Quote Originally Posted by Bill Paxtom View Post
Quote Originally Posted by SlimTrae View Post
Does the weight class matter? Amount of title defenses? 10 years? 15 years? Who will set the bar to discussion?





Inspired by Ykdad's Berto-Lopez thread
This is a trick question. There is no correct answer.
I remember commentators talking about Morales loss to Pac as a sign that smaller fighters usually began to fade on the early side of 30.

JMM since then is an example that goes contrary-
JMM born 1973 makes him 43 years old.
fighting since 1993 (22years)

How many feather weights turned welter have had careers this damn long? By general guess he's been in about 20 championship fights.
I would say he IS NOT the norm.

Overall I see it this way:
Standard athletes amatuer (college ball, NCAA, Boxing Olympics) turn pro around 20-22 yrs of age?
Football & Basketball players usually move into their prime around 26-30 yrs of age.

Making the downside of the careers around 30, then when we look at pro ball players to boxers like ALi & Holmes, to QBs like John Elway, Troy Aikman seem to all fizzle out around 37-40yrs of age.

Or am I incorrect & there aren't many GREATs pass this age?
It seems like generally speaking athletes are past their past by age 35. And only hanger-ons , delusional or broke athletes continue past the age of 40.

Then on another note- I've read plenty of stories stating the fight style can prolong/shorten ones career like the blast U out fighting styles of Frazier to Tyson.
Not really a trick question, but maybe a subjective one?