Fighters that closely studied potential opponents

Zelko Marovich stated in a boxing artical that i have that he trained for Lewis for several years. He became on of Lewis's toughest title defense's and made it some what of a close fight. That guy was very underrated and its a shame that he couldn't continue with his career after that fight. Not becuase of the punches he took, but becuase of his diet and sacrafices. He was a vegetarian.

 

Leonard "studied" Hagler.

 

Fritzie Zivic always knew how to frustrate a given opponent.

 

Yup, I remember Zeljko Mavrovic mentioning in a few interview that he had planned a Lewis fight "for years". Nice to have a hobby!

I'd like to think most fighters would have the brains to study their opponent well. I know Tommy Virgets and Tommy Morrison watched tapes of Foreman-Ali and Foreman-Young on almost constant rotation during his training for the Morrison-Foreman '93 fight.

Harold Knight, allegedly without any input from the nominal trainer Pepe Correa, took Lewis aside and watched tapes with him of Razor Ruddock fighting. This was where they picked up on Ruddock's long left jab to the body, and planned this as a counter-punch opportunity, which paid off in a big way.

Holyfield's preperation for Tyson was reportedly fanatical in detail. Holyfield had been dreaming and preparing to fight Tyson for so long he had mentally fought the fight hundreds of times in his head. Amusingly, Holyfield later said the only thing he didn't expect was a right hand to begin things from Tyson and got a little shaken up by it, heh.

 

Sugar Ray Leonard
Max Schmeling

 

These are both great picks.

Schmeling was an extremely intelligent fighter from this very standpoint. He rarely went into the ring unprepared. As a child, Schmeling was inspired to learn how to box from seeing clips of men like Dempsey. He loved to sudy fighters, particularly potential foes very closely.

 

The last fight you mentioned, Tyson/Holyfield, I could see Holyfield preparing for Tyson like you described, he knew coming into the Heavyweight division he would have to go threw Tyson eventually to gain the fan recognition, it's just too bad the fights took place in 96'97, and not 90', 91.

 

B-HOP studied Tito "inside out" knowing one day he would fight Trinidad..


obviously he studied well:yep

 

A few others not mentioned;

Steve Collins against Eubank in their first fight.

Hearns against Cuevas

Lewis against Ruddock

Mike Spinks against Holmes

Foster against Tiger

these are the type where 1 guy did all his homework and preperations and the other guy showed up like it was just another fight.

 

Sugar Ray Leonard was an expert at studying opponents looking for signs of wear. You might say it shaped his career.

 

...........It might be more appropriate to ask which world-class fighters didn't closely study their opponents. They may not always have had film, but study comes in many forms.

 

I concur with those who mention Max Schmeling. Give him one thing, he was intelligent and astute in studying Joe Louis, and he "saw somezing", capitalized on it and fearlessly executed a brilliant strategy to ko the man who scared the hell out of and demoralized his opponents up to then before he even laid a glove on them.

 

Norton studied Ali.

 

Eddie Futch studied Ali.