Any other tall fighters get annoyed at trainers for trying to turn them into Chris Algieri or something? The myth seems to be that all a tall amateur needs to do is use the ring, keep their distance, and jab and they'll win the fight. In bouts against decent opponents, I have legitimately NEVER seen this work. Here's why: -Amateur bouts are 3 rounds. You do not have the time to tire your opponent out by making him chase you for 12 rounds like professional oufighters do. -Amateur bouts are 3 rounds. Your opponent can simply bumrush you and pin you to the ropes for the entire bout if he wants to. -Nobody is scared of your jab, no matter how fast or solid it is. If you are a constant backpeddler your jab is nothing more than an annoyance. There are headgear and non-puncher gloves involved, so you aren't going to cut the guy or swell up his eye. -Judges (and spectators) reward aggression. Unless your opponent is totally inept, they will find a way to make it ugly and beat you. -Running away makes you MORE susceptible to being hit with a shot you can't see. Additionally, you're more likely to LOOK hurt or off-balance even when you aren't. -You are not going to expect to be hit. This means that when you are hit, it will surprise and/or buzz you. Look at any famous defensive fighter in the rare instance that they take a clean shot (Mayweather/Ward/Rigondeaux). -The fighter coming forward always has the advantage in a fast-paced fight. You simply cannot move back and lateral as quickly as your opponent can move forward, especially if they know how to cut off the ring. Truth: Using your height means what it sounds like. Take advantage of your attributes. -On the inside, you have the ability to overhook your opponent, maneuver his head, lean over him, and wrap bodyshots around his elbows. You can get low and come up into uppercuts. You can drop overhands from above. You have more leverage. YOU HAVE A MASSIVE ADVANTAGE ON THE INSIDE. -You can cover more ground with fewer steps, meaning you have an advantage when it comes to angling off your shorter opponent. -You have a reach advantage and can hit him a few times as he closes the distance. -You can pressure the opponent with your jab and long-range combos. They hurt more when you aren't running. Sorry for the rant. I've seen too many tall fighters ruined by coaches who assume tall=fast/weak/can't take a punch/can't hit hard.
The hardest punch I ever took was from a tall lanky bean pole. He was 6 ft 5, and 139 lbs. Funny fight. The video was basically me diving/lunging recklessly and punching mostly air. Frustrating fight to say the least. But that was a couple of years ago, before I knew how to cut off the ring and counter effectively. But yeah, tall guys can get a lot of leverage behind a punch, so the idea that tall n skinny guys don't hit hard is a myth.
Don't guys wear headgear anymore at all there? In Ontario, most amateur fights still have headgear. At each event, you might only have 3 or 4 bouts that have no headgear, for the "elite" class fighters. Not sure if it's the same elsewhere....
I'm more of an out fighter/counter puncher, or at least I try to be, so I usually have trouble when facing taller opponents. The one guy who has given me the most trouble was a guy at my gym that was less experienced and less skilled, but he was the more aggressive fighter. He kept coming forward and pressuring while utilizing his long reach. I had to switch up my style and try to get on the inside, which wasn't easy, but I did okay once I got there. However, that took a lot more energy than I'm used to expending and I got tired pretty quick. His cardio was a lot better than mine too. If you're a taller fighter with a significant reach advantage, I'd say having good cardio and an aggressive style can be pretty effective.
you've got to use the attributes you got to the highest advantage possible. If you're 6"6 fighting a guy who is 5"10, why would you want to fight on the inside knowing his best chance of catching you would have to be close up? The problem is it's not just the trainers fault, it's the boxers aswell if they haven't got the discipline or maybe the skill to box on the outside for the whole fight without getting dragged into a war. If you got a reach advantage, then use it. It doesn't mean you can't fight on the inside aswell, it just means that fighting on the inside would give your opponent more chance of beating you. it's harder for longer arms to fight on the inside, because on the inside it's all about quick, shorter punches.
