What is the scientific reasoning behind this old but efficient advice? How does punches to the liver/kidneys/ribs of an opponent "wear down his legs"? I could see how body shots could negatively affect the breathing rhythm of the fighter taking the punches as the muscles of the diaphragm and the intercoastal muscles of the core play a big part in breathing.
The core muscles and abdominals are extremely tough muscles, especially the ones of professional boxers so they typically don't get damaged even from the hardest of punches but the organs, the liver, the kidneys, the ribs BENEATH those core muscles can get damaged severely from precise shots. So I don't think body punches take away from the core's ability to transfer force from legs to upper body in punches, I've been hit with pretty hard shots to the body and the only ones that really did damage were the ones that landed straight on my solar plexus, those punches did stun me and paralyzed my nervous system and breathing for a good 30 seconds.
That's what this thread is all about brother. Hopefully some of the great boxing minds on this site chime in on this topic with their knowledge of the sweet science. But I see what you're saying, just like you, I've never personally experienced hard body punches taking away from my legs and ability to move in my 5 years of amateur boxing. Maybe in Pro matches where they fight for 12 Rounds, body punches wear a fighter's stamina down over the course of a long fight due to the breathing muscles of the core tightening up from absorbing constant shots.
You ever been hit well to the body? It can hurt like all **** and stop you in your tracks. Outside of a badly broken nose or jaw supremely painful and possibly more debilitating. But it also seems to me that against some guys you can unload to the body and they brush it off... and at the end of the day you have wasted all your effort on less eye-catching shots and leaving yourself open to dramatic counters.
