I Should Have Trained Tommy Loughran

Fluke stoppage or fluke win?

 

What’s so great about it, in your opinion?

 

I don't think their overall records at the weight suggest Sharkey getting the win was a fluke.

 

Not the win but the stoppage. Loughran was only stopped three times in 126 bouts and one of those stoppages was early in his career from a broken rib. He was durable and slippery as hell. That being said his record against heavyweights is damn good for a guy who turned pro at about 150 pounds and was nearly a decade into his career when he started fighting them. He holds a win over almost every heavyweight that beat him.

 

Not sure why people hate on "pawing" jabs. For over 100 years fighters have used this method effectively from Loughran to Ali to Lewis to Wlad to Mayweather. You think they just do it because they are idiots?

You try shooting a straight snappy power jab at a moving target for 12 rounds every single time and we'll see how successful you are. Sometimes just sticking your glove in someone's face can disrupt their timing, help your timing, prevent an opening, create distance, mask a power punch...etc.

I think I stressed before. It's better and more productive to learn from these guys than to proclaim ourselves armchair experts and critique them. Chances are, they know better than us as to why they did the things they did in the ring.

 

Absolutely. Loughran is a legend. A lineal LHWChampion, a lineal HW title challenger, A Hall of Famer, a universally recognized all time great. His record suggests he knew what he was doing. His only road block to a two division Championship was his unluck in facing an 80 pound weight difference.

 

The other issue is that full speed is just one speed, and if you're always punching at the same speed then it's easier to time.

 

Except you're nuts

 

You should train Johnny B.

 

I am sure that Tommy Loughran would have been very grateful for your insights, but he guided himself to the lineal lightheavyweight title, without any intervention on your part!

Since he is now beyond your help, perhaps your time would be better spent, developing a stable of champions of your own!

 

Very good post.

 

Absolutely.

A pawing jab, is essentially a nuisance jab.

It confuses the opponent, and makes it harder for them to play their own game.

Usky is an example of a modern fighter, who has been very successful with this tactic.

It lands with less authority, but it makes it hard for the other guys to do what they are trying to do!

 

This. Also, he was instrumental in Harold Johnson’s career, who himself also became an excellent light heavyweight

 

Spot on.

 

His ability to control the distance with jab, his variation of this punch and his timing. Combined that with his excellent footwork and you have extremely good defensive fighter who could shut down most attacks.