Skill/Technique only take you so far...

[reznick]

Yea I said it.



Skill and technique are great assets to a boxer, but people act like its the CORE of a boxers ability.



I was watching Friday Night Fights the other night, and one of Roach's fighters, Kayode, a great prospect was fighting some old white bald guy who looked like he had a belly.

This was supposed to be a match to give Kayode more spotlight. I was looking forward to seeing what he had in store for the boxing world. Watched the training footage of him, he looked awesome.

When the bell rung, the difference in technique of the two fighters were very appearant. Kayode with his guard up, stalking his prey, with short but fast movements. He looked like a machine. The other guy was basically using lateral movement side stepping the entire time with his hands down. Like a very poor imitation of Gene Tunney.


Well round by round, the old white guy was outjabbing and out timin Kayode. Kayode started getting frustrated, opening up more, but the other guy was landing all the meaningful punches and big exchanged, moving out JUST in time from Kayodes big punches. You could see it in the guys eyes, and his trainers were talking to him like it was a movie. You could tell this was the fight of this guys life.

Anyways the guy clearly won, got robbed, the decision got booed, and the trainers were swearing up and down.

This fight really opened my eyes to the fact that skills and technique are great assets, but they dont mean squat to the basics of distance judgement and timing.


Which is why I now seriously give any fighter a chance, past present future. Because their stance, and their style doesnt mean as much as the execution of the basics of one on one combat.

[PetethePrince]

Distance and timing are skills. You can make the argument that there's an ability aspect to it buy you can do the same for punching, head-movement, etc.

[reznick]

Originally Posted by PetethePrince

Distance and timing are skills. You can make the argument that there's an ability aspect to it buy you can do the same for punching, head-movement, etc.

What im getting at, is these advancements in technique throughout the years:




To



Are not as important as boxing fans make them out to be.


It helps, but I think its just another attribute to a boxers arsenal.

[Boxed Ears]

Originally Posted by reznick

What im getting at, is these advancements in technique throughout the years:




To



Are not as important as boxing fans make them out to be.


It helps, but I think its just another attribute to a boxers arsenal.

I'm not sure there's much technique involved in just standing there and posing like that. They probably did that thousands of years ago on their own.

[WhataRock]

Originally Posted by Boxed Ears

I'm not sure there's much technique involved in just standing there and posing like that. They probably did that thousands of years ago on their own.

[eslubin]

I see what your sayin brother! lol

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYxoCwLiUbs[/ame]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[teeto]

Originally Posted by Boxed Ears

I'm not sure there's much technique involved in just standing there and posing like that. They probably did that thousands of years ago on their own.

Add to that that Roy Jones isn't the best example to use when discussing technique

[teeto]

Originally Posted by reznick

Yea I said it.



Skill and technique are great assets to a boxer, but people act like its the CORE of a boxers ability.



I was watching Friday Night Fights the other night, and one of Roach's fighters, Kayode, a great prospect was fighting some old white bald guy who looked like he had a belly.

This was supposed to be a match to give Kayode more spotlight. I was looking forward to seeing what he had in store for the boxing world. Watched the training footage of him, he looked awesome.

When the bell rung, the difference in technique of the two fighters were very appearant. Kayode with his guard up, stalking his prey, with short but fast movements. He looked like a machine. The other guy was basically using lateral movement side stepping the entire time with his hands down. Like a very poor imitation of Gene Tunney.


Well round by round, the old white guy was outjabbing and out timin Kayode. Kayode started getting frustrated, opening up more, but the other guy was landing all the meaningful punches and big exchanged, moving out JUST in time from Kayodes big punches. You could see it in the guys eyes, and his trainers were talking to him like it was a movie. You could tell this was the fight of this guys life.

Anyways the guy clearly won, got robbed, the decision got booed, and the trainers were swearing up and down.

This fight really opened my eyes to the fact that skills and technique are great assets, but they dont mean squat to the basics of distance judgement and timing.


Which is why I now seriously give any fighter a chance, past present future. Because their stance, and their style doesnt mean as much as the execution of the basics of one on one combat.

Any fighter has a chance, this is standard knowledge. Technique is big though, it shouldn't be understated, it has become even more apparent to me in recent times when we've seen an ancient Bernard Hopkins absolutely schooling the shit out of some of the top fighters in the world.

[Bokaj]

Technique is very important, but other factors of course also come into the equation. Range negotiation and timing for example. And then there are also those (like Benitez and Ali for example) that have this great sense of where they are, where their opponent's punches are and what they are going to do about it. This great handle of the situation even at its most hectic and intense.

Then there's also the ability to read the opponent, make him react to your feints but not react to his. Boxing is a very complex sport and there are many skills that doesn't fall readily in either of the "technique" or "abilities" brackets.

[AlFrancis]

Originally Posted by teeto

Any fighter has a chance, this is standard knowledge. Technique is big though, it shouldn't be understated, it has become even more apparent to me in recent times when we've seen an ancient Bernard Hopkins absolutely schooling the shit out of some of the top fighters in the world.

Perfect example!

[Bokaj]

Originally Posted by reznick

This fight really opened my eyes to the fact that skills and technique are great assets, but they dont mean squat to the basics of distance judgement and timing.

Doesn't mean "squat"? That's surely taking it way too far.

[Bokaj]

Which are the best examples of ring generalship and range negotiation triumphing over superior technique? Monzon?

[PowerPuncher]

Reznick you have allot to learn, Kayode has pretty terrible technique and sends a telegram to request acceptance for his punches arrival, telegraphing is not good technique my friend. Other things he does are pretty poor technique too and timing and use of distance are part of technique in any case

Technique is the most important thing in boxing and seperates a boxer from a bodybuilder

[PowerPuncher]

Originally Posted by Bokaj

Which are the best examples of ring generalship and range negotiation triumphing over superior technique? Monzon?

Monzon did not have that bad technique at all, best examples maybe Froch over Taylor, and Froch got schooled before Taylor gassed and Froch went for broke

[bodhi]

Originally Posted by Bokaj

Which are the best examples of ring generalship and range negotiation triumphing over superior technique? Monzon?

Ah, I wanted to mention him. Yes, Monzon is the prime example here. He wasn´t athletic, fast, overly powerful or particularly skilled. But he was an excellent judge of range, was very accurate and his timing was one of the best ever. He also always did what he wanted to do and never what you wanted him to do. I love watching his fights unfold.

On a lower scale Ottke was similar. Not fast, not powerful, not that skilled, strong or athletic but his judge of distance, his timing and accuracy is amongst the best of the last 30 years.

Interestingly both had great stamina too.