Any combat sport atheletes- Boxing, wrestling, MMA, Jiu Jitsu etc.= Best athletes in the world by far imo.
In the first place, its a one on one sport, not a team sport which places a lot more pressure on the individual to perform. You have to be in better shape by definition. There is a difference between looking like your in shape and being in shape- Fedor and BJ comes to mind in MMA and George Foreman comes to mind in boxing.
Secondly, in team sports a lot of your prowess is based on other individuals doing their part- A great quarterback is only great if his recievers catch the ball and the line gives him time to throw- Coaches have to put players in their correct positions to give them the opportunity to develop etc.
Third, from a practical standpoint, for anyone who has played different sports amateur, professional or for their school- Whats more grueling; Going two three minute rounds on the mat or with a heavy bag or playing a full court game of basketball for half an hour? Imo its on the mat or with the heavybag
Imo- I have played football, ran track, and played olympic style handball in high school- I also played baseball and basketball casually most of my life and I can tell you doing that stuff is a walk in the park compared to boxing, wrestling, jiu jitsu etc.
