I know if a person started boxing at the age of 20 he could easily contend, win titles, and make good money. If you start at that age, can you be in a world all of your own such as Ali, Robinson, Jones, Mayweather? This of course is assuming you have their same natural ability and understanding of the art, but you happend to not start at a young age. Or is it absolutely necessary to have a long, drawn-out amateur career (5-10 years) to be able to perform like that.
No you can go to prison and learn to box in there. By the time you come out, there is no time for an amateur career. So you turn pro. Numerous boxers have done it.
What I’m saying is you don’t necessarly need to have a long, drawn-out amateur career. Fighters that learn to box in prison are just an example. Most of them never even fought amateur. And some enjoyed very good careers.
Bernard hopkins still wasn’t in a league of his own like the fighters that did have long amateur careers…alot people think that his loss to RJJ was because he was green…
I say his reign at MW should actually be creditied to RJJ, because after he graduated from the “Lose to RJJ but still be champ” class…he set the MW title defence record…because had RJJ still been at mw, benard would have just been a contender…
I think its possible..but extremely difficult…with the help of a great trainer it will very possible..but the intangibles that you pick up along the way from all the years in the gym..are hard to make up for…I didn’t start boxing until i was 19…and my first time in the gym i got schooled by a 14 year old that had ben doing it since he was 8…so…
the reason it matters or is easily noticable to see the type of people that have boxed since they were 5 is because the punches didnt hurt then ..and they were free to painlessly learn “the game” and it stays like an easy game as they grow older ..when u start late the punches hurt u get cautious and that alone makes a difference …also if your 30 youve been boxing for 25 yrs instead of 10-12