Basketball players and boxing.

[Max Power]

In boxing "weight" is the most important advantage. A weight advantage can make an opponent dangerous even if he is not as skilled.

Weight confers the advantages of chin/punch resistance, power, and making you harder to move thus sapping the opponents strength. It does not even matter much whether the weight is in the form of fat or muscles. Well not quite there are important differences too.

Height CAN be advantage but only if the opponent knows how to use it, in other words if he is also very skilled.

Historically 6'2"ish has been the average most successful height of a HW boxer. It is only recently that taller boxers on the order of 6'5"+ have become balanced and coordinated and skilled enough to populate/dominate the division. Previously they were all oafs who did not make full use of their height technically.

So to answer you question VAG_Dodger, Basketball athletes would be ideal for boxing ONLY if they were trained and experienced in boxing for many years like real boxers. Cross over athletes late will still get smashed!!

For all it's benefits height confers some disadvantages. For any given same weight...

- Weight is made up more of internal organs and bones therefore more fragile.
- Longer legs meaning more challenging balance.
- Thinner necks and head structure, may be knocked out more easily.
- Longer arms making punch coordination more difficult.
- Longer abdomen making power punch combinations slower
- Heart has to pump blood further to the extremeties negatively affecting stamina.

Of course height can be used effetively...

- To keep an opponent out of range, thus enabling a boxer to hit his opponent without being hit.
- To control the pace of the fight, to be in a relatively more relaxed position during the fight.
- To deliver shots with even more power at the end of their long range due to extended leverage.
- To utilise gravity by punching down on and weighing down on their opponents.

Obvviously the advantages are ones that are only prevalent in a seasoned fighter and highly trained technical boxer. A basketballer who has decided to "switch" to boxing has none of those qualities. Some of those big tall athletic guys DO do alright in boxing but be aware that it's there weight that makes them dangerous, not so much there height!!