Nadal vs. Federer – in the boxing ring | Thebigtip

By Scoop Malinowski at Tennis Prose

Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal on a tennis court is always captivating theater, so competitive that after 21 meetings it’s still unclear who really is the superior all-around player. Though Nadal leads the head-to-head 14-7, Federer is far ahead in total grand slam victories (16-7). So just out of curiosity, what would happen if these two supreme gladiators put on the boxing gloves and battled it out for 12 rounds in the squared circle at Madison Square Garden for a prize of $10,000,000, in an ATP Heavyweight Championship fight promoted by Don King? We asked several tennis insiders for their opinion of such a match…

“In this corner, weighing in at 188 pounds, the reigning French Open champ, #1 in the world from Manacor, Mallorca, Spain…RAFAEL NADAL!. And weighing in at 187 pounds, the defending Wimbledon champion, #2 ranked challenger, from Basel, Switzerland, ROGER FEDERER!”

Bud Collins: “Well I think Nadal would be too big of a left hooker with those muscles. Yeah, I think it would be Nadal. (By TKO?) No, he’d knock him out.”

Tommy Robredo: “Federer. For the age. He’s five years older. When you have five more years than the other one you have a little more power, no?”

Olivier Rochus: “Nadal. He has more fighting spirit and I think physically he’s stronger than Federer.”

Jarkko Nieminen: “I don’t know. They’re both strong guys. It’s tough to say. Who has better techniques. And Nadal seems to have bigger muscles but Federer has great technique in tennis. So maybe he would have the same in boxing too. So then it’s over toughness.”

Fernando Vicente: “Nadal, no? Nadal. Too powerful.”

Justin Gimelstob: “I would say I think Nadal’s one of the strongest guys on the Tour. But boxing I think has a lot more to do with than just strength. But Nadal would be rough. I don’t think a lot of guys would want to have to deal with him.”

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