The very nature of this discussion is racially charged. I hesitate to join, but I think it might be worth mentioning a couple of things. There are probably several factors why there have been few, if any, dominant, recent white American boxers. Some studies have found that black people, as a whole, tend to have a greater number of fast-twitch muscle fibers than other races. This is quite possible, as it’s plain to see that blacks tend to excel at activities requiring speed. When was the last time anyone other than a black man won the 100 meter dash at the Olympics? As far as boxing goes, we all know the refrain, “speed kills.” Also, speed is a major component of power. Every now and then, you’ll get someone who bucks the trend — a white guy with exceptional speed, like Lomachenko — but, for the most part, when you see a truly fast fighter, he’s usually black. Is it a coincidence that Vasyl happens to be a P4P fighter with that speed? For those interested, there’s a book called “Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We’re Afraid to Talk About It,” by Jon Entine, which addresses the matter at length.
Boxing is a sport with a high dependence on speed. But what of the strength based sports, or endeavors where speed isn’t as important? I’ve enjoyed watching “World’s Strongest Man” competitions for years. Anyone watching would eventually note that men dominate that sport. And, as already mentioned by others, MMA and wrestling tend to be heavy on white champions. Maybe there isn’t just one reason for the imbalances. Maybe it’s all ultimately explainable through social and environmental means. Whatever the case, it’s interesting to note that there are obvious discrepancies we’re simply not sure about.
Boxing is a sport with a high dependence on speed. But what of the strength based sports, or endeavors where speed isn’t as important? I’ve enjoyed watching “World’s Strongest Man” competitions for years. Anyone watching would eventually note that men dominate that sport. And, as already mentioned by others, MMA and wrestling tend to be heavy on white champions. Maybe there isn’t just one reason for the imbalances. Maybe it’s all ultimately explainable through social and environmental means. Whatever the case, it’s interesting to note that there are obvious discrepancies we’re simply not sure about.
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