Great Article by Holyfield
Posted: 07 May 2015, 06:34
Most of us like skillful boxers hitting their opponents while not taking punches.fergusg wrote:If you want to watch “Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots” slugging it out, then watch Box-Nation’s “Total Combat” or the UFC.
If you want to complain about skilful fighters hitting their opponents, whilst not taking hardly any punches in return, then boxing isn’t the sport for you!
fergusg wrote:Mauling and grabbing your opponent is not deemed as a serious offence, which means that boxers will obviously employ that manoeuvre as part of their gameplan.Freedom2013 wrote:Most of us like skillful boxers hitting their opponents while not taking punches.fergusg wrote:If you want to watch “Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots” slugging it out, then watch Box-Nation’s “Total Combat” or the UFC.
If you want to complain about skilful fighters hitting their opponents, whilst not taking hardly any punches in return, then boxing isn’t the sport for you!
But we don't like boxers clamping their opponents' arms and running. Does anyone enjoy seeing that?
If fighters’ aren’t going to be penalised for it, then they will employ that tactic.
I don’t enjoy watching fighters grabbing, but if I was in the ring and needed to “protect myself at all times”, then I’d grab my opponent if need be.
I tend to agree. But other's saw it a different way. So now there is two points of view.Mensa07 wrote:lol.
enough with the 'floyd was running'! he wasn't running, he stood in front of him all fight and circled out when he'd had enough of being on the ropes. Got on his bike a bit in the 12th mind, but it's pure revisionism to say the whole fight was Floyd grabbing and running!
fergusg wrote:How many times do you see fighters get penalised for grabbing?Ricky_ wrote:fergusg wrote:Mauling and grabbing your opponent is not deemed as a serious offence, which means that boxers will obviously employ that manoeuvre as part of their gameplan.
If fighters’ aren’t going to be penalised for it, then they will employ that tactic.
I don’t enjoy watching fighters grabbing, but if I was in the ring and needed to “protect myself at all times”, then I’d grab my opponent if need be.
Who told you it wasn't a serious offence?
Mensa07 wrote:lol.
enough with the 'floyd was running'! he wasn't running, he stood in front of him all fight and circled out when he'd had enough of being on the ropes. Got on his bike a bit in the 12th mind, but it's pure revisionism to say the whole fight was Floyd grabbing and running!
A question none-the-less. Fergus is all out of answers, maybe now you shutupfergusg wrote:Judging by your response, it's seems that you don't know what a "rhetorical question" is?Ricky_ wrote:Answering a question with a question would suggest you'e just decided to draw your own conclusions.fergusg wrote:How many times do you see fighters get penalised for grabbing?
I'm disappointed in you fergus, for someone who types posts like a robotic troll that can only comprehend facts from sources who's credibility seems determined by whether or not it fits your agenda.
Freedom2013 wrote:Referees need to put an end to boxers clamping their opponents' arms. Holding is supposed to be illegal, yet Mayweather and Ward have always gotten away with it.
And judges should not award rounds to fighters for running.
That question wasn't so rhetorical, as an answer isn't clear, because a ref penalized Wlad in his recent fight and forced him to significantly limit his holding.fergusg wrote:Judging by your response, it's seems that you don't know what a "rhetorical question" is?Ricky_ wrote:Answering a question with a question would suggest you'e just decided to draw your own conclusions.fergusg wrote:How many times do you see fighters get penalised for grabbing?
I'm disappointed in you fergus, for someone who types posts like a robotic troll that can only comprehend facts from sources who's credibility seems determined by whether or not it fits your agenda.
fergusg wrote:It’s nice of you to provide an example of your limited vocabulary.Ricky_ wrote:A question none-the-less. Fergus is all out of answers, maybe now you shutupfergusg wrote:Judging by your response, it's seems that you don't know what a "rhetorical question" is?![]()
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Thanks for that!

So, boxing isn't for Holyfield? LOL He's the reason I got into the sport in the first place.fergusg wrote:If you want to watch “Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots” slugging it out, then watch Box-Nation’s “Total Combat” or the UFC.
