I’ve seen this debate pop up on numerous occasions with people always giving a great argument for their answer.
Let’s take a quick look at the most common opinions and then I’ll let you know what I think.
Skills: One that you may think every fighter needs is a good set of solid skills. However, this isn’t always the case. You can be the most skilful fighter in the world but if you’re not in good condition those skills will fade quickly and the fitter guy is eventually going to win.
Fitness: As stated above fitness is a very important part and can be a deciding factor in many fights, but if you get an opponent who is equally as fit yet possesses better skills than you you’re going to be in for a hard night.
Mind set: The mind is a very important tool for any competitive sport. Sometimes a fight can merely come down to who is mentally stronger and who wants it more. This on its own can be very dangerous though as some people really need saving from themselves when it comes to fighting. You can have all the mental belief in the world but if you don’t possess any of the above attributes then you’re going to get hurt.
Timing: Now this one was almost a winner for me. You can have the worst technique in the world, even lack fitness but if you have the ability to land when you want then you can finish any fight. Again though there’s a flaw, if you lack power your shots will be ineffective and your opponent is likely to take control of the fight.
Adaptation: This for me is the one attribute that really sets a champion apart from a fighter. The ability to adapt to any situation. If your opponent is in better condition you can adapt and adjust to fight the way you need to fight. Such as conserving your energy by not moving as much and staying well protected while only firing and landing precise shots. If you’re not as skilful, you can apply pressure and maintain a higher work rate.
I believe a champion doesn’t have to excel in every aspect but must have the ability to counteract their opponents strengths in order to display their own.
It would be interesting to know which attributes you think are the most important and if I’ve missed any then please let me know