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.
Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching
Posted: 29 Jan 2018, 15:33
by Caractacus
or maybe he used it as some sort of "Gryo-Scope" or somethin' ?
Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching
Posted: 29 Jan 2018, 15:41
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.
Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching
Posted: 29 Jan 2018, 16:59
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.
Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching
Posted: 29 Jan 2018, 17:06
by Caractacus
well here is a link to the book on-line. Perhaps the answer to your question lies within.
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.
Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching
Posted: 29 Jan 2018, 17:32
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.
Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching
Posted: 30 Jan 2018, 00:20
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.
Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching
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.
Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching
Posted: 30 Jan 2018, 13:39
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 ?)
Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching
Posted: 30 Jan 2018, 14:15
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)
Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching
Posted: 30 Jan 2018, 14:29
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 ?
Re: James J Corbett dropping his hand while punching