Genius

Miyata, a boxer with the "genius" title.

A genius is a title given to boxers who were born with exceptional amounts of talent in boxing that allows them to perform well beyond what their level of experience and training would ordinarily suggest. Mamoru Takamura and Wally are geniuses of such magnitude that they were already stronger than their regional champions when they were first discovered by their trainers. Geniuses typically have certain outstanding abilities that aren't simply the result of practice, such as Manabu Itagaki's reflexes, Ichirō Miyata's keen eyesight or Takamura's monstrous physical prowess.

While geniuses possess amazing potential, they are not guaranteed to have success. For example, Ryūichi Hayami was considered a genius until his glass jaw caused his once-promising career to fade into obscurity.

Gifted

Ippo, an example of a gifted boxer.

Sometimes this title is confused with boxers that are considered gifted. Gifted boxers are ones that constantly exercises/practices the qualities that make them effective fighters in most aspects of their life and were honed in an environment that nurtured their strengths by hard work at an early age without even noticing. Gifted boxers can also have something that is comparable to being a genius: insight gained from experience.

Ippo Makunouchi, despite his honed monstrous strength that is second to Takamura and born with a body made for infighting, he is a gifted boxer due to his insight gained from his experience of facing strong opponents. His constant work at the Makunouchi Fishing Boat ever since he was young unknowingly developed his stamina, body balance, as well giving him a strong body that can handle the extreme boxing training that lets him obtain techniques that takes a lot out of one's body like the Dempsey Roll, Gazelle Punch, Peek-a-Boo Style, Tekken or anything that requires power, even after retirement he is still capable of creating new techniques and greater strength as a trainer and second while wearing weights. Takeshi Sendō also fits this, as his amazing fighting instincts were gained and honed during his years as a street delinquent while getting into fights with others. Miyata is often considered a genius by the public, although in truth he has been practicing boxing since he was a small child. According to Ippo, his genius is therefore actually born from hard work.