Best late starters

Is it an indictment on other sports that 18 and 19 year olds so regularly compete at the elite level when it's such a rarity in boxing?

 

That's true but there are different tiers in teams sports as well and a part of it depends on locale. If you're a hockey player in Canada or a footballer in Brazil for example it's going to much harder to be noticed as there is so much competition. The same level of player might be able to make a career out of it if they were born somewhere else.

 

that's an excellent counterpoint

 

It's a good point but once again there are other angles to look at. Wilfred Benitez was on of the best in the world when he was only 17. Mike Tyson was better than most heavyweights as a teenager as well. I realize they are stand out exceptions to the general rule, but there are good reasons behind it. Boxers don't sign multi year million dollar contracts loaded with guarantees as teens and have an huge organizations looking after their investment. If boxers weren't carefully managed at a young age and forced to compete against the best of the best ever time out how long would their careers last at the top level? A few would excel, but most probably would be done in their mid 20's.

 

If young boxers had to compete against the very best from the beginning they generally wouldn't succeed or have good careers but it's much more common to see guys around 17-21 competing or contributing in other sports. That's my point. The implication was that boxing takes less general skill and that's why you occasionally see grown men getting into the sport and succeeding but boxing is the one sport where just being a big strong kid matters the least.

 

But, Terp, we've come up with like 7 examples of guys who got into boxing late and did okay!

 

In some sports the barriers to world class can be vaulted pretty directly tho. If david moyes wants to pick wayne rooney at 17 the deed's done; if steffi graff can keep winning matches at a knock out tournament aged 17 she'll end up in the final. Usually the process of getting a title shot would necessarily take a few years even if a kid was good enough on day one

 

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. Very few of the one listed made a significant impact on boxing (namely Martinez, Qawi and Marciano). The others were more spoilers who managed some good wins mixed in with horrible losses. If other sports gave the same chance to late bloomer as boxing does, I'd be willing to bet we'd see them have at least as much success if no more.

 

How many 20 year old prospects have you seen that can realistically compete on an elite level in their first few fights? How many world champs have there been under 20? How many 20 or under players are getting minutes in the NBA and NFL right now?

 

None in the nfl

 

Why's that? Is the usual route through college football first?

 

I don't keep up but you're telling me there are no 20 year olds in the NFL right now?

 

Yeah, but if they don't stay all 4 years and go to the NFL they'll be competing on the biggest stage against the best players in the world at 19-20. 21 or 22 if they finish school. They don't usually start but some do.

 

It's extremely rare. You need to be 3 years removed from high school (jr or redshirt sophomore ) to enter the draft

 

3 years out of high school is 20, isn't it. I'm sure I've heard "20 year old rookie defensive back Dewariusx Pickenpop out of Purdue..." And so forth.

I know most players don't go in the league that young but I didn't think it was that rare.

 

No, it's very rare.

Most people are 18 when they graduate high school or turn 18 the summer after. It's also not uncommon for the best high school athletes in sports like football to get held back a year, too, so they'd be a year older.

Then, most play all 4 years at college. It looks like 100 or so are coming out early this draft which is more than I'd guess. However, by the time football season begins, most of these guys will be at least 21.

 

In any case.... if most under 21s are effectively excluded there's not much to be gleaned on their ability to compete either way

 

you got A'Shawn Robinson who is 20 years old and a probable top 15 pick from alabama. he will most likely start for whoever drafts him. other than him i dont know of anyone else under 21 who will come into the NFL and start

 

actually robinson turned 21 on march 21.

 

Gatti. Our fellow poster.