James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post Reply
BitPlayer
Welterweight
Posts: 3527
Joined: 29 Feb 2016, 05:14

James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post by BitPlayer »

I've seen this mentioned a fair bit while discussing his sparring with Gene Tunney.

I've seen people suggest it was just a telegraph or others suggest it was meant to be part of fist cycling. I don't think either is true. Having watched various version of the Fitzsimmons fight, I'm fairly confident that the hand drop was part of his leaps he regularly used in his style.
Caractacus
Middleweight
Posts: 18593
Joined: 13 Jun 2014, 16:47

Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post by Caractacus »

or maybe he used it as some sort of "Gryo-Scope" or somethin' ?
Caractacus
Middleweight
Posts: 18593
Joined: 13 Jun 2014, 16:47

Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post by Caractacus »

Corbett published a boxing instruction manuel (with a co-author) SCIENTIFIC BOXING
sometime after he was HW Champion
in 1912.
I think there was a link to it a book archives site in an earlier thread.
BitPlayer
Welterweight
Posts: 3527
Joined: 29 Feb 2016, 05:14

Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post by BitPlayer »

Caractacus wrote: 29 Jan 2018, 15:41 Corbett published a boxing instruction manuel (with a co-author) SCIENTIFIC BOXING
sometime after he was HW Champion
in 1912.
I think there was a link to it a book archives site in an earlier thread.
It'd be interesting if it mentions it.
Caractacus
Middleweight
Posts: 18593
Joined: 13 Jun 2014, 16:47

Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post by Caractacus »

well here is a link to the book on-line. Perhaps the answer to your question lies within.

https://Archive.org/details/ScientificBoxing
BitPlayer
Welterweight
Posts: 3527
Joined: 29 Feb 2016, 05:14

Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post by BitPlayer »

Caractacus wrote: 29 Jan 2018, 17:06 well here is a link to the book on-line. Perhaps the answer to your question lies within.

https://Archive.org/details/ScientificBoxing
Thanks, I couldn't see anything about it though.Ffrom a look through the instructions don't seem to be to fight in Corbett's style.
BitPlayer
Welterweight
Posts: 3527
Joined: 29 Feb 2016, 05:14

Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post by BitPlayer »

Having another look at the cleaned up Reznick footage, it looks like something he did a lot as he moved, not just the more leaping movements. I definitely think it's more part of his movement than punching though.
Ambling Alp II
Super Middleweight
Posts: 15181
Joined: 04 Nov 2012, 18:31

Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post by Ambling Alp II »

He was very mobile. I don't think he really dropped his hand. It looks like he just carried his left low. Tunney, Ali, Holmes, and Roy Jones did that as well. If you have great reflexes and know what you are doing, you can do and probably should do that. It actually helps you fire a punch a little faster.
Caractacus
Middleweight
Posts: 18593
Joined: 13 Jun 2014, 16:47

Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post by Caractacus »

BitPlayer wrote: 29 Jan 2018, 17:27
Caractacus wrote: 29 Jan 2018, 17:06 well here is a link to the book on-line. Perhaps the answer to your question lies within.

https://Archive.org/details/ScientificBoxing
Thanks, I couldn't see anything about it though.Ffrom a look through the instructions don't seem to be to fight in Corbett's style.
yeah,that was what I was thinking,because notice there is a very large photograph of "Richard K. Fox"
at the first part. Most likely it was already written and Jim J. Corbett was just paid some $$ to attach his name to it
to make more money.Because one would figure that Jim J. Corbett would have been seen more demonstrating the various boxing technique photos in it.
Caractacus
Middleweight
Posts: 18593
Joined: 13 Jun 2014, 16:47

Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post by Caractacus »

Here is some rare footage of Jim J. Corbett filmed September.7.1894 in the Edison Studios in West Orange New Jersey.
( on the second anniversary of him winning the HW title)
six-one minute rounds were filmed but only this round survives it seems.
He is boxing a HW from New Jersey(who once went the distance with Bob Fitzsimmons).
Fight promoter William Brady is the referee.
( btw any lip-readers here ?what does "Gentleman Jim seem to be saying to the ref at about 22 seconds into it ?)

BitPlayer
Welterweight
Posts: 3527
Joined: 29 Feb 2016, 05:14

Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post by BitPlayer »

It's interesting he doesn't seem to do it there (where it was a specially made small ring for the camera, so he couldn't really move in his normal way)
Caractacus
Middleweight
Posts: 18593
Joined: 13 Jun 2014, 16:47

Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post by Caractacus »

BitPlayer wrote: 30 Jan 2018, 14:15 It's interesting he doesn't seem to do it there (where it was a specially made small ring for the camera, so he couldn't really move in his normal way)
or maybe he could have done it somewhere in the five other missing one minute rounds ?
BitPlayer
Welterweight
Posts: 3527
Joined: 29 Feb 2016, 05:14

Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching

Post by BitPlayer »

True
Post Reply