Are Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes the two most technically gifted Heavyweights ever?

That was a bit part of it for sure. He didn't lose composure or get overconfident either which was pretty confident. The way he stifled the Tyson offense was utterly brilliant even if a bit negative.

 

Yeah, not the prettiest fight you'll ever see, but a masterclass nonetheless.

 

Absolutely.

 

I don't think you know how punching works. When you throw an uppercut, lowering your hand even just an inch stretches the front three segments of the delt, and pulls the hand away from the centre of gravity. Having the hand follow the body instead of the other way around emphasises the Serape Effect - the rotation of the rhomboids, serratus and obliques, which are pre-stretched and snapped back. The Serape Effect is what causes the snap on your punches, and having the hand behind the motion of the body creates tension in the muscles and adds to it.

This applies to the circling motion Louis did before he throws his cross, to the Inoue's hooks to the body lagging behind his hips as throws them. From Tyson or Lomachenko twisting at the waist before throwing a hook off an uppercut. Ali's uppercut - specifically the one in the vid - was simply another use of a major creator of leverage in the human body.

In fact, the very idea you'd throw an uppercut without lowering the hand you'd thrown it with is mental. For a start, if you had a high guard, and didn't low your hand, it'd go flying over their headguard. Not to mention how crucial it is for ensuring actual good technique. An uppercuts key is the path it takes. A punch needs a clear start and end point, and to take the most efficient path from one to the other. But you need to have your hand in position to throw an uppercut, which funnily enough, is usually lower down.

 

I think Ali's fundamental game is misunderstood. He may have broken some rules, but he certainly followed a lot of them. His punching form is actually very good IMO. Sure, it's unorthodox, but it's unorthodox for a fighter to be in the positions that Ali often found himself in. Ali simply used whatever was needed. Sometimes, when you're ducking with your hands down and back against the ropes, a winding uppercut from the outside is your best option. Or when your arm is protecting your body, flicking your jab out rather than snapping it is probably more efficient.

That being said, Ali did often put himself in bad positions and suffered because of it, so I do agree he isn't great technically, but I don't think it's a bad question.

 

GC, you've grown from a Padawan to a Jedi.... Cheers....

 

Your statement reminds me of the brilliant and almost unbeatable 200m and 400m legend Michael Johnson.
His running style is all wrong they said, he needs to run like everyone else they said… before MJ won everything there was to win at world level with that strange, upright style of his.

Let’s not confuse good fundamentals with technical superiority.
Sporting genius is a very individual thing. Sometimes it is this so called “lack of technique” that is a form of technical brilliance in itself.

If ya know what I mean!

 

I honestly think at that point once he felt a few he wasn't bothered. Then to go along w how long he had been "Chasing Tyson" as the doc is titled, bcuz of Tyson's issues sure the frustration was brewing within him. Like said, he did keep composure n countered brilliantly thru the rough housing.

 

I think it was his way of getting even bcuz Tyson definitely fouled opponents too. Outside of the rough play, he pivoted then countered Tyson brilliantly. I really love the fight more than I should lol.

 

I agree with you. Muhammad has always been my favourite boxer and his "Lack of technique" indeed turned into genius and improvisation. I've also been a long time admirer of Michael Johnson. A brilliant runner and superb pundit.

 

I think Holyfield had the most effective and hard to spot dirty tactics of anyone around his era. He was a master of subtle dirtiness. Tyson tho was no angel as you say. He used to get his head underneath in close on a consistent basis tho that was pretty predictable via being shorter all the time.

 

Yeah but the Holy warrior did have very overt headbutts at times ask Rahman lol. Tyson also threw in elbows.

 

Ali hardly did a thing technically right in the ring- What are you watching?

 

He threw some beautiful uppercuts in Manila off the ropes.

 

You don't just drop your hand when you throw an uppercut, you drop your entire level a bit so as you rotate your hips and shoulders you can also drive up with your legs, this is what Tyson did with his 6-4, he used the right hook to the body to lower his level and drop his opponent's guard

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Usyk actually has pretty poor technique, he doesn't move after he punches or really cover up that well, Cus probably wouldn't let him in the ring until he shaped up

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A universe of difference, although Tyson lets his head up on a couple of the combos when he rips hooks to the head, Cus would have got on him for that

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