Could a 5-foot-4 125-pound professional boxer pretty much beat up any 6-2 200-pound guy who is athletic but has not fighting

Elvin wrote:

I don't think this is really an equivalent question. The OP's premise involves any random 5'4"/125lb professional boxer. Yours specifically involves the best basketball player ever of his size.

If the OP's question had been "could the best flyweight boxer ever beat up a 6-2 200 pound athletic guy," your question would be analogous, but I don't think it's as clear cut since we're discussing any random small boxer.

If that's your objection, than just imagine a 5'3" guy with average NBA-level athleticism and skills. The point of naming Muggsy was just to make the example concrete. It doesn't alter the conclusion.

The analogy is that height is presumably a very important attribute for playing basketball, and all things equal taller is better. But skillset matters far more.

We are talking about a random pro boxer. That is a guy who has spend 10+ years hitting things hard. And instead of facing an elite athlete who has probably played the other sport for a thousand hours in his life, he is facing some smuck who probably has never punched anyone in anger. The boxer will destroy the other person. You would have to lower the boxer quality level a lot to give the big guy a chance.

Think of it in running terms. Who are you going to bet on in a 400m race? Some random somewhat athletic guy who doesn't do track or an elite marathoner? Sure the elite marathoner would get destroyed by an elite sprinter but the sub 54s 400m he can run is going to be 99% of all the people out there.

Now at anywhere near the same level of skills, the small guy will get destroyed.

mrom wrote:

Here's maybe an equivalent question: who would win in a pickup basketball game: a young Muggsy Bogues at 5'3", 135 lbs or a 6'2", 220 lb NFL player? I think the answer is clear that the NFL player would have no chance. (And same answer for the fighting question. )

But there are plenty of plausible sounding but ultimately empty arguments in favor of the NFL player - - "with all that extra size and strength the NFL player can just back Muggsy down until he can shoot a layup", or "with the height advantage the NFL player will get every rebound and there's no way Muggsy can block him"

That nfl guy was likely an all state basketball talent that could have played or did play d1 basketball. I dont think this is as clear as you think it is.

Bro, you make no sense at all, weight classes only exist because in the ring there’s rules and restrictions, in the streets size dosent matter any trained small guy obliterates any bigger untrained guy, hell he dosent even have to be trained, being smaller but more agile or faster easily gives you an advantage, keep in mind weight classes exist for both parties, it exists so the big guy also dosent get mauled and overwhelmed by small dude’s agility Vice versa.

this thread is for little guys who want to believe they can beat up a big guy.

It's possible for a little guy to beat a big guy who's completely unable to dodge or block a punch. Even if it's not a boxing match.

But the little guy still has to land that critical punch, and in a "street fight" as it were, that's way different than any sporting contest. Adrenaline makes you miss.

Without training the big guy, all someone has to tell him is to keep his guard up, grab the little runt and don't let go. Get a grip on his shirt and it is literally over in a few seconds, hockey style. Bam bam bam heavy weights slamming downward vs little fists striking upward

In boxing? Probably. In wrestling/mma/steetfight? Still god chance but probably not.