under appreciated things in the sport
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Old bones Ian
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 11806
- Joined: 13 Jul 2004, 07:33
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
The way some top boxers can go from defensive to attacking so simply, drawing the opponent on, Hagler was a master of that, his defensive skills underappreciated.
Also how a good boxer works gaps on the inside, getting his arms inside the opponents to land his own.
Also how a good boxer works gaps on the inside, getting his arms inside the opponents to land his own.
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
God I could think of loads.
I would say the Psychology of the sport is one. When you find someone who takes everything of the come forward fighter until the come forward fighter just cannot take it anymore. Kevin Mitchell vs John Murray and Carl Johansson are two examples. I would also add Mayweather vs Hatton and McGregor are other examples. The way Mayweather responded to being zipped my Mosely was something else. Tide him up with such amazing defence and then ended the round on top. It broke Mosleys spirit.
Stance in another thing. I do finding it a tad surprising there arent more right handed southpaws. Stance is such an important part of a fight and there something I find very effective about a left handed orthodox fighter
I would say the Psychology of the sport is one. When you find someone who takes everything of the come forward fighter until the come forward fighter just cannot take it anymore. Kevin Mitchell vs John Murray and Carl Johansson are two examples. I would also add Mayweather vs Hatton and McGregor are other examples. The way Mayweather responded to being zipped my Mosely was something else. Tide him up with such amazing defence and then ended the round on top. It broke Mosleys spirit.
Stance in another thing. I do finding it a tad surprising there arent more right handed southpaws. Stance is such an important part of a fight and there something I find very effective about a left handed orthodox fighter
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
I'm impressed by the way one guy can be getting hammered and remain cool under fire, looking for a chance to hit back. For example, Holyfield in the first Bowe fight or Watson against Benn.
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Frostieballs
- Super Bantamweight
- Posts: 2023
- Joined: 15 Aug 2020, 17:38
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
Levels.
The jumps between Southern Area, to English, to Commonwealth. to British, to European, then World, then truly Elite!
A boxer can look a million dollars at one level and as if he can easily transition up, but end up being sadly lacking.
Many factors at play.... power not carrying up, ring craft, ability to deal with the occasion.....
The effort it requires to make the jumps, in the face of decreasing marginal gains, is also not appreciated.
It’s easier to go from 0 to 80%, than it is from 80 to 100%. Lots of parallels with life.
The jumps between Southern Area, to English, to Commonwealth. to British, to European, then World, then truly Elite!
A boxer can look a million dollars at one level and as if he can easily transition up, but end up being sadly lacking.
Many factors at play.... power not carrying up, ring craft, ability to deal with the occasion.....
The effort it requires to make the jumps, in the face of decreasing marginal gains, is also not appreciated.
It’s easier to go from 0 to 80%, than it is from 80 to 100%. Lots of parallels with life.
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
Anecdotally speaking, there’s a much bigger focus on switching everywhere these days. Loads of young lads seem to be a perfectly natural both ways in the gyms I go to and amateur shows I watch.
I honestly think you’re better off with your dominant hand leading. But the real difference in switching comes from your dominant foot, as you naturally put more weight on that foot. But that’s for another thread!
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Counter-puncher
- Heavyweight

