Reach Advantage and Boxing Champions

Discussion in 'General Boxing Discussion' started by Breeze, Aug 28, 2008.

  1. Breeze

    Breeze WBC Champion

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2003
    Messages:
    738
    Likes Received:
    0
    I read an interesting article yesterday in an MMA magazine (MMA worldwide). Anyways it showed that an average boxers reach is 2.5 inches longer than an average person man. Normally, your reach is equal in inches to your height, but a normal boxer averages more than that.

    They plotted a graph, and it showed that the elite fighters in history, have, longer than average reach advantages over their opponents. I was reading the graph and it shows Hagler had a reach 6" longer than an average man, Hearns and Ali enjoyed 5" reach advantage over a normal man. Same with Larry Holmes as well. All of these guys had on average, the reach advantage over their opponents( I forget the average though, it was plotted but I dont have the article here and forgot those numbers).

    Even Wlad Klit, who I thought had short arms, averages a 2" reach advantage over a normal man his height.

    Funny enough, only Tyson and Marciano had averaged the same reach as an average man their height. Its amazing that these guys managed to be as dominant as they did, when you look at how important reach seems to be in boxing. Although Tyson was so good getting inside that he made reach advantage negligable against a lot of the guys he fought.
     
  2. REEDsART

    REEDsART MATCHMAKER

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2003
    Messages:
    56,988
    Likes Received:
    3,930
    Location:
    CURTIS COKES' Birthplace...
    Sugar Shane has an Abnormally Loooooooooong Reach...

    REED Doubts if Shane has EVER Been @ a Reach DISadvantage...Perhaps Against Forrest, but that's It...It's Strange, Considering how SHORT Shane Is...

    Then Of Course, there's your Tall Lanky Guys w/Reach...Sandy Saddler, Jeff Chandler, Thomas Hearns, Lennox Lewis, Tim Austin...For their Sizes, Each of them had Looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong Ass Reaches...

    There's Definitely SOME Correlation btwn REACH & SUCCESS N Boxing...



    REED:hammert:
     
  3. Erratic

    Erratic "Twinkle Toes" McJack

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2003
    Messages:
    8,909
    Likes Received:
    806
    Occupation:
    Professional Bum
    Home Page:
    I remember being told that your height is the same as your wingspan. I never really thought about it, but I knew from memory that Buster Douglas and Lennox Lewis had wingspans of 83"-84", while they're around 6'4, 6'5 (76", 77").

    I measured my wingspan and it was around the same as my height (5'10).

    But boxers generally do have long reaches. Floyd Mayweather's reach is measured at 72", but he's only around 5'7, 5'8. Shane Mosley's wingspan is measured at 74", and he's around 5'8, 5'9.

    What's with Paul Williams though? He's a freak. 82 inch wingspan??
     
  4. Ugotabe Kidding

    Ugotabe Kidding WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2002
    Messages:
    17,162
    Likes Received:
    1,712
    Home Page:
    I think porn industry is the only one where reach means more than in boxing. After all, Tyson was a world champ but never got a film contract despite rumours:kidcool:
     
  5. Breeze

    Breeze WBC Champion

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2003
    Messages:
    738
    Likes Received:
    0
    Yes, Shanes' reach is FREAKISHLY long for his height. Ive seen guys in much higher weight classes who have the same reach as him, Lewis stands out too, combined with his power it made his right hand lethal.
     
  6. Breeze

    Breeze WBC Champion

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2003
    Messages:
    738
    Likes Received:
    0
    I'm thinking of measuring my wingspan too, just out of curiosity. I was reading you measure it from your middle finger to the other middle finger of your other hand. You have to make sure your elbows line up right. Buster Douglas like you mentioned seemed to have a huge reach. When he fought Tyson its like he was jabbing him with a broom or something. Paul Williams is another case, his reach is freakish, its like a heavyweight.
     
  7. Ugotabe Kidding

    Ugotabe Kidding WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2002
    Messages:
    17,162
    Likes Received:
    1,712
    Home Page:
    I think Cory Spinks is up there too among the biggest reaches. He also has a heavyweight reach
     
  8. Breeze

    Breeze WBC Champion

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2003
    Messages:
    738
    Likes Received:
    0
    Its weird, I used to think that too. He used to have his reach listed as "78 which is huge. But now they have at listed at "71, which seems kind of short for him. Its probably somewhere in between I guess.
     
  9. D MAN

    D MAN "Twinkle Toes" McJack

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2003
    Messages:
    5,734
    Likes Received:
    493
    Location:
    Vancouver
    Home Page:
    Pavlik has horribly long arms also
     
  10. Double L

    Double L Book Reader

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2003
    Messages:
    28,215
    Likes Received:
    1,662
    wing-span can be misleading because in addition to arm length, it's a function of a fighter's chest.
     
