1920-1940: The great era of modernisation of boxing technique

brilliant idea for a thread

i would agree with you the 20s-40s was a learning period for boxing technique however jack johnson was extremly skillfull in the 1900s

 

your probably more knowledgeable than me on boxing so thats about all ill say on it

 

I think punching technique stopped evolving to any major degree around the start of Joe Louis's era. Also, I think the more modern high guard started in the late 1920's or so, and that is still being changed and perfected.

 

I agree with this thread. I believe from around the late 30's to the early 40's was basically the start of the modern era from a technical standpoint, with certain pioneers helping it along beforehand.

 

I disagree.

It is not so much that you have got the wrong end of the stick but that you have focused on the stick and overlooked the tree.

Boxing is the sport where everything has happened before.

I think the biggest changes took place between 1860 and 1880. I also think that most aspects of what we call gloved boxing technique came allong before the widespread use of boxing gloves.

You could be forgiven for asuming that the introduction of gloves prompted the evolution of boxing technique but in many ways it was the other way round.

 

you cant say max bear or jess willard for example have the punch technique of say Wladimir Klitshko or Lamon Brewster

 

They easily have the technique of a Sam Peter though.

 

No but they were both particularly bad even by the standards of their own eras.

Before them you had guys like Joe Gans, Benny Leonard, and Mike Gibbons

 

Well Louis learned how to really punch from the great Jack Blackburn.
People used to compare Louis' punching technique to Joe Gans.
Joe Gans in turn refined his boxing technique from sparring with Fitzsimmons.
etc etc.......

The concept of leverage and force of a punch,are physical concepts and should have been familiar to even 18th century prize-fighters.

 

Unfortunately you cant get a complete DVD boxed set of Leonards fights today so we might not necisarily be seing his full repatoir.

You mention his low guard and that is one of the few areas where there has been a tangible change. Boxing manuals from 1900 recoment a low guard in order to defend against body punches better and you will noice that old timers adopt a higher guard when they go into a crouch because their body is protected by the crouch.

In all however I think that there is less diference in terms of technique between Jem Mace and Floyd Mayweather than there is between Jem Mace and Sam Hurst who he won the title from.