What kind of heavyweight would Lebron James have been '''

[greynotsoold]

I heard this on an NBA pre-game show, so I think I'm quoting Charles Barkley: "No basketball player knows how to fight."

[p4pking]

I heard this on an NBA pre-game show, so I think I'm quoting Charles Barkley: "No basketball player knows how to fight."

Haha, makes sense it's a muscle memory thing. Same with soccer or any finesse sport, when you react to keep your hands away from peoples faces instinctively you won't be much good in a scrap.

Obviously Lebron is a pure monster, to many intangibles in boxing or MMA to say anyone would've been half decent just based on general "athleticism" though. I'm not an NFL fan, but Id say it's more likely Ray Lewis or somebody like that could have had a career fighting, just because we know how tough they are.

[jehoshaphat]

I heard this on an NBA pre-game show, so I think I'm quoting Charles Barkley: "No basketball player knows how to fight."

Yes, I see his point and agree that you can't just throw a guy in there. It takes some grooming and sifting out who just isn't cut to make it. But I'm not going to be bias and ignore the truth that guys have come from other sports and been successful. A football player, basketball player, wrestler, and a cyclist have had at least some success in boxing and all quit their sport and started boxing in their 20s. Its been proven it can be done.

[jehoshaphat]

James would be a fighter that would piss me off when he fought. He would choke in his big fights until he hooks up with a trainer and promoter that would be able to set him up in the right situation to win.

He would also be one that complains to the ref, over-exaggerate when he gets hit a little south below the border and in the back of the head.

He would also be a bullish type of fighter who would push off a lot and use the ring-ropes to get that extra push off on a shot and moderate slapping instead of turning his punches.

^^^... THAT is exactly how he would be as a fighter when we examine the way he plays Basketball and how he came to be.

He was a choke artist in Cleveland until he was saved by grace in Miami with a player in D-Wade, a complimentary piece in C-Bosh and an exemplary coaching mind in Pat Riley.

He also complains CONSTANTLY to the refs for ticky-tack stuff. More than Kobe did when Kobe started off- Kobe has gotten worse over the years as he got older, but the young Kobe would take it hard and still play on.

If you were to whisp past Lebrck while he was taking a shot, he complains. Whether you hit him or not!

He also FLOPS a bit too frequent, so much that even after years and YEARS of Basketball fans having to endure the mindlessness of the leagues most famed-flopper, former Lakers and Kings Center Vlade Divac, the league had to implement a very strong policy against excessive flopping. A rule that we may as well classify the Lebrick-no-flopping-bullshit rule!

He also travels, constantly. He gives new meaning to "His-Airness", and not in a good way. He has gotten better as of late, but still can be seen at least twice in a game skipping down the court, with the ball in his hand, like a little fairy princess and her flower basket. Lebrick "Travel Agent #1" James!

Lastly, some of those "chase down blocks" from Lebrick were CLEARLY goal-tending. How can you have a chase down block when the ball touched the backboard??

THAT's how he plays B-Ball and that is the mentality he would bring to the sport of Boxing.


At best, he would be a very hyped prospect for about the first 20-25 fights. Then people are gonna ask that he steps it up- and then gets a rude awakening and has to re-strategize. But because he is a crowd-pleaser, like Amir Khan, no matter how many times he gets beat or stopped folks are gonna wanna see him. He would end up as a 40 and 6 and 3 record fighter with very dubious wins, with a minor portion of a world title, but never one that got real notoriety- he would be a glorified journeyman who happened to be in the right place at the right time with the right people.

That's how his career would have turned out if we based it on the steps he has took/is taking with B-Ball.
***you can hate me now***

So basically you're saying you think he'd be too soft to be great at boxing. Fair play. At least you brought something with your opinion and you may be right. I can think of at least one boxer who seems to have the same problem. What about David West? He seems to be tough as nails and does actually use boxing as part of his training regimen.

[Beanflicker]

What kind of HW would Lebron have been? A very large one.

