Mike Gibbons in WW I Boxing Training film (ca.1918)

[Caractacus]

The former Middleweight Champion .

[HomicideHenry]

It's interesting to see the evolution of "hand to hand" combat in US military history--- I know during WW2 wrestling champion Lou Thesz became a technical adviser in hand to hand because according to him, "The soldiers would have been better off throwing rocks at the enemy," because the defense techniques were weak.



He speaks about that experience @ 4:30 of the video.

[Yuzo]

[Caractacus]

[Caractacus]

[HomicideHenry]

This I like because it shows that despite a century of time boxing is still boxing. What worked then still does.

[Yuzo]

What worked then still does.

thats right.

[Caractacus]

you can see Featherweight Champion Johnny Kilbane at 29:55 of the clip (he fought between 1907-1923)
in this training film from 1917-1918.

[Caractacus]

this one has a couple interesting boxing matches at about 18:34 of the clip.
any idea who they may have been ? were they members of the division "The Red Devils" or brought in
to entertain the troops The bouts probably took place in either Belgium or Luxemburg in Europe where the 5th Division was stationed
(The one dude boxing kinda reminds me of a shorter slender Jack Johnson).

[Chuck1052]

In regards to boxing and bayonet fundamentals, the stances and footwork in each are essentially the same. The fundamentals of each are somewhat similar when it comes to offense and defense, Thrusting with a bayonet is similar to throwing a jab. The method of swinging the rifle so that the butt of the rifle hits someone is a similar motion to throwing an uppercut. Using the rifle to block rifle butt blows and bayonet thrusts is somewhat similar to blocking and parrying blows. Of course, avoiding bayonet thrusts and rifle butt blows is very similar to slipping punches. While in serving in the U.S. Army during World War I, Mike Gibbons was instrumental in forming a method of teaching boxing and bayonet fundamentals to soldiers.

In the entire history of boxing, Mike Gibbons was one of the most influential individuals when it came to his boxing style, incorporating boxing science and the instruction of boxing fundamentals. Gibbons' boxing style was referred to as the St. Paul school of boxing. For much of the 20th Century, a staggering number of boxers in Gibbon's hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota and the rest of the United States copied Gibbons' style of boxing. Many trainers were influenced by Gibbons' method of boxing instruction. Gene Tunney essentially was a disciple of Gibbons, something that Tunney readily admitted. Jack Hurley, the great all-around boxing man, taught his boxers the St. Paul school of boxing fundamentals along with some elements of Jack Dempsey's boxing style.

- Chuck Johnston

[Caractacus]

Anyone have any idea who these 2 boxers may have been at about 4:54 of this clip ?
Could they have been professional boxers who were in attendence at the A.E.F (American Expeditionary Forces)
stationed in Cannes France 1918-19 ?
(and is it my imagination or when the one dude tries to get up off the canvas at 5:47 ,he looks a bit like "Der Fuhrer" ?)

[klompton]

Anyone have any idea who these 2 boxers may have been at about 4:54 of this clip ?
Could they have been professional boxers who were in attendence at the A.E.F (American Expeditionary Forces)
stationed in Cannes France 1918-19 ?
(and is it my imagination or when the one dude tries to get up off the canvas at 5:47 ,he looks a bit like "Der Fuhrer" ?)

That is Babe Asher Vs George Scribner for the AEF Bantamweight title April 20, 1919 Paris, France. The same Tournament Tunney defeated Ted Jamieson for the LHW title.

[Caractacus]

that big dude at 6:35 of the clip had some pretty good footwork and ring moves.
I wonder if he had trained with Tunney over there ?