In analyzing boxing more closely, I've come to a few conclusions:

1.) It has skills that are virtually unmeasurable that can make a huge difference in a persons performance. For instance, George Foreman was and still is by and large an oaf, yet because he can hit like a freight train, it really doesn't/didn't matter.

2.) Focus, drive, and determination seem to be a lot larger part of this sport and its athletes than any other. What I mean by this is, while the top tier fighters throughout history have certainly been talented, I can guarantee there were millions along the way with better natural talent that never reached anywhere near the same level.

3.) And last but not least, for as being depicted as brutal and ape-like in nature, boxing is easily one of the most mental sports I have yet to encounter. It may not take a rocket scientist to be a fighter, but there's a certain level of mental prowess that allows a person to draw on retained information instanteously in the face of intense physical trauma.

Feel free to talk about these points in more detail and add on to them as you see fit, because as a fan of the sport and someone who will be participating within the next week, one of my goals is to get as firm a grasp on the sweet science as possible.