What fighters would you recommend beginners to study?

If you were a boxing trainer and you had your students study certain fighters for beginners which fighter would you use as an example for Boxing 101? What fighters would you have your students watch videos to study their form and technique if you want to teach them the basics?

 

Some of the classic mexican boxers like Ricardo Lopez, Salvador Sanchez, Juan Manuel Marquez. Very technically sound and do very little wrong.

 

Somebody from 90s-now only the mid/high level fighters from each division

 

Alot of new coaches will likey tell their students to study Canelo Alvarez these days. Dmitry Bivol is a also a good one to learn from currently.

I'd say Oscar De La Hoya is good to analyse however he himself watched a lot of Alexis Alleguro. Sugar Ray Leonard as well to watch for flair and speed. Early Joe Louis is also great his jabs and right crosses were excellent. Larry Holmes for his left jab.

Essentially you want to watch a great boxer who will lead with their left hand and work the body effectively.

 

I don’t think you could go wrong with Ricardo Lopez if you’re taller, Emile Griffith if you’re about average height and Canto as a shorter man. Being like each of those guys regardless of height honestly won’t get you in trouble. When you learn to think then you can watch lesser fighters with there good ideas and try and steal them while knowing the danger. If you can stomach envy watch Jose Napoles and forget the rest…

 

You go straight to Archie Moore and Locche.

 

Depends if they’re short, tall, medium height. I always say watch Floyd for defense and jab feints. Holyfield or Usyk for controlling distance. Depends what you’re teaching I guess.

 

Shoulder roll is a very unique defense though, not everyone could master it. I remember seeing Plant and Broner try and replicate it and fail miserably.

As I said earlier the basic stance and guard of Marquez Sanchez, Lopez, are good starting points to learn the basic fundamentals and techniques.

 

I would make them watch my HD DVD career set of Harry Greb.

 

Every fighter should learn to tuck their chin into their chest. Day one. More specifically their lead shoulder. Drives me nuts that so many people fail to do so. Even seasoned pros just leaving their chin out there. Mainly watching Floyds everything is a positive. But yes to master the philly shell takes time. But basics to start everyone u named seems great to me. Canelo or Delahoya are great starting points as well.

 

Show a bunch of different styles. Give some variety.

 

Evander Holyfield's fundamentals are textbook. There is/was a video on YT of him shadow boxing at the Church St. gym in NYC when he is older and his shadow boxing is like a "how to" book. The guy interviewing him mentions how precision the shadow boxing was and Holyfield tells him that a fighter should look good shadow boxing, "if you can't look good fighting air, how are you going to look good fighting an opponent?" Holyfield maintains his technique in a fight too.

There are plenty of other textbook fighters, but it's probably easier to see from a heavyweight.

 

I have to second the popular Mexican fighters sentiment. There's only going to be one Nicolino Locche or Floyd or Whittaker. Barrera, Morales, Chavez, Marquez. Some of the more complete top level fighters out there. Jab, counterpunching, body work, grit, solid footwork offensively and defensively. I think Holyfield and Canelo are good examples as well of things that you should aim to replicate. I don't think any fighter perfectly leveraged his punches as well as Evander, and that kind of backs up the "punchers are born, not made" sentiment. He had every technical and pharmacological advantage but wasn't putting the top guys away at HW. Once you have a good idea about stance, basic punches, foot movement, guard, head movement, then you can specialize your style further--usually as you accumulate fights.

 

Great point…HWs would be more viewable, easier to track with the eyes.

All depends on the physical tools and natural strengths but I personally would love to be able to exactly replicate Louis’ punching technique and nuanced practices in support of his overall game.

A lot could be gleaned even from Liston’s sound execution of the fundamentals.

Unless he’s been mentioned already, Alexis Arguello (mini Louis?,LOL) would be another easy view boxer/puncher to observe and learn from.

PS - I’ll add Zora Folley, very textbook and very effective when on his game. Apparently modelled himself on Joe Louis. No disrespect to Zora but I’ll call him Joe Louis Lite - essentially a compliment to Louis, not at all a criticism of Zora.

 

George Foreman..that’s if you’re big, ridiculously strong with an ungodly powerful punch in the first place. If you don’t happen to fulfil this initial criteria, then scratch this advice.