Every website I see credits Dutch Sam with inventing the uppercut, then referred to as the undercut. Is there any truth to this?
Trying to say the first time you saw something as basic as a punch was its first instance in reality in something as elemental as fist-fighting is more than a bit daft. What's more likely is he used the punch a lot.
He might have named it. Or been the first to legitimize it in organized fighting. But it’s hard to believe that in all of human history that he was the FIRST to figure out that a punch could be thrown in an upward motion
Didn't Ancient Greeks box during 8th century BC to around 400 CE? You're really telling me that during that time period not a single boxer was like "Hmm perhaps I should throw a punch with an upwards motion with my arm bent" All claims of "Inventor of *insert punch*" are dumb.
It's an ancient primal punch. I've seen kids with no training do sloppy uppercuts in street fights. As far as refining the uppercut with sharpness, timing, proper leverage, etc that's a different discussion.
Round by round report of Mendoza-Humphries on Sept. 29, 1790: 36. Mendoza struck Humphries in the face. Followed it up by an under blow. Humphries fell. 37. Closed. Humphries grasped Mendoza. Struck under blows with his right arm, and with his left at his body. Mendoza holding Humphries with his left, returned in the face, with his right hand; and Humphries being nearest the rails in this close contest, had his head hit against them, and fell. 46. Mendoza struck over Humphries's guard at his face. Humphries returned, and, being about to fall, Mendoza struck an under blow, before he could accomplish his purpose. [Some hissing, succeeded by clapping.]