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- Joined: 20 May 2008, 11:41
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
A guy used to post on here as scrapiron I think, or maybe just scrap, he was an older guy with genuine old school boxing pedigree as a trainer, who had embraced a lot of the new cutting edge science. He was a mine of pithy insight, everything he said was a lesson pretty much, except some of it too briefly expressed for someone on my level to understand.
He said enigmatically once that it was more about your dominant eye than your dominant hand, when it came to stances.
I’ve heard that about cricket too, a sport where lots of ‘natural right handers’ stand port-sided.
He said enigmatically once that it was more about your dominant eye than your dominant hand, when it came to stances.
I’ve heard that about cricket too, a sport where lots of ‘natural right handers’ stand port-sided.
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
Pretty sure that was Howard Rainey.Counter-puncher wrote: ↑19 Dec 2020, 20:41 A guy used to post on here as scrapiron I think, or maybe just scrap, he was an older guy with genuine old school boxing pedigree as a trainer, who had embraced a lot of the new cutting edge science. He was a mine of pithy insight, everything he said was a lesson pretty much, except some of it too briefly expressed for someone on my level to understand.
He said enigmatically once that it was more about your dominant eye than your dominant hand, when it came to stances.
I’ve heard that about cricket too, a sport where lots of ‘natural right handers’ stand port-sided.
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
Yes..I was a left handed and right foot dominant person....but every club I went too they used to try and change me to southpaw...one of the reasons I stopped truth be knownDelta Jay wrote: ↑19 Dec 2020, 18:38Anecdotally speaking, there’s a much bigger focus on switching everywhere these days. Loads of young lads seem to be a perfectly natural both ways in the gyms I go to and amateur shows I watch.
I honestly think you’re better off with your dominant hand leading. But the real difference in switching comes from your dominant foot, as you naturally put more weight on that foot. But that’s for another thread!
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
Perfect example was Old Foreman and Young Foreman. Tension in the body (and mind) burns you out fast.Counter-puncher wrote: ↑18 Dec 2020, 05:18 one of my big hobby-horses (related to energy conservation):
some fighters fight loose and relaxed, some fight tense
fairly seldom do commentators or fans seem to connect the latter with poor stamina and the former with good stamina, but it seems to me to overwhelmingly be the case
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
Timing counterpunches. I love to see fighters 'figure things out' during the early stages of a fight and then see them time their opponent. Such an art.
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Counter-puncher
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 39141
- Joined: 20 May 2008, 11:41
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
Thanks mate his input is missed, he had huge knowledge I would love to have shared more ofDeserter wrote: ↑19 Dec 2020, 20:57 Yep, just checked and it was him. This was him bowing out of boxing:
viewtopic.php?t=140184
That thread is a typical example. He alluded to what he will be working on in the future and it’s so technical I don’t even know what he means. What a loss to the forum and the sport
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mickey1975
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 23062
- Joined: 02 Mar 2009, 12:54
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
He’s been around Lee Murtagh in the last few years.Counter-puncher wrote: ↑20 Dec 2020, 07:25Thanks mate his input is missed, he had huge knowledge I would love to have shared more ofDeserter wrote: ↑19 Dec 2020, 20:57 Yep, just checked and it was him. This was him bowing out of boxing:
viewtopic.php?t=140184
That thread is a typical example. He alluded to what he will be working on in the future and it’s so technical I don’t even know what he means. What a loss to the forum and the sport
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Counter-puncher
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 39141
- Joined: 20 May 2008, 11:41
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
I wish he’d been around here! 
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Old bones Ian
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 11806
- Joined: 13 Jul 2004, 07:33
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
Howard was a very decent poster, knew his stuff , rated highly as a trainer by a lot of old school boxers
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
Like a lot of eccentric/mad geniuses H had some very good ideas and some that were out and out barmy.
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Counter-puncher
- Heavyweight

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jameswilson
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 13411
- Joined: 08 Jan 2004, 18:01
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
Having your bicep intact,
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margaret thatcher
- Super Featherweight
- Posts: 39327
- Joined: 22 Jul 2019, 15:43
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
what about having a small head (so a size small for their back of head protective beanie
) and a short body (so legs ratio is higher)
less of a scoring target isnt it, less to be hit, easier to cover with gloves/arms
less of a scoring target isnt it, less to be hit, easier to cover with gloves/arms
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Stevieaber
- Lightweight
- Posts: 263
- Joined: 26 Nov 2017, 13:05
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
“Living the life”. Never actually viewed by the paying punters, but something that get a less gifted fighter further than those who have more natural ability
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
And applies to PBF too, in reality it is the most important thing.Stevieaber wrote: ↑07 Feb 2021, 07:30 “Living the life”. Never actually viewed by the paying punters, but something that get a less gifted fighter further than those who have more natural ability
Re: under appreciated things in the sport
Prolongs the career as well.
I bet floyd isn't much more than 8 or 9 lbs above fighting weight now.
Hatton was perfect example of the opposite
I bet floyd isn't much more than 8 or 9 lbs above fighting weight now.
Hatton was perfect example of the opposite
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Counter-puncher
- Heavyweight

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Re: under appreciated things in the sport
Another shout out to Jimmy2020. What he says about energy systems, and how Holyfield would do people with a constant high tempo, that’s what Usyk does. But yeah some boxers can safely overwhelm you with work rate, it’s just not all that work rate is throwing punches.