In-fighting - why is it so hard for people to appreciate?

I've immensely enjoyed Andre Ward's last two fights. There was a lot of grabbing and holding in these bouts with Green and Bika, but Andre was always busy in the clinches. Throwing combinations at short range and working the body. Wrestling to create openings for his short punches and to control his opponents offense, keeping his head on his guys chest and getting them up against the ropes. I also love to watch Bernard Hopkins fight like this. Ward's fights certainly can be boring, but against Green and Bika we saw some first class old-school in fighting. Especially against Bika because both guys were adept at that style so we got to see a rough inside battle for 12 rounds. It was the kind of fight you got back in the 20's, and I found it very entertaining.

 

I don't give a ****.

 

The clinching complaint is what I don't get. Yes, there is grabbing, but for the most part with Ward he's getting work done at the same time. No one wants to see two dudes just holding on to each other (likely some do, but you get the point), but when actual fighting is being done in the clinch I don't understand the problem people have. As for head-butts, I don't think Ward was too bad with his head against Green, and against Bika both men were fighting rough and both are adept at that kind of fighting so it was a level playing field. My biggest problem with Ward isn't with Ward, but with the officiating and judging in his fights. This is not Ward's fault, however.

 

There are different levels of in-fighting. Are you going to tell me that Dempsey or Duran were doing something wrong when they fought in the clinches? This is a style that has been used throughout the history of boxing, to great affect, by great fighters.

 

and how are you comparing in-fighting in boxing to UFC? In the UFC guys throw knees and elbows in clinches, or try to get a take-down, more often than throwing punches. And when they do throw punches on the inside, they use boxing technique.

 

I really don't agree. I think Ward is a tremendous in-fighter. I don't even think Tyson was a good in-fighter. Mid-range is where he got his work done. He wasn't the type to put his head in a guys chest. When he got close he got clinched and waited to be broken up.