How to choose an athlete when placing a bet: Boxing edition

Boxing is cathartic. Even as an audience watching from afar, the whirl of punches and jabs is exciting and adrenaline-inducing. It is almost like your heart is on fire with fury and passion along with the boxers. With how thrilling it is, there is no doubt that the sport is indeed loved by many.

And what is better if not to add more exhilaration to the game by betting on its outcome? If you are looking to place your first-ever sport odds on a boxing match, there are things to remember when selecting your pick. Here are seven aspects to look at when choosing the perfect boxer to bet on:

Offense and Defense

In combat sports, success always goes down to the right mix of offensive and defensive tactics. Some say that the best defense is a good offense. Indeed, both have their own value in ensuring a boxers win. So to secure good returns, make sure to study the athletes offense and defense.

Remember that offense is more than just aggression and throwing the most number of punches. It is the strategic combination of various types of attacks. It is also the right timing and rhythm in throwing effective hits. On the other hand, consider footwork, agility, reflex, and block movement for defense.

Power and Accuracy

Explosive punches are useless when they do not hit the target. That is why a good athlete trains both his punching power and accuracy to maximize the blow. And as a good bettor, you must compare the power and accuracy statistics of the players to maximize your profit!

In choosing an athlete to wager on, go beyond the data of punch totals and examine the power shots and punches landed instead. They have much more impact on the games, for they have done actual damage to the opponent.

Speed

Speed is essential in enhancing both offense and defense. A quick pace increases the momentum of a punch and helps the boxer evade one. Thus, excellent speed is another success factor to look out for.

Landing fast punches will help a boxer suppress counters. Speed also allows them to blend more hits in a single combination. As such, the ability to become unpredictable to the opponent also relies on speed.

Injury Records

Boxing is a physically demanding sport—you throw and receive a punch all at once! Doing this for a living will eventually take a toll on your physical health. You would not want to bet on a player in terrible shape, so study the injury records if you must.

Boxers are at high risk for brain damage. In fact, up to 40% retire with symptoms of chronic brain injury. On top of that are common contact injuries such as bruises and cuts. They all contribute to the degradation of a boxers physical health, so consider betting on players with fewer injuries sustained during their career.

Penalty Records

Going through a player’s penalty records will help you learn a thing or two about them. One, many violations committed could mean that they lack discipline and respect for rules. Two, it could also mean that they are often at risk for point deductions and even disqualification.

A wise thing to do would then be to study the players history both in terms of achievements and fouls committed. It is indicative of his sportsmanship and ability to stick to the rules. A case in point would be the infamous match between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield in 1997, where Tyson ultimately got disqualified for biting Holyfield’s ear twice!

Intelligence

Did you know that boxing is called the Sweet Science? Sportswriter Pierce Egan once coined the term to show that the sport became more than just combat as boxers have developed tactics and strategies over time. In the mad chaos of flying fists, intelligence became the driving force of winning games.

Yes, brains still do play a vital role in the battle of the brawns. Lack of strategy is a waste of raw strength, so a boxer must sharpen his mind as well as he does with his muscles. In choosing the athlete to stake your money on, always consider intelligence crucial for a win.

Strong Character

At the core of a boxers strength is his character. It is passion and drive that puts raw power and excellent brainpower to use! So look through the players history and see if he has a strong character that boosts his potential to win.

Besides physical abilities, it is also vital to have discipline, resilience, and fortitude as an athlete. They must be able to use the losses and injuries they have to endure as inspiration to grow. A boxer with a character as strong as such is surely worth rooting for.

Final Thoughts

There is no perfect athlete in the reality of sports. The best thing you can do as a bettor is to study their strong and weak points. When placing a bet, consider the ideas discussed above and choose the athlete with the skill set that suits your tastes the most!