For those who don't want to scour through 19th century boxing manuals, here are two modern martial artists demonstrating the way that Sullivan, Mace & Co. threw the jab and right hand: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgDWruigs-g[/ame]
A Bit harder?? I heard one time, Sullivan can kill bulls with his bare hands. That he parted the mississippi river in 2, and walk on water. I also heard he decaption some fighter, and his head landed in the 3rd row lol. The Kilts have nothing on John L.
This kind of reminds me of Karate.....interesting, but imo pretty useless against combination punchers in modern boxing.
This, while well replicated, is just a small portion of a Bare-Knucklers general attitude (Stance/Guard) and style. It demonstrates a basic drill of straight punches and 'stopping' but includes no barring (arm wrapped around the side and belly), switching stances, round blows, throwing the head back, or describes any of the unique blows one from that era would use such as a 'chopper' (back handed slice). The main problem in showing London Prize Rule combat seems to be the 'stiffness' of it. Feinting was completely essential back then and thus such demonstrations do not inform an observer of how one would conduct their self in a real fight. Such drills were used just to make defences against each punch on each side habitual. Going off Mendoza's style of fighting we have an ambidextrous, cross-armed whippet whom was rarely still and punched in two's and three's. That the Bare-Knuckle era is somewhat buried underneath a misconception of primitive teachings is a huge understatement. Factoring in the wrestling techniques, many of these men would have proven hell for many of the best MMA fighters today.
And as a foot-note, gloves were always recommended. This practise would not have been done for a scholar bare-fisted.
Fights begin standing up, lest we forget, and then a MMArtist would have a job of trying to ground the Bare Knuckle fighter. That ground game is an advantage is a given, but to suggest a fighter used to such rough tactics would be out of sorts is surely an unfair view. Many MMA fights are won when standing and consequently the Bare-Knuckler's had many ways in which they could, themsleves, throw a man to the floor. Could be interesting.
Its effectiveness probably depends on the glove size, but I agree: it's oriented toward single shots. As Ted_Spoon points out, though, combination punching goes back to Mendoza. The boxing style that I posted appears to have "won" the style-vs-style wars by the mid 19th century.
Fitz's approach was weird and highly unorthodox. By the time we reach Jeffries, the style you see on the Youtube video had already mutated into something halfway between this and modern boxing. Fitz's style: http://books.google.com/books?id=OD...&resnum=1&ved=0CAkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false