The all things technical thread.

I think Ike was a good few years older than advertised. He was a remarkable physical specimen, I've never seen a guy that size & shape able to move & punch like he could. Remarkable stamina, a solid chin & good power, its such a shame things turned out how they did.

Other than Lewis I wouldnt fancy anyone else around at that time against Ike.

 

With regards to intelligence, the major traits of talent is the ability to take on and master information quickly. Now some sportsman are thick as pig ish when it comes to classroom work. Put them in a sporting environment where there motivated and they learn and jump stages in there learning. There able to perform aspects/skills very quickly.

So intelligence academically doesn't mean a great deal, it's a sporting intelligence that's needed. A ability to make rapid decisions, understand why, when and how to do something. A lot of it is muscle memory but you gotta also have ring smarts and what's great about Bradley and Ward is there young guys with old heads. They've worked and understood and taken on board ability to manage fights.

Like a experienced footballer who's teams down to 10 men with 75 to go there not gonna chase a ball there not gonna get in opponents half and expand energy. A boxer who's comfortable in the ring and is thinking will always do well. A large majority of sport is mental. The top guys, the elite's can also use there physical side to edge out there peers.

To judge talent, ask a fighter to perform a punch they've never done before or a combination. 9 times out of 10 the talented ones will pick it up quicker because there can take on board info quicker and adjust. Some talented fighters peak later due to maybe late development physically or mentally.

With regards to likes of Toney as Slip mentioned, he was a top college athlete i believe correct me if i'm wrong but he played Gridiron. So once again he had a talent and his athleticism in his early days and sporting intelligence made him successful as a fighter. Also he's a natural fighter!.

The likes of Ward/Bradley practice gameplan's and aspects of a fight over and over again. By repeating these aspects there muscle memory banks and neural pathway will have been made bigger and by doing this making them react quicker then most.

Sorry for long post, all in all them guys have sports related intelligence.

 

You should get one. Quite a lot of us are on it and you'd like it, I'm sure!

Nice post! Very insightful, thank you.

 

No probs fella's :good

 

When I think about ring IQ, it's about tactical and situational awareness. It's the natural ability to spot openings, to respond to them in the right way, and to instinctively know what to do to keep yourself in control.

I remember slip writing about Pernell Whitaker and his quickness, often mistaken for speed. He did have fast hands and feet, but those qualities were exaggerated by his mind. His awareness of what his opponent was doing allowed him to make his opponents look foolish.

Bernard Hopkins is the most notable example of this in the last few years. His reflexes and hand speed have diminished, he's fighting at a higher weight, but he's able to make opponents miss and make them pay still. Why?

Because he's always looking for the openings and he knows what he needs to do to a) exploit them and b) create them. And because he's so aware, he knows how to respond under pressure and turn it to his advantage. Everything he does in the ring has a purpose. That might be his body attack, it might be stepping off while jabbing, it might be right hand leads, but it always sets something else up. It's part taught, but mostly natural, and it usually needs a decent set of fundamentals.

Look at Amir Khan. Roach has tried to calm him down, get him to sit on his punches, turn in tighter circles, etc. But he just can't because he's not got the capability to think through what he's doing. For him, being active is the goal, he doesn't throw with intent.

He might want to hurt you, but he's not thinking about how he wants to do it. It's why Bradley would kick his ass.

 

It's just easy to interact with friends, boxers and anyone else you wish to follow. Everyone I know said the same thing but when they got into it, they loved it and use it more than me now.

Can't be old-fashioned! Look at GazOC, he is nearly 70, bless his soul, and he's got one!

 

Are his legs gone?:think

Also do you see a decline of him since the comeback in '09?

Seems so to me.

 

Its not so much he is a boring fighter, its more that there has been little drama in any of his fights for a while. When you win one sided decisions a lot they are going to be deemed as boring.

Plus he is defence orientated which doesn't help, his style is more for enthusiasts rather than the general fan as we can admire the technical clinic he puts on. I'd still prefer to watch an offensive boxer but I do enjoy a great technical boxer as well.

 

True, the weight has slowed him to an extent but hes adapted accordingly.

Slip back on form, dopping mad knowledge us asual

 

I wonder why he didn't stay at 140 for longer.... :think

Wouldn't surprise me if he was leant on by the top dogs at HBO to move up, if he'd had to stay at 140 the Hatton fight would have had to happen before they established Ricky in America.