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Spider Jerusalem

(21,786 posts)

61. Boxing is the hardest sport there is

Fri Sep 4, 2015, 05:09 AM

Sep 2015

We sized them up. We measured them, top to bottom. We've done our own Tale of the Tape, and we've come to a surprising conclusion. Pound for pound, the toughest sport in the world is . . .

Boxing.

The Sweet Science.

That's the sport that demands the most from the athletes who compete in it. It's harder than football, harder than baseball, harder than basketball, harder than hockey or soccer or cycling or skiing or fishing or billiards or any other of the 60 sports we rated.

In Page 2's Ultimate Degree of Difficulty Grid, boxing scores higher than them all.

But don't take our word for it. Take the word of our panel of experts, a group made up of sports scientists from the United States Olympic Committee, of academicians who study the science of muscles and movement, of a star two-sport athlete, and of journalists who spend their professional lives watching athletes succeed and fail.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/sportSkills

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Are Tennis Players The Greatest Athletes... [View all] WiffenPoof Sep 2015 OP

In soccer it's normal for a midfielder to run 11k per game. LittleBlue Sep 2015 #1

Yep. Lizzie Poppet Sep 2015 #4

Me three! n/t phylny Sep 2015 #6

Me four. Although... demmiblue Sep 2015 #20

Its one of the better sports for those who should have been actors but never made it to drama class GummyBearz Sep 2015 #8

Basketball's worse these days, though. Lizzie Poppet Sep 2015 #16

As is hockey KamaAina Sep 2015 #49

OMG--I laughed out loud several times during that video. Hilarious! nt tblue37 Sep 2015 #52

Mine too. They play many more games than tennis players TexasMommaWithAHat Sep 2015 #14

they don't use their upper body much though Mosby Sep 2015 #17

Oh, they do. HuckleB Sep 2015 #28

I'll remember that the next time I take six or seven Codeine Sep 2015 #38

No. Hockey players are. PeteSelman Sep 2015 #2

This is, of course, the correct answer. Dr. Strange Sep 2015 #10

No. Formula 1 drivers are. Incredible reflexes, eyesight, nerves, strength, endurance, little margin WinkyDink Sep 2015 #3

The nerves of titanium required to drive in F1 or the top-level hifiguy Sep 2015 #11

An article I read on Larry Bird said his peripheral vision was super-human. WinkyDink Sep 2015 #68

I became a basketball fan because of hifiguy Sep 2015 #69

I go back to worshipping Dave Debuschere, but the Celtics became my team! WinkyDink Sep 2015 #72

Hats off to the World Rally Championship folks, too. Lizzie Poppet Sep 2015 #18

True, that. hifiguy Sep 2015 #27

Nope race horses are GummyBearz Sep 2015 #5

Bowlers? randys1 Sep 2015 #7

Greatest is certainly a subjective qualifier. Snobblevitch Sep 2015 #9

Olympic Gold Medalist and multi-time college champ, hifiguy Sep 2015 #13

I am going to show my bias. Snobblevitch Sep 2015 #24

Can't say I am surprised. hifiguy Sep 2015 #25

This message was self-deleted by its author Snobblevitch Sep 2015 #32

Hey Snobblevitch, I posted below Dr. Xavier Sep 2015 #37

He's been back in WWE for a couple of years after a severe bout with hifiguy Sep 2015 #40

This message was self-deleted by its author Snobblevitch Sep 2015 #45

My vote would be boxers Travis_0004 Sep 2015 #12

I think MMA is even harder. So many different skills needed. nt Logical Sep 2015 #26

Certainly a differnt skll set Travis_0004 Sep 2015 #29

While I would never put down another athlete's sport, Dr. Xavier Sep 2015 #39

Great point. One mis-step and you're gone. lovemydog Sep 2015 #56

According to espn, you are correct. lovemydog Sep 2015 #55

Don't know about the athletes, but the most demanding sport might be Irish Hurling . . . Journeyman Sep 2015 #15

we lived in Ireland KatyMan Sep 2015 #41

Ballet dancers are: ohheckyeah Sep 2015 #19

Yeah, ballet dancers lovemydog Sep 2015 #59

I've heard that swimmers have the most all-round workout. delrem Sep 2015 #21

Olympic Swimmers Gman Sep 2015 #22

Well ablamj Sep 2015 #23

I like this answer. Ill16 Sep 2015 #31

Meet Ashton Eaton. He will show you otherwise. HuckleB Sep 2015 #30

You might be onto something. Snobblevitch Sep 2015 #36

I agree with snobblevitch but then ... Dr. Xavier Sep 2015 #33

ESPN ranked all sports Travis_0004 Sep 2015 #34

Great list. lovemydog Sep 2015 #54

Surely hitting a baseball is harder than hitting a tennis ball? Nye Bevan Sep 2015 #35

Time and again I have heard it said that hifiguy Sep 2015 #42

While covering a plate the size of your living room? nt geek tragedy Sep 2015 #43

A player who succeeds at hitting the ball 1/3 of the time is considered a good baseball player. JVS Sep 2015 #53

Bicycling IMHO rules. ileus Sep 2015 #44

I'm a huge tennis fan, but I gotta give it to cwydro Sep 2015 #46

Billiard players. Hands down. Orrex Sep 2015 #47

Don't laugh - Motocross Fix The Stupid Sep 2015 #48

1. The US Open that counts was won by Jordan Spieth on Father's Day AngryAmish Sep 2015 #50

Yes, and the car racers did very well too, lovemydog Sep 2015 #58

In Defense of Tennis WiffenPoof Sep 2015 #51

Wonderful well-written post. lovemydog Sep 2015 #57

The simple fact is that all great athletes in every sport lovemydog Sep 2015 #60

Boxing is the hardest sport there is Spider Jerusalem Sep 2015 #61

Agree.. trumad Sep 2015 #65

No. MMA/Boxing, Football, Endurance sports, IMO. RedCappedBandit Sep 2015 #62

This message was self-deleted by its author moondust Sep 2015 #63

I say boxing. trumad Sep 2015 #64

I would think this sport has some degree of difficulty to those playing it. HughBeaumont Sep 2015 #66

Um,no.... Drahthaardogs Sep 2015 #67

basketball no other sport is close taught_me_patience Sep 2015 #70

mano a mano for four hours, yes they are. spanone Sep 2015 #71