And the fight tonight displayed that. It was the same thing with cotto for the majority of his career. I don't understand it. How is one of the most important tools in all of boxing so widely ignored by supposed world class corner's? The fact that Cotto went his whole career with a HOF resume filled with hard punchers...while virtually never clinching sans the last margarito fight, is amazing in itself. Juanma much like earlier cotto, has the same problem of too much heart for his own good + inept corner. You can not be a boxer/puncher/brawler in this game and not know how to clinch when you are hurt...its a cardinal sin. I hope PR trainers can take a page out of Cuban's books and start emphasizing the importance of angles/holding. Juanma has huge thick legs that have somehow kept him up in the first salido fight and that hellfight with mtagwa, I have no doubt that if he simply implemented clinching into his game, he would benefit hugely. I know, I know. "BUT DERP, JUANMA WAS A KO WAITING TO HAPPEN. HE HAS NO DEFENSE" That may be true, but dont underestimate the amount of difference being able to get your breath back for a couple seconds is in a diehard sport like boxing, WHILE forcing your opponent to reset their offense. Just look at Bernard Holdkins career lasting until 46 frickin years old. Clinching = longevity in this sport. Period. There are just way too many skilled, super talented fighters out there today that have local cornermen for years, that when they reach the elite level of opposition, simply cannot elevate their fighter's to the next level.
I haven't watched the fight yet.....but I agree in general, it seems boxers nowadays are ONLY concerned with Offense..... When they meet someone who gets the better of them offensively they are completely stuck, knowing how and when to clinch and smother is paramount imo. But to be frank I always thought Juanma was lacking in defense and with his weight issues I never thought he could really afford to take unecessary punishment but what do I know?
Clinching takes out the excitement out of fights if done excessively, and there was some clinching in tonight's Great fight, it wasn't like the Marquez vs Diaz fight where they had NO CLINCHING AT ALL, the ref had to separate Salido and Lopez a few times over 10 times actually, I don't remember one single time where Diaz and Marquez got in a clinch. That was another all out war.
