Good learning fights
-
jameswilson
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 13417
- Joined: 08 Jan 2004, 18:01
Good learning fights
This is a bit of a catchphrase in boxing but there are some fights I immediately think of when people use it.
How do you class a good learning fight? And which fights do you think of when you hear the catchphrase.
For me there’s a few good ones.
Carl Froch v Charles Adamu
Froch was losing with about 3 rounds left and dropped Adamu before winning the remaining rounds. Rob McCracken was pure class in this fight. Told his fighter ‘look mate I think you’ve gotta win all these remaining rounds.’ Froch had a few good fights after this before going on a long run towards a World title. He had an easier run through domestic class because of this fight in my opinion.
Haye v Fragomenni
Haye had A scare early vs Lolenga Mock and a loss to Thompson but in this fight you saw improved poise and conditioning whereas in the Thompson fight he blew out completely. Hayes training camps were always clearly tough through his peak and the 3 fights I’ve mentioned all taught him that he needed it.
How do you class a good learning fight? And which fights do you think of when you hear the catchphrase.
For me there’s a few good ones.
Carl Froch v Charles Adamu
Froch was losing with about 3 rounds left and dropped Adamu before winning the remaining rounds. Rob McCracken was pure class in this fight. Told his fighter ‘look mate I think you’ve gotta win all these remaining rounds.’ Froch had a few good fights after this before going on a long run towards a World title. He had an easier run through domestic class because of this fight in my opinion.
Haye v Fragomenni
Haye had A scare early vs Lolenga Mock and a loss to Thompson but in this fight you saw improved poise and conditioning whereas in the Thompson fight he blew out completely. Hayes training camps were always clearly tough through his peak and the 3 fights I’ve mentioned all taught him that he needed it.
-
Counter-puncher
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 39141
- Joined: 20 May 2008, 11:41
Re: Good learning fights
Those are good calls. Groves had a decent one against Adamu too IIRC
Re: Good learning fights
Canelo learned from Mayweather loss how to be top boxer and rich man. Meanwhile, guys like Andrade and Charlo collecting pennies and maintaining their undefeated records.
Daniel Jacobs changed his style after KO loss from Pirog, becoming more tough and physical, it helped him a lot.
Vasyl Lomachenko learned from Salido fight a lot.
These coming to my mind

Daniel Jacobs changed his style after KO loss from Pirog, becoming more tough and physical, it helped him a lot.
Vasyl Lomachenko learned from Salido fight a lot.
These coming to my mind
Re: Good learning fights
MAB losing to Junior Jones stands out a mile
Re: Good learning fights
Fury v McDermott
Re: Good learning fights
Khan learnt from getting chinned' Hatton learned plenty against Thaxton and Magee, AJ learned against Whyte.
-
jameswilson
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 13417
- Joined: 08 Jan 2004, 18:01
Re: Good learning fights
Groves had a good one in the US. Can’t remember the opponent off the top of my head but very tall and long. Groves had to work on him before he stopped him. Think the fight was at the HP pavilion which is an odd thing to remember about a fight,Counter-puncher wrote: ↑29 May 2020, 13:58 Those are good calls. Groves had a decent one against Adamu too IIRC
-
Onetimeonly
- Super Featherweight
- Posts: 11584
- Joined: 16 Oct 2018, 06:28
Re: Good learning fights
The definition for me would be coming up guys with a good tussle with a vet though obviously a loss is a huge learning and gut check moment.
Tyson/Tillis
Garcia/theophane
Taylor/Davis
Tyson/Tillis
Garcia/theophane
Taylor/Davis
Re: Good learning fights
Ali vs Doug Jones
Re: Good learning fights
it is such an under used term in boxing these days,as no one wants an 0 or not look good spanking someone , magee v ricky hatton ,george groves v kenny anderson
Re: Good learning fights
great call ,very true about vasyl.i remeber that everyone was expecting him to wipe the floor with salido or look class bashing him , well it never happened , but what a great learning fight ,learnt to deal with pressure of being big favourite and not delivering and if he never lost that fight i dont think he would be the fighter he is todayCent0089 wrote: ↑29 May 2020, 14:08 Canelo learned from Mayweather loss how to be top boxer and rich man. Meanwhile, guys like Andrade and Charlo collecting pennies and maintaining their undefeated records.
Daniel Jacobs changed his style after KO loss from Pirog, becoming more tough and physical, it helped him a lot.
Vasyl Lomachenko learned from Salido fight a lot.
These coming to my mind![]()
![]()
![]()
-
margaret thatcher
- Super Featherweight
- Posts: 39338
- Joined: 22 Jul 2019, 15:43
Re: Good learning fights
Fury changed most due to getting dropped on his ass after the McDermott fights
Re: Good learning fights
did he though , he got dropped again after , i think his learing fight was jonhston, knew the boy could box and not get hit , but then he got dropped again by Cunningham, so iam not sure eithermargaret thatcher wrote: ↑29 May 2020, 17:10 Fury changed most due to getting dropped on his ass after the McDermott fights
Re: Good learning fights
Mcguigan vs Laporte
Tyson vs James tillis
Calzaghe vs Eubank
Haye vs Thompson
Sure a few others will spring to mind later
Tyson vs James tillis
Calzaghe vs Eubank
Haye vs Thompson
Sure a few others will spring to mind later
Re: Good learning fights
Cunningham def was a learning fight too, learned there is a time to attack and a time to defend. With McDermott it was more about his shape. He learned plenty against Wilder too, sign of an intelligent boxer, always learning.brilo33 wrote: ↑29 May 2020, 17:27did he though , he got dropped again after , i think his learing fight was jonhston, knew the boy could box and not get hit , but then he got dropped again by Cunningham, so iam not sure eithermargaret thatcher wrote: ↑29 May 2020, 17:10 Fury changed most due to getting dropped on his ass after the McDermott fights
Re: Good learning fights
to be honest mate i think you called it there, every fight is a learning fight, its like you say in one fight you want to see if the fighter move well and throws a punch, then power, can he take a punch , whats he like when on the back foot ,can he fight a defensive fighter so on speed , i agree with all the best boxers there last fight should show you something i mean saul v ggg 2 who would of thought saul would come out on the front foot and push ggg back
Re: Good learning fights
Macklin vs Moore Is another
Re: Good learning fights
Lewis vs Mercer. Lewis was on the way back to the top, polishing his new style. Mercer was an essential tough challenge back then. Lewis reached his prime after that bout.
-
margaret thatcher
- Super Featherweight
- Posts: 39338
- Joined: 22 Jul 2019, 15:43
Re: Good learning fights
They both did pretty well after, both won Euro titles and Macklin should've gotten a world title
Last edited by margaret thatcher on 29 May 2020, 20:05, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Good learning fights
they did but was that due to that fight?
-
margaret thatcher
- Super Featherweight
- Posts: 39338
- Joined: 22 Jul 2019, 15:43
Re: Good learning fights
Dunno, didn't ruin them though