By Paul Strauss: Some readers can’t seem to communicate without getting overly emotional. Calm down guys, no one is trying to say you’re stupid, and if you are, at least try to hide it! The intent was to have a little fun and at the same time provide you with a chance to get in “Your Two Cents”. Besides, everyone knows that “Two Cents” (opinion) isn’t worth much. That’s why support is needed……kind of like weeding out the morons. Remember the old adage, “There aren’t any dumb questions, only dumb answers, ” So, to those select few, listen to you’re parents when they asked you to run away from home, “Take a helpful hint!”
On the other hand, many of you quickly came to the correct conclusion that there really isn’t just “one right answer”. For example, the first question dealt with the most important punch. Admittedly, the best answer wasn’t one of the choices given. The best answer was, “The punch that wins the fight!.” The next best answer, “It is different for different fighters.” That’s why the “helpful hint” mentioned two groups of totally different fighters. Tunney, Louis and Ali all had great jabs, not that that was their only weapon, but it definitely was very important to their attack and defense. With Dempsey, Frazier and Tyson, that wasn’t the case. They hit like a ton of brick, so for them it was short punches, particularly the left hook for the first two, and the right uppercut for Mike. Yeh yeh, everyone knows they had all of the other punches as well.
Several of the remaining questions are based on the opinion of one of the greatest fighters of all time…….Jack Dempsey. This great fighter felt that too many trainers make the mistake of teaching defensive techniques before teaching their charges how to punch properly. According to the Manassa Mauler, punching properly included learning everything from the ground up. He used the analogy of a baby being dropped out of a ten story window to illustrate what he called “The Falling Step”. Then he worked all the way up to and including which knuckle of the fist should land on the target. That is where the “Power Line” came into play. In his book, Championship Fighting, Dempsey goes into great detail to explain and support his theory. Don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself.
Dempsey is also the source of what is called “The Double Shift”. It is a technique used to “close the distance” and also to land punches from unexpected angles. You would be wrong in thinking that the technique is simply transitioning from a right handed stance to left handed one, or vice versa for the lefty. It’s much more than that. For examples, watch films of Manny Pacquiao, Andre Ward, Dimitry Pirog for their special versions. In particular, check out Manny finishing off of Erik Morales in their third fight. Earlier in Manny’s career, hall of fame trainer Emanuel Steward described Pacquiao as a fighter with poor footwork. Now Emanuel says the Pacman has great footwork. Actually not much has changed, other than Emanuel’s appreciation for what the Pacman does. For Andre Ward, check out film of his fight with Edison Miranda, and how he totally confused the hard punching Pantera, and was able to employ the double shift and rip straight lefts and hooks to Miranda’s body ala Dempsey. Finally, check out Pirog’s destruction of the then unbeation hot prospect Daniel Jacobs. Pirog pulled off a beautiful double shift and Jacobs never saw the knockout blow.
Let’s take “short vs tall” next. One rule of thumb has always been size is an asset up to a certain point; then it becomes a liability. Another rule of thumb is a good big man will always beat a good little man. Obviously, there have been many exceptions to these rules. Currently, the Klitschko brothers would be good examples of an exception to the first rule of thumb. Both men have enormous size, but are still gifted athletes. In football, a wit once said, “If Jumbo Elliot was playing football today, he would simply be known as Elliot.” So, athletes definitely are bigger today, but relatively speaking the rules still apply. In boxing, height and reach are generally considered advantages, hence the second rule of thumb. But, when the disparity gets too large, it often means the bigger fighter doesn’t have the athletic skill and ability to go along with his superior size. Often times the much bigger man is gangly, slow and clumsy. Consequently, in boxing, he just a bigger target.
Here’s a tough one. What’s the best style. Maybe the best and safest way to answer the question is to say the best style is the one suited to a particular fighter’s strengths and weaknesses. Yeh, I know that’s a bit of a cop-out. So, let’s go out on a limb a bit, but before we do we should maybe add one more style or an absence of style if you prefer. Let’s call it an “awkward style”. There’s been some great fighters, who just couldn’t be button-holed. Harry “The Pittsburgh Windmill” Greb quickly comes to mind. Henry “Hammering Hank” Armstrong is another. Both were in perpetual motion with punches coming from all angles. How about Gene Fullmer…..style…..ugly. Or, the cross armed Archie “The Mongoose” Moore, and of course there never was and probably never will be another fighter that will fight quite like Marciano. What about Jack “The Galveston Giant” Johnson, who could literally pick punches out of the air? Parrying is one thing, but what he did was a totally unique.
But, of the more commonly known styles, which is best? There are many current fans who will pick Floyd Mayweather, Jr’s style as being the best. He is often described as one of the best defensive fighters of all time. But, the truth is you don’t win fights by just making the other guy miss, so obviously Floyd has proven to also be a great ring general and an accurrate counter puncher, a P4P best. Floyd’s style is unique, and unfortunately too many young fighters try to imitate him, and end up getting their heads knocked off. It’s because they only get part of it………usually it’s a left held low, a shoulder roll and bending to the right. There’s a lot more to his technique than just that. His style involves all of the valuable techniques: proper footwork, head slipping, feinting, bobbing and weaving, check hooks (block and counter simulaneously), as well as lead right hands. He knows how to clinch and protect himself on the inside. He knows how to use his elbows, spin a man, and establish proper leverage to name a few.
Most would say the peek-a-boo style is too limiting ….i.e.Arthur Abraham’s version. Greats like Floyd Patterson, Jose Torres and Mike Tyson made it famous. However, they were exceptions, and they coupled that style with a lot of head movement, superior punching power and great hand speed. Arthur definitely doesn’t have the head movement.
