crash course training camps and weight cutting seem to do better long term.

Whether it is all physical or the result of more gym time adding up to more time to work on your game is debatable, but I'll take a disciplined gym rat over a naturally athletic fighter who doesn't stay in shape.

 

Lifestyle and punishment.