If the shoulder roll is so great, why doesn't everyone use it?

you have to have impeccable timing and reflexes to pull it off...one miss step and its lights out.....

 

Check out those two consecutive right hand counters off the shoulder roll against DLH, the second one buckleing DLH's shoulder. In that sequence you can see how insanely close PBF can time his punches. It's crazy.

 

Not many boxers use it because many boxers don't know how to use it correctly. It takes great balance, ring awareness, and body awareness to use the shoulder roll right. Use it wrong, and you get KTFO.

Floyd Mayweather Jr and James Toney are masters of the shoulder roll.

 

Toney is rubbish. I will never understand the hype that man receives.

The shoulder-roll is, as other people mentioned, very difficult to do. If you don't know what you're doing, you expose yourself for clear shots down the middle that could tag your chin. Even Floyd, who is clearly a master of the technique, can occasionally get caught with shots down the middle -- Marquez's only flush punches were right hands down the pipe, Judah's biggest landed punch was the straight-left that stunned Floyd, and recently, one of Mosley's big punches landed was the straight-right. It's because you lean back when in the shoulder-roll stance, and so if someone feints or throws you off your timing with a jab before unleashing with the straight, you risk getting caught badly, while leaning back. It's a tribute to Floyd's excellent balance and conditioning that he's never been dropped when hit in that position, because it would be very easy to fall.

The shoulder-roll also takes excellent timing, which is a very underrated aspect of boxing and combative sport in general. Timing can conquer even great speed. Nearly all the greatest fighters have a fine sense of timing. The shoulder-roll requires high level timing, because you need to sway WITH the blow, almost as if you become one with the incoming shot, and when you do this you soak up the impact force and redirect it away, opening the other guy up for a counter. Another issue with the shoulder-roll is that it can feel more restrictive than the normal guard or carrying the lead low -- it's because in the shoulder-roll, your front arm is normally bent in a sort of 'L' position, and this would make lead arm punches feel a bit more awkward than the orthodox guard. Floyd does it so well because he's spent years being conditioned to it, but any new guy trying to use it would instantly feel a bit odd firing punches with the lead hand.

 

Floyd can do it purely because he's got freakish lateral movement. He can pivot and throw that lead while getting more extension and speed. I think that's what throws guys off. They're conditioned to think you're not supposed to be able to do that and it always throws them off.

Hater, fan, or not you gotta admit he's got his **** down.

 

BECAUSE ...Its so hard to do correctly...........

 

The shoulder roll is the only thing that's kept Anthony Mundines chin from getting checked again, which he picked up after spending some time with Floyd Snr.

 

Because only Floyd jr can do it to perfection, there is no other fighter in history who does it better.

 

Cotto gets popped up side the head everytime he tries to use it. See pac fight for latest evidence

 

I saw him attempt it. He got punched in the face twice. Then the ref warned him to protect himself at all times, again.

 

Astute post :thumbsup

 

James Toney is a natural born beast. Yeah he is old and out of shape now, but he is VERY athletic. Don't let his old man physique fool you. :deal

 

It's got nothing to do with any of teh three things you mentioned, you idiot.

 

I also think it requires a defensive mind-set. Someone like Pacquiao who is very offensive minded would probably never care to try or develop this defense. Just imagine yourself doing the shoulder roll, you're in a defensive position waiting to do counter punches. If that's not your style, then forget it. Floyd is a more of defensive boxer than an offensive boxer in my opinion. His offense comes from his defense.

 

Aka spot fighters.