If you want to complain about skilful fighters hitting their opponents, whilst not taking hardly any punches in return, then boxing isn’t the sport for you!
Because you don't know boxing very well you can't differentiate the difference between make 'em miss & make 'em pay & make 'em miss & run away.fergusg wrote:Holyfield was supporting the idea that fighters should be encouraged to adopt a forward moving trajectory and be rewarded for effective aggression, but I believe that boxing was called the “sweet science” for a reason.Impractical Poster wrote:So, boxing isn't for Holyfield? LOL He's the reason I got into the sport in the first place.fergusg wrote:If you want to watch “Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots” slugging it out, then watch Box-Nation’s “Total Combat” or the UFC.
If you want to complain about skilful fighters hitting their opponents, whilst not taking hardly any punches in return, then boxing isn’t the sport for you!
Floyd fans really lash out when their boy is criticized.
Fighters should be rewarded for implementing effective defence, such as making your opponent miss and then making them pay.
My criticism is not of Holyfield per se, but I don’t believe that boxing should be a one-dimensional sport.
The masses might want to see Hagler-Hearns, Gatti-Ward type slugfests, but that's only one piece of the proverbial jigsaw puzzle, because highly-skilled defensive fighters should be appreciated also.
In a sense, one could say that Floyd is now a one dimensional fighter. The best one there is, but still.fergusg wrote:Holyfield was supporting the idea that fighters should be encouraged to adopt a forward moving trajectory and be rewarded for effective aggression, but I believe that boxing was called the “sweet science” for a reason.Impractical Poster wrote:So, boxing isn't for Holyfield? LOL He's the reason I got into the sport in the first place.fergusg wrote:If you want to watch “Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots” slugging it out, then watch Box-Nation’s “Total Combat” or the UFC.
If you want to complain about skilful fighters hitting their opponents, whilst not taking hardly any punches in return, then boxing isn’t the sport for you!
Floyd fans really lash out when their boy is criticized.
Fighters should be rewarded for implementing effective defence, such as making your opponent miss and then making them pay.
My criticism is not of Holyfield per se, but I don’t believe that boxing should be a one-dimensional sport.
The masses might want to see Hagler-Hearns, Gatti-Ward type slugfests, but that's only one piece of the proverbial jigsaw puzzle, because highly-skilled defensive fighters should be appreciated also.
With a fair ref, Wladimir should have been disqualified for what he did in the Povetkin fight, and Andre Ward with a fair ref would have been DQed for his deliberate headbutts against Kessler.fergusg wrote:Wladimir does the jab and grab during every single contest and rarely receives points deductions. Just watch the Alexander Povetkin bout (where he only loses a single point).ikorolev wrote:That question wasn't so rhetorical, as an answer isn't clear, because a judge penalized Wlad in his recent fight and forced him to significantly limit his holding.
this.cfang wrote:I bet this debate was really popular in 1926 when Tunney beat Dempsey.
... and hundreds of thousands of casual viewers who watched maybe their first fight in a few years will say: "If this is the fight of the century, no way in hell will I watch regular boxing".Impractical Poster wrote:With all the prefight chatter of Floyd dropping sparring partners and, I believe most expected at least a little more from him. Sounds like he did a lot more in sparring than he did in the fight.
I enjoy skills, it's not as if I don't. Take Crawford for example. He could opt to sit back and be defensive and stink up the joint the whole fight. But my man has some dog in him. He's just cut from a different cloth than Floyd. Floyd is a timid fighter. And seeing as how he is a great marketer and the highest paid athlete in the sport, people are going to tune in to see what he is all about. And performances like that, that are billed as a fight of a generation, will just leave a bad taste in people's mouths and is just no good for the sport.
So much this. Boxing hasn't really changed, just the location where the fanboys can get all their pent-up aggression out.cfang wrote:I bet this debate was really popular in 1926 when Tunney beat Dempsey.