  11. sticknmove

    sticknmove Scrub

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2003
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Mike Mccallum and Edison Miranda have noticeably freakish long arms. S
     
  12. Hanz

    Hanz Roberto Duran

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2004
    Messages:
    33,385
    Likes Received:
    439
    Manute Bol had a 102" reach. And he's 90" tall. In comparison, Lennox is 77" tall and has an 84" reach.
     
  13. Hanz

    Hanz Roberto Duran

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2004
    Messages:
    33,385
    Likes Received:
    439
    I'm 5'2" and have a 72.5" reach.
     
  14. Free Ike

    Free Ike WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2011
    Messages:
    10,242
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    None
    Location:
    Jake's Rule Violations: 3.5
    According to HBO, Mosley had the reach advantage on Forrest. I have seen Forrest too and he is a big motherfucker. Mosley is 5'6 and still he has the reach. He doesn't look Gorilla armed but he must be.
     
  15. Arben

    Arben "Twinkle Toes" McJack

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2006
    Messages:
    6,505
    Likes Received:
    0
    Barrera's got long arms
     
  16. mikE

    mikE "Twinkle Toes" McJack

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2004
    Messages:
    8,335
    Likes Received:
    67
    exactly
     
  17. Arben

    Arben "Twinkle Toes" McJack

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2006
    Messages:
    6,505
    Likes Received:
    0
    I find it to be more accurate than arm length. It's not like boxers are squared up and punching. For the most part, they try to get perpindicular to their opponent.
     
  18. Hut*Hut

    Hut*Hut The Mackintosh of temazepam

    Joined:
    May 17, 2005
    Messages:
    68,274
    Likes Received:
    5,507
    Occupation:
    Involved in hyperbole
    Location:
    Interzone
    Ive noticed this before as well. Liston for instance 6'1, the same as me, but with almost a foot extra wingspan, if I remember right (84'). Tommy Hearns similar, Mayweather has the same span as me but is about 6 inches smaller. Interesting.
     
  19. Hut*Hut

    Hut*Hut The Mackintosh of temazepam

    Joined:
    May 17, 2005
    Messages:
    68,274
    Likes Received:
    5,507
    Occupation:
    Involved in hyperbole
    Location:
    Interzone
    explain? What does chest size have to do with anything? Divide wingspan by 2 and you have the distance between a fighters head and the tip of their jabbing glove, which is the distance between landing and being landed upon....I can't see anything 'misleading' about that.:dunno:
     
  20. Double L

    Double L Book Reader

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2003
    Messages:
    28,215
    Likes Received:
    1,662
    that'd be true if a fighter stood perfctly sideways with respect to his opponent. but we know that not to be the case. some fighters square up more than others, but none stand entirely sideways with respect to their opponent. none. and many , like clazaghe, for example, square up a ton.

    there's no doubt Hearns and Liston had long arms. But both those guys also had wide chests, adding to their, "wing-span." This is exactly why HBO moved from reporting wingspan to reporting a the length of a fighter's arm, from shoulder to knuckle.

    Does that make sense?

    Also, reach is a function of vertical height as well as arm length, let's not forget.
     
  21. mexican wedding shirt

    mexican wedding shirt The Greatest of Are Times

    Joined:
    Jan 18, 2003
    Messages:
    28,647
    Likes Received:
    283
    Both are true.

    If a guy does have a massive chest and average length arms, the distance between his head and fists IS of course longer than a guy with the same length arms and a normal chest.

    However as you said, he would have to have a very sideways stance to really make it significant.
     
  22. Arben

    Arben "Twinkle Toes" McJack

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2006
    Messages:
    6,505
    Likes Received:
    0
    Let's also remember that not only is height lied about, but so is wingspan. I've seen it first hand.

    Guy with tape measurer: Okkkkk anddddd....80
    Boxer: I think it's more like 84
    Guy with tape measurer: (writing) eightyyyyy fourrr
     
  23. mexican wedding shirt

    mexican wedding shirt The Greatest of Are Times

    Joined:
    Jan 18, 2003
    Messages:
    28,647
    Likes Received:
    283
    Seriously?

    Can you give examples of where you've seen first hand lies of both height and reach exaggerations?
     
  24. mikE

    mikE "Twinkle Toes" McJack

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2004
    Messages:
    8,335
    Likes Received:
    67
    This is just a weak thread.
    If wingspan really mattered, then tall fighters would dominate far more often than they do. Why the hell should arm length matter as long as you only compare it to someone the same height?
     

Share This Page