The Clinch

Of course Archie Moore was in Foreman's corner for Kinshasa, and stated on camera years after the fact that Ali's yanking down on George's head was the specific draining tactic that weakened the defending champion to the point that Muhammad could knock him out.

Foreman was never a choir boy in the ring himself, and I don't recall him ever complaining about being on the receiving end of sub legal tactics. (Ali, on the other hand, was whining and whining about what Chuck Wepner did to the back of his neck next time out in Cleveland. *****.)

 

Clinching is illegal and should be enforced similar to intentional low blows and headbutts.

 

I agree that clinching has devolved. Now it seems to be used just to smother an opponents offense. Seems that in the 40's 50's it was a transition stage. The offense did not stop because of clinch. Guys like Marciano use to bump, push, spin to still throw punches in clinch situation.

Wlad does not look to have any skill in the clinch.

Modern Referee's are bad when it comes to infighting in general. They tend to break things even if there is offense going on. They have the amatuer fighting in mind I guess.

 

This is something the PKA (Pro Karate Association) of the 1970s and 1980s did very well. Clinches were limited to a duration of no longer than two seconds without an automatic penalty (and a minimum of eight seriously hard kick attempts per round) and other rules guaranteeing first rate conditioning and continual action. However, clinching and infighting are such an integral part of pugilistic history that to excise it entirely would be as problematic as restoring the championship distance.

 

:goodThanks for these posts I really do agree with them especially with the parts I highlighted. I'm off to watch Marciano in another tab to study his fighting in the clinch.

 

Clinching should be part of boxing, it is important and effective IMO, inside fighting is a sort of 'lost' art, and the clinch is part of that.

I just read a good article by Philadelphia Jack O'Brian on why footwork is more important that the clinch and I will type the important bits ups here.

 

I hate clinching with a passion. If I wanted to see two sweaty men hug each other, I'd pop in a gay porno.

On the other hand, I think a clinch or two may have prolonged Max Schmeling's destruction at the fists of Joe Louis. The guy just leaned on the ropes and took his beating and screamed like a *****. (According to many at Ringside).

 

This.