[ykdadamaja]

James would be a fighter that would piss me off when he fought. He would choke in his big fights until he hooks up with a trainer and promoter that would be able to set him up in the right situation to win.

He would also be one that complains to the ref, over-exaggerate when he gets hit a little south below the border and in the back of the head.

He would also be a bullish type of fighter who would push off a lot and use the ring-ropes to get that extra push off on a shot and moderate slapping instead of turning his punches.

^^^... THAT is exactly how he would be as a fighter when we examine the way he plays Basketball and how he came to be.

He was a choke artist in Cleveland until he was saved by grace in Miami with a player in D-Wade, a complimentary piece in C-Bosh and an exemplary coaching mind in Pat Riley.

He also complains CONSTANTLY to the refs for ticky-tack stuff. More than Kobe did when Kobe started off- Kobe has gotten worse over the years as he got older, but the young Kobe would take it hard and still play on.

If you were to whisp past Lebrck while he was taking a shot, he complains. Whether you hit him or not!

He also FLOPS a bit too frequent, so much that even after years and YEARS of Basketball fans having to endure the mindlessness of the leagues most famed-flopper, former Lakers and Kings Center Vlade Divac, the league had to implement a very strong policy against excessive flopping. A rule that we may as well classify the Lebrick-no-flopping-bullshit rule!

He also travels, constantly. He gives new meaning to "His-Airness", and not in a good way. He has gotten better as of late, but still can be seen at least twice in a game skipping down the court, with the ball in his hand, like a little fairy princess and her flower basket. Lebrick "Travel Agent #1" James!

Lastly, some of those "chase down blocks" from Lebrick were CLEARLY goal-tending. How can you have a chase down block when the ball touched the backboard??

THAT's how he plays B-Ball and that is the mentality he would bring to the sport of Boxing.


At best, he would be a very hyped prospect for about the first 20-25 fights. Then people are gonna ask that he steps it up- and then gets a rude awakening and has to re-strategize. But because he is a crowd-pleaser, like Amir Khan, no matter how many times he gets beat or stopped folks are gonna wanna see him. He would end up as a 40 and 6 and 3 record fighter with very dubious wins, with a minor portion of a world title, but never one that got real notoriety- he would be a glorified journeyman who happened to be in the right place at the right time with the right people.

That's how his career would have turned out if we based it on the steps he has took/is taking with B-Ball.
***you can hate me now***

So basically you're saying you think he'd be too soft to be great at boxing. Fair play. At least you brought something with your opinion and you may be right. I can think of at least one boxer who seems to have the same problem. What about David West? He seems to be tough as nails and does actually use boxing as part of his training regimen.

Carlos Boozer looks like a fighter at HW. He looks like he can win a few fights too.

Rajon Rondo could be a damn good Jr-Middleweight, while we're at it. lololol...

[DannyV297]

I don't agree with much of what Max Kellerman says but this question came up a long time ago when he was still in studio for ESPN FNF. He said the American athlete he could see as a boxer who could actually become a world champion was Allen Iverson. I 100% agree

[beenKOed]

The very best! It's hard to beat speed, size, smarts and almost unbelievable hand-eye coordination.

[LukeH]

I heard this on an NBA pre-game show, so I think I'm quoting Charles Barkley: "No basketball player knows how to fight."

Haha, makes sense it's a muscle memory thing. Same with soccer or any finesse sport, when you react to keep your hands away from peoples faces instinctively you won't be much good in a scrap.

Obviously Lebron is a pure monster, to many intangibles in boxing or MMA to say anyone would've been half decent just based on general "athleticism" though. I'm not an NFL fan, but Id say it's more likely Ray Lewis or somebody like that could have had a career fighting, just because we know how tough they are.

I dont think its a muscle memory thing, some people just have a more natural fluidity in different movements, Lebron is a freak athlete but theres no evidence to suggest he can throw punches, Obviously you can train a bit, but if it's not at all natural it aint happening. TBH he looks downright awkward on the basketball court sometimes anyway.

He's also shown himself to be abit of a mental midget on numerous occassions.