What's the most important quality for a good boxer, speed or power?

Answer 1

To answer the question you ASKED, i.e., speed or power (you didn't ask about heart or the proper mix of speed and power in this particular question)? I'll go with speed.

It has long been sad, and proven in the ring time and time again, that a good boxer will beat a good puncher. Look at Floyd Mayweather, Jr. He doesn't have much power, and some question his heart, but he has speed; and he WINS.

Look at Muhammad Ali in his prime. He wasn't a one punch knockout artist (forget about the second Liston fight), but he had great speed. Prior to his enforced layoff he was all but totally dominant. He beat the punchers and he beat the boxers.

I've got to comment on the Chavez-Taylor fight! The fight was scheduled for 12 rounds, not 11 rounds and 178 seconds. As referee Richard Steele said, "I'm the refree, not the timekeeper!" Given the injuries Talor sustained in the fight, Steele was right to stop it. He might have been justified in stopping it sooner, but it's hard to stop a fight when a guy is as dominant as Taylor was until he got knoced down.

Answer 2

Speed is good and can convince the judges you are winning. On fight worth mentioning when Meldrick Taylor was beating Julio Cesar throughout the 12 rounds with speed pure speed. Meldrick had all the rounds won. However we all know the end of that fight. Meldrick ended in the hospital ER that night with bleeding on both kidneys broken infra orbital bone, a big cut inside the mouth and other numerous injuries to the head. Julio went home back to sleep in his hotel room with the championship belt. Meldrick was KO on the last 2 seconds of the fight. This fight was dubbed "Thunder vs Ligthing"

Answer 3

I don't think there is a true answer to the question. There are too many other factors. You can be lightning fast but if you can't punch through rice paper and have a glass jaw, you cant win. Or you can punch through a brick wall but are very slow and clumsy, you can't win. You really must mold the skills that you have into the type of boxer you will be. Cory Spinks is never going to stand in the middle of the ring and duke it out with someone, and Edison Miranda is never going to fight in-and-out, and win with his jab and defense.

Answer 4

with speed you can definetly confuse a lot of fighters, but what sucks is that later in the boxers years he may lose some of it and be vulnerable. With power you always have the "punchers chance". So that's a difficult one but I'm going with speed it's done a lot of fighters good, such as Mosely and Mayweather..

Answer 5

speed,it gives u the ability to evade and counter,a boxer can prepare for a powerful punch and take it,but an unexpected uppercut? that brings down anyone speed gives u that surprise factor that has ended many fights.

Answer 6

speed and power are both great weapons in the ring but ultimately you have to have heart. zab judah has speed and power but not the will or heart to get it done with champions. you can have tremendous skill but without heart or will its just a waste of talent.

Answer 7

timing,is the most important .you dont have to have alot of speed or power if you know when and where to place your punches.

Answer 8

Speed is the ultimate weapon. They can't hit what they can't catch. But I'd think stamina would be be more important than either of these two.

Answer 9

speed, because if you cant connect you cant win.

Answer 10

of course, you need both.