My last bout - feedback wanted

I think he stole it in the 3rd round, GP. He came out busier. You did look a little lethargic, were you tired that night? Also, I noticed that throughout, by his changing up the angles he was actually controlling the fight. You'd have a little exchange, and before you realized it he was somewhere else. There was one time, I think in the 2nd when you had him in a corner, but the ref stepped in before you could do real damage. I'd just say overall it was very close and the deciding round was the 3rd, the deciding factor was that he seemed to want it just a bit more than you did. You need to take control, you call the shots, you dictate the fight, even if that means just staying mobile, so that the other guy has to try and find you. But when you go to work you should really go to work.

On the plus side, I like the way your hook is coming off. It looks sharp. Kind of surprising 'cause I thought of you more as a one-two, long right cross kind of fighter; but maybe not. Another thing I like is you seem like a very tough kid. You don't mind mixing it up, not at all. Maybe you will develop into more of an inside scrapper, is that possible? I get the feeling you have that in you. Might be what's missing. I guess you're on the tall side for your weight, and that would seem to give you an advantage on the outside, but I don't know. Bottom line, I think, is maybe you need to experiment a bit more with different ways of facing different styles. I know you work hard, but maybe you need to work a little smarter. Just my first blush reaction, GP. Hope it's of some help. Hang in there, little brother.

 

I think you are way more talented than that kid. Tougher too. Looks to me like you have a lot of untapped talent. But what if your life depended on it? Would you have fought differently? It seems to me that is often the difference in a fight, in life in general. Did you feel that way, that you had it all over this kid? Sometimes that can be a hindrance instead of a plus, because we can end up doing only as much as we think we need to. I have no doubt that if you really want this you have all the prerequisites to make some noise.

 

Don't know if this will relate, GP, but heard a story about Benny Goodman, the great jazz clarinet player. When Frank Sinatra was young and starting out, he worked in Benny's band. Frank was a great student of musicians. He made it sound effortless, but he was a workhorse. Anyway, he used to watch Benny run the scales and work on his chops at the end of a day of rehearsals. After all the other guys in his band had left for the day, Benny would be running the scales. One night Frank walked over to him and said, "Benny, I just have to ask you something. You're the best at what you do, nobody can touch what you do, so then why do you work so hard, why do you practice long after everyone has already gone home?"

Benny said, "Because none of us are at are best on every night. But when I have a bad night, at least I'm still better than everybody else." Somehow, I hope that might relate to what you're doing Greg.

 

You started off using footwork in the beginning but then you started plodding while still being able to use defensive footwork at times. You don't have to resort to slugging try to box more in your next fight though I know you said you didn't feel sharp. Here's hoping you're 100% next time. Keep it up Greg! I wish I had fights but shouldn't fight until the end of summer but in the meantime I go to my gym about two times a week. I was sick last tuesday so I toke last week off.

 

For what its worth,
First round was your best round. You boxed smart for the most part with exception of a few mistakes which ulitmately cost you the round. You moved away from his left hand, but your still leading straight in too much in my opinion. You seem to have the height advantage in most of your fights, why not use it?
The second and third round were back to squared up amatuer fighting. He just waited for you to come in and landed the cleaner shots. You dont want to win fights just outslugging a guy, you want to win a fight boxing like you did in the first round. Try and hold back more, let your opponent come forward try and establish that distance, and then you can start putting more punches together. Try throwing a straighter jab and doubling it up, your jab looked more like a hook and missed a lot. Start with simple boxing and moving, you looked good up on your toes moving to your left and side to side, not backing straight up. If you want to lead like that move in at an angle in the direction you were going with that straight right, so he cant hit you and you can hit him. Dont move stop and then go straight in with your punches.
Remember most of these guys your fighting throw a one two and then wide hooks in close. Its really easy to outsmart them with simple boxing. All in all very good first round, best youve looked in my opinion when you were boxing and moving, just think about lateral movement, distance, and punch selection. You were throwing the straight right which is good against the southpaw, but imagine if you had him coming to you, how much easier it is to land that shot, then you come back with the lefthook and take off to the left.
Again for whats its worth, practice being more relaxed and boxing smart in the gym, using your height and making your opponent come to you. Good effort, you did some nice things in the first round!

 

Agree with Lefthook and a few more things, double up the jab occasionally against the lefties and more head movement and parrying to offset his backhand.

 

Isn't that the same southpaw you faced last time?