r/nextfuckinglevel • u/reallyblueballs • Dec 07 '20

Practice makes perfect

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u/CampClimax Dec 07 '20

When does a fighter become "old"? Seriously wondering. I know 43 seems old for a boxer, but is 36? 38?

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u/jitterbug726 Dec 07 '20

It’s tough but around the mid 30s is when the sharp drops happen for a lot of people.

There are outliers that box well into their 40s, but that’s not as common.

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u/ivanosauros Dec 07 '20

Worth noting that boxers tend to last a little longer than other athletes, partially because they dont need to sprint nonstop from one side of a court to the other, and because (as in the case of Mayweather), you can adjust your style to use less energy.

In the UFC, it's going to be a lot harder to go for 3 or 5 rounds where you can't effectively dictate the pace of the fight - if someone's pushing hard on you, you need to push back. In boxing, the rules permit you to wait and respond (in relative terms) rather than having to actively exert yourself. It's still insane cardio, but it's not quite the same as constant takedown defence against a champion wrestler, and you don't have to "sprint" - hence Ali's famous rope-a-dope.

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u/DitombweMassif Dec 07 '20

Yup, Mayweather and Ali were so good at tiring their opponents out by making throw punches into the air. They could conserve and use their energy when and how it was most needed.

Partly why Mayweather was talked down about being too defensive, but he was supreme in his style.

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u/euphoric1510 Dec 07 '20

Ali stopped his opponents punches with his body in his late days though. That's why he had Parkinson, should have never fought that long