Origins of the Shoulder Roll Defense

In this article by Gordon Marino, he states that the shoulder roll defense can be traced back to Jersey Joe Walcott, Archie Moore and Sugar Ray Robinson. Mayweather Jr. credits the Detroit gyms, Floyd Sr. credits Bob Tucker, Tony Tucker's father, and Roger Mayweather credits "Dale and Mitch in Kalamazoo."

I'm skeptical that the shoulder-roll defense can't be traced back to earlier in the century. I can't place when I first saw it though. Perhaps it evolved from a combination of older fighter's style? Who were the first masters of it? Any insight would be appreciated.

 

If a fist is flying at your nose, putting your shoulder in front of it seems a vast improvement. I also think it should have popped up somewhere sooner.

 

Sam Langford used something similar to the shoulder roll.

 

I am pretty sure I have seen film where Langford comes forward looking like James Toney. All those fighters in the 20 used it. Every film I have seen at any length shows them rolling. I watch Demspey-Flirpo and Dempsey was rolling.

Great question

 

The Battling Siki vs McTigue fight has McTigue rolling the shoulder all day. It's not so new.

 

This thread brings a lump to my throat. Learned the shoulder roll from SRR 'n "ol Bones," Joe Brown at Stillman's Gym in the '40s. Worked like a charm for me right from the gitgo...Couldn't wait for an opponent to take the bait.

 

I guarantee that it was used in the bare-knuckle era.

 

I was going to give a shout out to Ol' Bones Brown as a practitioner from an earlier era, but JG beat me to it ... which is fitting, since I'm going off film and he learned it first-hand from ATGs.

 

I know that Joe Gans employed it against Dave Holly in their 1906 lightweight title fight.

 

William Sheriff employed the double shoulder roll in his bare knuckle fights. Not only the greatest of physical specimens, he was highly scientific.

 

I wonder if he took it from Fitz. Bob was known for catching shots with his shoulders. And Holly, now that's a guy I wanted to see. Must have been a terrific fighter.

 

What the **** is a double shoulder roll

 

One of the many reasons why 1880's boxers would destroy today's pale imitations and the sole domain of the great William Sherriff.

I have a daguerreotype of him demonstrating the maneuver in 1878. Astounding.

 

Probably the Greeks. I'm not sure it would work in the Roman era with the caestus. You'd just hurt your shoulder.

 

The Appalachian Kid died attempting a triple shoulder roll in his hometown of Fresno, circa 1887.