Boxing is a tough sport to survive for long. It’s difficult to get to the very top where the best money is made. But for people who are tough enough, they can enjoy a boxing career that lasts a decade or longer.

Here are 5 things that you can do to improve your boxing career.

Develop More Speed

As Sugar Ray Leonard amply demonstrated, when you can punch faster and get more combinations in, then you register more hits on our opponent. Not only is that better for your ability to build up more damage in a shorter space of time, every strike counts towards a better judges’ scorecard too. More punches make you look busier in their eyes which even if you don’t have heavy hands often makes the difference between a draw and a win.

Get More Accurate

When more of your punches hit their intended target, you have more success as a boxer. Doing more damage because of pinpoint accuracy is just as useful as punching hard. What use is a boxer with heavy hands that cannot hit their mark? Not much! A boxer that can punch reasonably hard but accurately is much more reliable as a boxer. They’re also likely to have successful fights and last longer in the sport too.

Adequate Defenses

Without adequate defenses, you won’t last long in the ring. When you cannot protect from a barrage of punches, you’ll likely to lose your mind, your balance, and then get knocked out. By being able to bob and weave to avoid an incoming flurry, you stay out of danger.

Having excellent footwork that you can maintain even when getting tired also matters. You’re able to move out of the way and position your body to avoid punches. While Mayweather’s fights are as boring as can be, he’s still excellent at defense by turning his body to the side almost as if he’s not even there. Some might call it cheating, others boring; but it’s effective, and surprisingly, still legal in the sport.

Solid Power Behind the Punch

While it’s not strictly speaking essential, having extreme power behind the punch makes it easier to develop a big name. Incredible knockouts generate press and with it comes more money. It’s easier to get deals for larger fights when other boxers are interested in taking down the young buck with the heavy hands.Most of the youth use professional boxing gloves during training session but expert give advice to wear top boxing gloves during training session which helps to improve punch.

It is still possible to have a successful career even when not punching that hard, but all the other aspects of the boxing game need to be on point to make up for it. Dazzling them for fancy footwork and speed along with better accuracy with the punches will all be needed to dodge more punches and land a greater number of less impactful punches of your own.

Promotional Mindset

Lastly, a promotional mindset is needed. In the age of social media and endless marketing, it’s necessary to grow a following and deliver what they want. Whether that’s insight, salacious scandal or something in between, building a following that eventually reaches into the millions of followers is often necessary to become a big name in the sport.