Which is better to use in boxing strength or speed?

Question

Which is better to use in boxing strength or speed?

Answer 1

Speed and superior reflexes are more important. Since you are a boxer you will be strong enough to pack a punch that can knock down an opponent. You don't have to be ultra strong for that. But lack speed and you will not land a successful punch on the opponent even if you are strong enough to do that.

Answer 2

I'll take speed any day over power. Power doesn't really do you any good, if you can't hit your target effectively or avoid getting hit. With speed you stand a better chance of avoid hits, connecting and countering.

Don't get me wrong..... power is nice to have, but I think speed will go a long way in having success.

Answer 3

Paul Malignaggi has speed but no power, he was badly beaten by Cotto, Mayweather is a balance fighter with speed and good not great power but some power, Ali a whole lot of speed but ring smart. Eventually, guys that had great power gave the Greatest lots of problems. Mike Tyson tons of speed and a wrecking ball of power. I side with power. speed won't knock you out, power makes you electrifying and a terror. I would rather be the terror, knowing that I know or my opponent knows I can knock him out at anytime. He better not make one mistake!

Answer 4

speed is power! Speed Kills!

Answer 5

speed is strength

Answer 6

I find both are important. In extreme cases, one can have much speed but do no damage with punches, or one can be strong but so slow he sends punches by pony express, rather than telegraphing them. I boxed with a man 6'8", 445 lbs. He could not hit me, unless I let him do so. He had KO'd several men with his haymakers, but he had no chance against me, for I am incredibly fast and incredibly strong too. I did allow him to hit me a couple of times, and he and everyone else was astonished that he could not faze me with all his weight behind those punches. I took my turn and knocked him down. He arose before the ten count, so we traded punches again. This time, he stayed down and lost in the first round. Later, I boxed a man of about average size who was fast and had a smooth style. His speed did no good, for he lacked the strength to hurt me at all. If a 445 pound man cannot faze me with all of his weight behind punches, a 170 lbs. man certainly cannot do so. I had a good combination of speed and strength that allowed me to beat everyone I faced in this tournament. You cannot really separate them.

Answer 7

speed kills

Answer 8

my opinion as a fan is that you need a great combination of the 2. one without the other would not be good in a pure technical fight or a slugfest.

Answer 9

speed!

Answer 10

Idk but i think speed would be best (I'm not a boxer though!)

Answer 11

First, you have to ask yourself a question. Do you have to be strong to ko a person? It dont take much, for a person to hit you on the chin and your down or dazzzzzzed. Ali didnt have a knock out punch but punch you to death. I dont buy the theory, a guy can take a punch to the chin. He might take a couple but soon are later his legs is going to give. Its not the speed are strenght but the skills behind it. Speed vs strenght is like saying boxer vs brawler. I seen brawlers beat boxers because they didn't have skills. I seen boxer beat brawlers because of no skills. Put skills behind both, the boxer will probley win. When age hits a boxer, than the brawler takes the win. This is not always the case but most of the time.

Answer 12

I will say speed without power will not make you a true champ and vice versa.

I would prefer to have xtreme speed and average power though than xtreme power but little speed.

However if you have a fighter who has extreme speed and average power against a fighter who has extreme power and average (not little) speed, I would take the fighter with the power advantage. That is of course presuming they both have great chins.

If both these fighters have weak chins then again the fighter with extreme power and average speed will win.

So power, speed and chin. You have all these 3 qualities in boxing and you have the potential to be a great champ. Technique and boxing skills of course matters a lot too but you have those 3 qualities and the work is tremendously cut out for you.

A good example of a current fighter with all these qualities is Manny Pacquiao. He has extreme power, extreme speed and a very good chin. His technique and skill is always improving through the guidance of a very good trainer. He is already a true champ and will be greater if he perfects his technique and skill.

The good thing is you can improve skills and technique, improving power and speed is quite hard as you are either born with it or not.

Imagine giving Mayweather extreme power, then you have the complete package and the makings of a true great. That I think is what seperates true greats like Sugar Ray Robinson from Mayweather. SRR has excellent power + all that Mayweather has to offer.

Answer 13

Speed, agility and be in great cardiovascular shape.

Answer 14

speed

Answer 15

speed. it is more important to hit your opponent first, and more times. a few hard punches will always lose to lots of lighter but faster punches. you can't rely on a knock out to win a fight it isn't always reliable and so having speed would help you win by decision much more

Answer 16

I asked my husband (who was a boxer in the Navy) he said speed.

Answer 17

Strength...that's why there are weight classes.