to box professionally I think starting up to the age of 25 is ok. But to just box in the gym any age is ok I would think.

Although don't go for broke with a professional boxer if you just started.

Hello all :

That was the best answer I have heard yet ! I would like to add to this. In my years in the fight game, I have ran into this question many of times, and another question that goes hand in hand is peoples perception of peaking, due to age. A fighter peaks after years in the boxing game, reaching the peak has nothing to do with age....However, physical strength and endurance, stamina, these things are related to age. Let me put it this way.
When I get a young fighter in my gym, 11-12 years old, I have them train 3 times a week, and I do not get mad when they miss training. When I get a 16-28 year old that is very serious about fighting, I have them train 5 days a week, with Saturday being optional. The older group will run everyday, 7 days a week. This training regimen is very hard. Boxing is a life style, a discipline, and it takes dedication. So to me the peak will come at about 4 years of training like this, then the crafty old gym workhorse will emerge, you know the guy that can go 100 rounds sparring and never tire, lol. But his decline is in his/hers strength and endurance and stamina.....what do you all think?

Good post John.

I believe that a lot of guys that make a go of it, especially late bloomers in all seriousness have to approach it like a profession. One thing that should be noted that to reach the level in what we'd consider a fairly decent boxer takes years, even with talent it doesn't all happen over night. Boxing is learning in pieces and always a work in progress.

In regards to older fighters the body does change somewhat, and even if they're a workhorse in the gym they still have to keep from overtraining. But for one thing I'd rather be well trained than under trained.

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Excellent Post CC

This aint been posted on for a good while now but i'm new to these forums and I have been thinking about getting involved in boxing, just as a means to keep fitness levels to a good standard. I'm 21 and at Uni about to go into my final year come september. I've been thinkin about heading over to the closest boxing gym around here but I've been putting it off and off for months now. I think the initial post on here was excellent and just what I needed to read! For me it is all about just getting the courage to go alone for the first time. My fitness aint bad, but I havent done sports for a good while now and I don't regularly workout, however I don't easily put on weight and my stamina has always been pretty good. The other month I went to a single kickboxing class with my brother and I very much enjoyed it, and I easily kept up with the aerobic part to the class.

Like I said its just about that initial push to get myself down there and book into a class. I always think that i'll be the newest person and a level behind everyone else, but then again beginners classes are for that kind of thing and I don't see them judging me in anyway shape or form.

Well I finish my exams in a week, and I need to let my knee heal from an accident I had recently and then I have no excuses not to go get involved. I don't intend to compete at any level, although if I enjoy it and get half decent I might compete in inter-club fights.

Good topic this though with some good advice and has opened my eyes a little bit!

At 23?.. No, not at all.

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nope. nate campbell, the former unified lightweight champion started fighting boxing one month before his 28th birthday, if i am not mistaken

Sergio Martinez started boxing at 21, initially as something to help his fitness for foot ball. He like it so much he made the switch into boxing and has been fighting pro for years now.