Getting caught cold

JMM vs Pac
There are so many slow starters. Theres no excuse tho. Once the fight starts every boxer needs to be ready.

 

I think part of getting caught cold has to do with the fact that they simply haven't adjusted to the opponents speed and movements in the ring. Some guys you just can't prepare for until you're in the ring with them.

 

Idk, most of it is in the neck length and structural and muscular strength around the neck, the shorter your neck the better your chin, usually. And if you train your neck heavily the muscles would be able to stabilise the neck and head more when getting punched so the head doesnt get shaken up as much, GGG is a perfect example, he had monstorous neck muscles, his neck is pretty short and he tucks his chin and tenses his neck muscles throughout most of his fights

 

Good thread. I don't know tbh. I just think it's the way some guys are wired. They're vulnerable early but once they're down they seem to spring to life. MMA equivalents would be Eddie Alvarez and Dan Henderson.

 

Its tricky, because fighters CAN get caught cold. It happens, they are humans, nor robots. But should that be too common an occurrence, it's not getting caught cold, it's getting caught period.

 

Calzaghe towards the end of his career especially got caught cold(although not always legally) but showing his sublime recooperative skills and ability to adapt. Tyson Fury also seems prone. But I think this is due to arrogance and chin problems than what's been laid down in this thread.

 

Great thread!

I think there can be different reasons for this:

1. Being reckless (early Wlad). Pre-Steward Wlad was caught cold twice - the first time it was against Steve Pannel, where he recovered from knockdon and knocked Pannell out very soon and the second one was against Corrie Sanders, who didn't lost his opportunity being far more skilled and smarter fighter than Pannell.

2. Being naturally slow starter (Derevyanchenko, Jack). Two best examples, in my opinion, are Michael Grant and Andrew Golota. Golota was knocked down 2 times by Lewis, 3 times by Brewtser, 2 times by Austin (although referree mistakenly counted ony one KD) and 1 time by Adamek in the first round. He was also badly hurt by Kevin McBride in the first round. Grant was knocked down 2 times by Golota (who was a slow starter himself), 3 times by Lewis, was knocked down hard in just two secoonds by Jameel McCline. Hell, even Wallace McDaniel managed toi knock him down in the first round.

 

This in a nutshell. I'm sure JMM said after the first Pac fight that in the first round, he could see Pac's left cross coming, but it was just 'longer' than he expected, i.e. Pac kept catching him when he thought he was out of range. After that he began to make the adjustments and it was a different fight.

 

Tito was another one I remember who seem to catch the canvas early in a fight sometimes, overconfidence maybe?

 

One thing to note on is, a lot of boxers enter the first couple of round with the intention to 'feel' the opponents. Just getting range and rhythm. But that tactic CAN get you dropped if the other guys is starting faster and more aggressive.

 

Pac is the poster child for an opponent not being quite ready for his incoming. Look at Marquez, Keith etc. Look at Ricky, he got caught cold and never even got a chance.

 

The king of getting caught cold in big fights has to be Andrew Golota

 

The opponent is the most fast and powerful at the beginning of the fight. So, you need to be razor sharp and fully concentrated as well.

 

Marquez said in the first fight that Pacquiao's left hand was so fast that he did not see the punch coming. But since it was a straight left hand right down the pike Pac couldn't get any hip rotation on it and wasn't landed with devastating power. Just the sheer the speed of it caught Marquez and he went down 3 times. The third knockdown Marquez said that he saw the punch coming, but could not get his gloves up in time to block the shot.

Once he was able to measure Pacquiao's speed and movements and hit him his right hand he was able to neutralize a lot of what Pac was doing.

You also have to keep in the mind the fact that back at 126 pounds Pacquiao was lightening fast. It's not like he was in the 3rd of 4th fights where he much slower and easier to time.