kelstar, then what are you waiting for? Engraved invitation? -Jim Carrey, Cable Guy.

You know, boxing to me is funny. If you're coordinated and can throw, you can throw. It's not like hockey were you have to be on skates since you were 3. In my opinion, if you're gifted, you can be ranked having started at 19. As Adam said, the kids that are 8, well, most suck. They're in there for fun and exercise and to get used to the idea of boxing. We only have one kid in our gym, a little Mexican kid, who's any good for 11 or 12. The rest, it's just for fun.

So, my point, you can only be top-ranked if you're gifted, regardless of when you started. But at 19, I believe there is time for you, but you have work your bag off. In this case, I feel you could have some pretty nice paydays.

Take Gatti, he hits hard but his hand speed is not great. I beleive anyone with some athletic coordination can learn the essentials rather quickly, learn to bob and weave, shell, and hit hard. To become SRL, that's God given. There's no reason you can't become a hard hitter with an air-tight defence. ie, more of a brawler/fighter like Gatti-Ward, not a finesse boxer with tremendous hand speed like Mayweather.

Good luck.

PS - a good chin can make up for lost time too. K-1 champion and Pride star Mark Hunt didn't take up kickboxing until he was into his 20's and that was because he kicked a guy's ass and the bar bouncers said he should start competing. Now he's a top ranked HW with an indestructable chin.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hunt