But, most would agree that slipping punches is at least the best technique, if not the best style. It not only allows a fighter to avoid being hit, but also allows him to keep his hands free to punch. Dempsey and Marciano were also similar in the sense that they bobbed and weaved to avoid punches and create openings, much like slipping. When a punch is slipped, it means the fighter throwing the punch is at his most vulnerable point. He is open and moving forward into a possible counter. Why do you think Sugar Shane Mosley declined to throw many punches in his fight with Pacquiao! Unfortunately, some fighters learn to slip punches, but not correctly, or they might avoid the blow, but don’t put themselves in a proper position to land their own effective countering blow. According to Teddy Atlas, Cus D’mato used to tell his fighters, “Okay, you’ve done the hard part (slipping a punch), now do the fun part,” which meant hitting the other guy. Or, if you prefer, “Make him miss, make him pay.” Slipping a punch properly involves more than just moving your head. Too often fighters are taught to move their heads side to side. That’s not going to put them in proper position to counter effectively.
In a long fight, the basic traditional styled fighter, one who depends totally on blocking punches, often times will find it difficult to “keep his hands up”. He will get arm weary and start getting tagged. Even early in a fight, he will absorb a concussive shock from each of those blocked blows. But, the bottom line is a good trainer will teach the style most suited for his particular fighter’s strengths and capabilities, because as you know most fighters are not physically gifted enough to carry out Floyd’s style. Consequently, even though it might not be the best style, the basic or traditional style is certainly the most popular. It’s suited to the greatest number of novices. As previously stated, it teaches basics such as placing the left foot forward, right foot back at about a shoulder width apart, with the left toe and right heel creating an imaginary line. The knees should be bent slightly, hands up, elbows in, and the chin down. With that style you commonly hear the refain, “Hands up. Chin down. Make sure to turn your punches over.” Footwork is also simple: When moving left, left foot goes first. When moving right, right foot first. Forward, left foot……well you know the drill! But, the sad truth is there are far too many future palookas out there who aren’t being schooled in boxings’ finer points, beyond the basics. Their style carries them only so far, and then they wonder why they’re getting their brains beat in.
Next, there was a “True or False” about modern fighters being more skilled than the fighters of the past. It’s a given that generally modern day athletes are bigger, stronger, and have access to better equipment in today’s world, at least in most sports. They have strength coaches, nutriionalist, dieticians, physical therapist, etc. New records are continually being set. In boxing we see fighters capturing more belts and titles than ever before. Just looking at them, it appears modern fighters are more “cut” and “toned:” But, if we look at modern fighters and fighters of the past as a whole, or as groups, the situation changes. The history of boxing is different from other sports. For example, modern day fighters don’t fight nearly as often as in the past. In fact, the disparity is very pronounced……..past day fighters often fought two hundred and somtimes even three hundred times. Modern day fighters sometimes have impressive amatuer careers, but it’s not the same by any means. . Modern day fighters don’t have the same opportunity as those of the past to hone their skills, stay sharp and toughen themselves. Also, the overall quality and sheer number of fighters was much better in days past. There simply were many more good and great fighters in the past. Every city of any size had many good bouts regularly taking place. Every ethic group was represented and as a result there were great rivalries. The hard part in making comparisons comes when you start matching individual fighters of today against individual fighters of the past. How do you say anyone is better today than Dempsey, Louis, Marciano or Ali? Or, how can you successfully argue that past greats are better than Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather? If you use that criteria, it’s damn difficult, if not impossible, to pick one era over the other. But, if we look at things in terms of sheer numbers and overall quality, I think it’s fair to say fighters of the past, as a group, were better than today’s fighters. Stop yelling …… state you case and as Desi used to say, “Lucy, splain yourself!”
It’s safe to assume that everyone would like to see the sport of boxing do away with all of the different sanctioning bodies and belts. There are so many titles and cockamamy belts being flashed around today, that it’s nauseating. It’s like being around rotting garbage. My son had it right when he told me this particular fighter won the WBIT, or What Belt Is This? But, how can it be rectified? Apparently there aren’t many in postions of influence advocating change. The most vocal is Teddy Atlas, and he has some very good ideas about what is needed to improve the system and protect the fighters. Senator John McCain has spoken out in favor of establishing some type of federal program, but so far that’s about all that has happened. One thing that makes most people cringe is the idea of giving the federal government control! Their track record in running anything is not the best. Talk about waste and corruption. But, who does that leave? In the old days, boxing commissions were much stronger, and commissioners didn’t hesitate to cancel a fight if they felt a fighter wasn’t in shape. William Muldoon was a very good and powerful commissioner. He had very little patience for the antics of Max Baer for example. A few promoters, as is the case today, controlled much of what transpired, but in those days newspaper sportswriters carried a lot of weight. Often what they wrote determined who won a fight and how bets were covered. But, even though they received (shall we say) fringe benefits, they did try to maintain some integrity in the sport. So, where does that leave us. Well, the idealistic answer is “True”, but that still leaves the how and who.
Every time fans feel a referee blew a call, they think instant replay is the answer. They argue that if only the referee had an opportunity to see what they just saw, he would certainly agree with them and reverse his decision. In other words, that wasn’t a low blow. Or, they might hope he would clearly see that a punch and not a head butt caused the cut. Do you really believe it would be that simple? For example, who decides when to use the instant replay? Would there be challenges as in the NFL? If so, would there also be penalties…….i.e. loss of a point? How much time would be allotted for the referee to view the replay, and where would he be doing the review? Who provides and controls the cameras, and decides where they will be placed? If a fighter was hurt by a punch, and a challenge is issued, would it be fair to call time needed for the review, which also would allow the hurt fighter time to recover? Maybe some day we will have fighters wear some kind of sensors built into their trunks that would sound an alarm if a low blow was struck! But, for right now, and until they get those things and many more straightened out, the answer should be “False”.