Boxing fans and fans who box

Do you think that people currently boxing or with former experience in the square circle are more qualified to judge boxing performances and predict the ebb and flow of future conflicts than the non-boxing punter?

After all, many boxing writers have no experience between the ropes and seem lucid and accurate yet most pundits (here in the U.K at least) seem to have some previous boxing experience and often get it wrong. One of the things that drew me to this forum in the first place was the presence of people engaged in the noble art. The “Ask the Trainer” section makes it clear for somebody browsing the forum for the first time that not everybody posting are non-participants. It makes for a more rounded and objective discussion and I like the fact that people’s opinions often reflect their different levels of engagement with the sport. Is the idea of a low boxing IQ and the garnered expertise of a participant, more important than the studied opinion of those who have followed the sport religiously over many decades?

I was just speaking to my mate about this while watching khan-Peterson last week. How boxing is probably the only sport I can think of that is more or less all about opinions. Particularly the results, how going to points it's just the opinion of 3 guys at ringside. The winner is determand by basically 3 blokes opinion. Rather that other sports, goals, runs, points etc. (Not that I think this is bad or there's another way to do it)

Also, almost everyone has a view on boxing regardless of knowledge of the sport or ever participated in it. Last week I had so many mates saying khans utter shite on Facebook, the same about froch this week when in all likelyhood they've never seen either box and just saw in the morning the result!

There is definitely an element of added experience having boxed that tends to give a person who has boxed more respect for things like really good defense and strategical processes in the course of a fight. You won't find too many fighters who are going to boo due to lack of seemingly action, when the thing creating that by one of the fighters is his incredible defense, or style. Like how forever people are going on about Mayweather being a boring fighter etc...when really, it is part of the natural genius he has combined with years of influence from those who trained him fightin that style, making him one of the best the sport has ever seen, especially using a Philly shell.

But you are right about Saddos. The fan only people here quality is a lot higher then anywhere else on the web, in understanding such things and also historical knowledge. It was the people here who didn't box who taught me the most about this sport...when I arrived here 3+ years ago, already knowing my way around a ring, but not anything about the history and how things worked at the highest levels yet.

i think experience of watching fights is the most important

i box and i appreciate what fighters go through, i obviously have no idea what its like at the top level mind

i am more of a back foot fighter who takes as few punches as i can because i appreciate what its like to get hit and i appreciate why some proffesional boxers fight that way

i would still score fights with the agressive fighter tho who doesnt mind taking a few to land a few (obviously with in reason)

People who boxed def have better iq and appreciation when it comes to the sport, they know what its like to be in there, they've been hit, they fought fast guys, they've fought power punchers, they've fought slicksters they've fought brawlers, and anyone whose been in the ring for at least a full 3 rounds actually appreciate what these guys do for 12 against other elite fighters. Like when people say "o maywaether wins by decision, he doesnt knock people out like paciou" if youve been in the ring you know damn well 12 rounds of a beating will do you much worse the next day then a 2nd round knockout.


I went off topic a little, but yes, no matter how big of a fan you are, if you havent boxed your opinions are mostly fluff

Simple answer, yes.. One needs ring experience to really understand some of the things that are happening inside the ring..

Being on the outside looking in is totally different from being on the inside and someone who actually boxes has a better trained eye to spot out certain stuff..