Boxing at 20

[El Ninja]

I've been debating whether I should start training boxing. I'm 19, soon to be 20 in August. Is it too late to start boxing. I mean as a career. What do you guys think?

 

[M o A]

I've been debating whether I should start training boxing. I'm 19, soon to be 20 in August. Is it too late to start boxing. I mean as a career. What do you guys think?

Tarver started early 20's. The only undefeated boxer rocky marciano started round 26 i think. Hopkins is 43. No its not too late, just join the gym and stop thinking about it, but its not the glamour it appears to be, most folks ur age get all fired up and all, but if u do join make sure u pm me after a few months and tell me how u feel then.

Good Luck.

 

[uppercuts21]

I started when I was 19.

I think about this alot as well but the best thing to do is forget about age and just enjoy it. You get what you put in.

Alot of boxers and MMA fighters have started very late.

 

[El Ninja]

You can be a good MMA fighter at any age. But boxing takes a lot more time and effort in my opinion.

 

[FIGHT FAN]

boxing seems to be one of those sports in which a person can get a late start and still be successful. tennis, soccer, hockey etc... are sports where one has to start at a very young age.

 

[uppercuts21]

boxing seems to be one of those sports in which a person can get a late start and still be successful. tennis, soccer, hockey etc... are sports where one has to start at a very young age.

Yep I agree.

I played hockey for 7 years and people would always tell me I started late even though I was 10 years old. HAHA.

And in Tennis you are practically over the hill at 21.:icon_chee

 

[FIGHT FAN]

i would like to hear some opinions on why boxers(mma fighters as well) can start and achieve success at a relatively advanced age compared to sports such as tennis?

 

[Sinister]

If you love Boxing, then Box. If you want to knock people out for a living, then go Pro. You've actually still got a good amount of time to burn in the Amateurs where it doesn't matter much if you lose, but the experience is more important. You can spend 20-24 in the Amateurs (granted you have talent) and maybe even win a couple Championships somewheres.

Then go Pro, and as long as you don't do stupid shit like yo-yo in weight, drink, beat up women and get thrown in jail, snort coke, etc., take care of your body, train properly to avoid injury, and stay out of trouble, you can have a long and fruitful career.

I train with Mike McCallum, who always laughs at me when I express that I'm old to be beginning (29, started training SERIOUSLY at 26), according to him I'm stupid for worrying about it and have a good 10 years in the game if I do right.

 

[GlassJaw]

Go for it I say, set a goal, work towards it, and see if it's for you.

 

[Sinister]

Yeah, you're a geezer by Boxing standards too aintcha? And just now re-starting.

 

[GlassJaw]

Yeah, you're a geezer by Boxing standards too aintcha? And just now re-starting.

Seriously. Hell what's the worst that can happen, you get in great shape, learn to fight, and walk away better for it. Beat's knowing how to run a marathon if you ask me.

 

[Sinister]

I can't imagine not having gone for it. Even at my age. If I'd have pussied out, I'd have never ended up here:

Me on the far right in my Shell, Diego murdering the smaller bag with an uppercut on the left, Mike's watchful eye over the both of us, and in the background in the ring is Eddie Mustafa working with Duncan Dokiwari.

 

[lugubriousduck]

You just started training without previous experience? I say you start training for a year first and see what you have before you decide to pursue a career.

And Tarver had amateur experience before. He fought Roy Jones when he was in his early teens. Then he jump to highschool sports, found out he sucked, started doing coke, and then resurfaced after he saw Roy at the olympics. Then he pursued an amateur career in his 20s and turned pro late.

 

[El Ninja]

Thank you to all the people who responded. I'm going to give it a shot.

 

[Sinister]

BTW, Diego, the other kid in that photo, started at 21, and Mike thinks he's got what it takes to be a World Champ.

 

[El Ninja]

I heard being athletic really helps a lot. I am very athletic. I also heard my weight, which I intend to fight at 175 or 168, is very good in the fact that I am starting at age 19/20. That the heavier fighters use less technique than the lighter fighters. Just what I've heard.

 

[Sinister]

How tall are you?

 

[El Ninja]

6'1.

 

[Sinister]

That's not bad at all. If you'd have said under 6' I'd have advised against 175. The only two guys who train at Top Rank who are under 6' and that heavy are these two white guys who train with Jesse Reid and they're TANKS. Muscles with eyes who just walk in and maul, one of them sparred with Chad Dawson a lot going into the fight with Johnson. Hey the other one is in that photo hitting the uppercut-bag, I just realized that.

But that's a good enough height. If you can get to 168 without dying that's better, and it's a money division with the current landscape, and there are SMW's coming out of the Amateurs as well.

If you have either natural speed or power, go for it. If you have two left feet, hit like a girl, and want to quit anything after 15 seconds of being roughed-up, do something else.

 

[El Ninja]

I'm going to definitely try for 168. And I pick things up quickly. I think I should be just fine.

The main reason I have not started training was because of the finance. Hardly any old school boxing gyms in San Diego. And the gyms I have found charge at least $100/month. I heard Freddie Roach only charges $50/month at his gym.