For those that have boxed?

Many things, lack of killer instinct, mental state before and during fight, lack of confidence, fear/too much respect of the opponents countering/finishing ability, they think they're doing just enough as it is (thats why we have cornermen, to tell us things we dont see in the heat of battle).

 

This.

 

It's like asking an offensive fighter who gets tagged too much why he doesn't start slipping and blocking punches more.

 

of the top of my head man (im a leeeetle bit drunk) I cant think, but im sure there have been many, (hell manies a time have I been screaming at the TV "Go after him, keep up the pressure! don't stand off GO!!!" or "GO!!GO!! YOU GOT HIM!! GO!"

I'm sure the others on ESB can name some off the top of their head.

JUST got one, Andreas Kotelnik, all the tools in the world, but his lack of workrate is criminal, cost him against Khan, cost him against Witter, even he admitted this, and they worked on it a lot against Alexander.


as for being able to rectify it... well killer instinct is hard to teach, actually impossible, (thats why its called instict). If a guy I was teaching had this problem, I would just constrantly drill in "Work, Work, Work, Work" day in day out, and make sure they never stop punching. The main thing to do is get them to accept that it's a problem then work on it from there, if he's a stubborn fighter who isn't willing to listen then you can't do anything IMO.

 

Probably afraid of getting countered

 

Interesting thread. I train both boxing and MMA and my trainer always says constant work rate on the floor is important as long as you don't fall into traps but it's easier to avoid traps as long as your mixing it up. Same with stand up, as long as your using your legs and moving the head.

BB made some great points.

Can it be fixed? Audley Harrison looked fantastic for a short time when he improved this. Unfortunetly, he got hit with a wonder shot by Sprott and went back into his shell. I think it can be fixed but the fighter has to work on it in training.

 

good shout, Clottey is another, too content to hide behing the guard and wait for the big opportunities.. but as you step up in class, those opportunities present themselves less and less, so the guy is left in a turtling shell getting outworked, and guys like that are so used to their style it's VERY hard to change at a late stage.

 

yea i believe work rates are important but for the most part i think the heavyweight division of today is not what it used to be, we need more animalistic fighters who have heart for example more lamotta's, marciano's and tyson's

 

hmmmmm, I would say stick them in with some really good sparring partners on defence, and tell them to keep going after them no matter what(the sparring partners are allowed to punch back of course, but top priority is defence), never stop punching, keep this up so long that come fight night, it's already built into their instinct to keep up the workrate

can't be done in a day, but if you drill it into them so much, it may change their attitude. and hopefully it becomes instinctive.