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Sports involves physical and mental exertion that most times pushes our bodies and bodies to the limit in order to perform at an elite level. An untrained athlete can literally get hurt (or worse) performing a sport that he/she isn't used to or trained for.

It is said that the Greek messenger Philippides, from whom the marathon traces its origin, died on arrival after running the distance to deliver a message. A few mishaps do happen even today in the modern marathon where a few amateur and professionals have either collapsed or died running this grueling race. This is also relatable with other sports hence the various safety measures that are put in place for athletes when competing.

There are no doubt sports which strain the body more than others. There are some like gymnastics which require skills more than anything. Others like the marathon for instance requires endurance while most combat sports require physical prowess for added advantage. In all these mentioned, strategy is needed to come out tops.

Your Pick?

With the various sporting events you know, which would you say is most difficult? Am sure it would be difficult for most people to pick an answer immediately. Yet, when it comes to the mythical title of 'baddest athlete on the planet', only one sport comes to mind and that is boxing.

This huge PR was made possible during the heydays of boxing thanks to Athletes like Mohammed Ali and Mike Tyson. The phrase is actually attributed to the latter and it continued after his prime. Other boxing champions were adorned the phrase by pundits and they did little to disprove it.

It is highly unlikely though that boxing is the 'baddest' sport on the planet. It certainly takes a lot of strength, skill and discipline to be at the very top and I don't think most people would want to be left alone in the ring with a professional boxer, male or female. Yet that doesn't mean that it is the most demanding sport there is, or a professional boxer for instance wouldn't flop anywhere outside the boxing ring.

There are other sports that pack quite a punch which do not involve combat. While such comparisons are trivial I think any comparison about which sport is most difficult should at least have some fair yardsticks for measurements. For me we'll have to look at the intensity of the sport, what it takes for an athlete to perform at an elite level, and the general nature of competitiveness in the sport.

My Pick

I have a bias for endurance and as such Three sports come to mind. They are all endurance demanding and will push any athlete to their limits. For me they are the marathon, Triathlon and Lawn Tennis. The last pick was a way to remind us about just how demanding lawn Tennis can actually be. The longest Tennis match in history lasted an incredible 11 hours and the athlete barely had any time to rest before his next game. These guys may not punch as hard as the boxers, but they certainly are not to be taken lightly in any sport.

Conclusion

Do leave a comment and let me know which sport you feel is the most grueling and deserving of the title, along with your reasons. Remember, it is all for fun though, as I embrace the uniqueness of each sport and their special requirements for greatness.