Would the Rugby Nations of the World be a much bigger force in Heavyweight Boxing....

[D4thincarnation]

If Rugby was not the more popular sport in their homeland.

Part-time boxer and World Cup winning rugby star made short work of overweight American boxer Clarence Tillman with a emphatic 1st round KO.


On the world stage of heavyweight boxing this victory counts as a very minor blip, but it does beg the question, that if a part-time boxer rugby player can make such an impact on boxing with very little previous boxing experience, how good would he have been if boxing was his first choice and was trained in the sport since he was teen and had an amateur career.

We should also ask that how many other potential boxing stars are hidden away in rugby and how many were champs that never were.



So would countries such as The United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, France, Australia and a lot of South Pacific islands, have much bigger impact on Heavyweight Boxing history?

[Dirk Diggler UK]

Theres already a thread about this

[Russian Crushin]

Theres already a thread about this

[edgarg]

If Rugby was not the more popular sport in their homeland.

Part-time boxer and World Cup winning rugby star made short work of overweight American boxer Clarence Tillman with a emphatic 1st round KO.


On the world stage of heavyweight boxing this victory counts as a very minor blip, but it does beg the question, that if a part-time boxer rugby player can make such an impact on boxing with very little previous boxing experience, how good would he have been if boxing was his first choice and was trained in the sport since he was teen and had an amateur career.

We should also ask that how many other potential boxing stars are hidden away in rugby and how many were champs that never were.



So would countries such as The United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, France, Australia and a lot of South Pacific islands, have much bigger impact on Heavyweight Boxing history?

Well, that's a 2-edged question with probably a 3 or more edged answer.It's reasonable to conclude that there would be more good heavyweight boxers under the premisses that you postulate. But recall, if you will, that whilst there's been professional Rugby League in 1 or 2 countries, maybe since the late 19th or early 20th centuries, Rubgy Union didn't become professional until about 15 years ago as far as I can recall.

So the conditions you mention were in place all those many years, without producing anything special in heavyweights except in rare cases. But again, your suggestion sounds very reasonable.

And as another important point, rugby was mainly played in secondary schools and universities, thereby cutting off all but the moneyed classes from learning the game. It tood deep dedication for those not in that bracket to join a rugby club and become good. A couple of tiny nations like Wales and New Zealand, made it their national sport, opening it up to working classes, but as a numerical group they were in a decided minority.

[Someone88]

There is definitely a lot of potential in Rugby for Boxing

[nomadman]

Every so often South Africa and New Zealand pump out some damn good heavyweights, so they'd produce a hell of a lot more if rugby weren't their number one sport. Samoans and Boers are more or less born to fight, and the environment many of these guys grow up in is dirt poor and riddled with violence that would make the average homie blush with shame.