The ability to clinch and hold, is an important skill.

That's the thing, the real skill lacking today is on the part of the referee.
Now, when it's broken up, as it should be, like in Khan/Peterson, everyone acts like the ref was slanting the fight away from the clincher. That was a good ref job, people just aren't used to seeing it.

 

:deal

 

You mean like your hero Alexander? How about Lewis/Tyson, Lewis/Tua, Ali, Holmes, you name it. Haters are blind with hate.......................Klitschkos are the very best, very skilled, stay in shape and do not trash talk...............

 

I think referees should (and should have in the past) act more on it.

It's not allowed, but has been allowed by referees trough the ages.
Ali made it a into a skill to smother and tyre inside fighters and eventually has led to Ruiz kinda types.

Treat all fighters the same, and deduct points by repeating.

Ward
Hopkins
Khan
Ali
lewis
Wlad
Holmes
Ruiz
etc. etc...

All holders, some excessive. Some holders/hitters, some complete spoilers or worse. And Wlad is one of the least big examples on this list.

 

Holding is a ugly spoiling skill which, detracts from the beauty of Boxing but is tactically brilliant at times.

 

Clinching and holding are ugly but you need to be one hell of a fighter to be successful without those skills in your bag of tricks.

 

Khan should learn it. All he does is push his opponent away or cover up which ends with him taking unnecessary punishment.

 

I agree, a fight can greatly be influenced by whether or not a referee allows the punch-grab style.. Ruiz made a career of it, Hops has used this forever. It's the same as elbows, high trunks, turning your back to a fighter, ducking too low, measuring with your jab,etc...

To me though they are all spoil tactics, and it hurts the "honest" fighters who don't fight with a he did it I'm gonna do it attitude.. I guess the rules are made to be broken saying is true.

 

Very true. Some referees have a zero tolerance for holding. Others don't seem to care a dam about it.

 

I understand that clinching is sometimes necessary, but I despise anyone that continously uses holding as a tactic for the whole fight. Excessive holding is just plain out ***** tactics. It's definately a black eye on the sport.

 

..and it's something a good referee can control provided they make a point of keeping on top of it.

 

not every chance you get but it is important to have in your arsenal.