I might be mistaken here, but i cannot recall seeing footage of fighters before Robinson that were doing padwork. Maybe i simply haven't seen it or forgotten about it, but did they do padwork before the 60's or even 70's? If so, please provide a video. I'd like to see it.
I know that some fighters at the turn of the century used objects other than pads, such as a medcine ball, to do similar exercises.
This is a very good question, one of which I have no answer for. I will keep checking back on this though, as it interests me.
Not sure if you'll remember JG, but you made that post maybe a year or longer ago about how good Robinson was in his prime and you said 'hell, we would have paid to watch him hit the bag', immense post.
Any idea when it first came along? I'm even scratching my head to think of Ali, Foster, etc doing padwork. I have seen footage of Marvin Hagler doing padwork for his bout with Hearns, but surely it must have been around before the 80's? Interesting actually, because you'd think it's a pretty fundamental, old school exercise.
Just imagine if it turned out padwork wasn't around before Hagler's time! That would be mind blowing. I'm trying to think if i've seen Conteh and Foreman and Liston hitting the pads but i don't know if my mind's playing tricks on me.
It certainly appears to be the case that it was "invented" during the early 80's. I'm quite surprised actually. Padwork is like working the bag with the bonusses that you train coordination, balance and evading counters. Working the bag is still a great exercise, but i'm baffled that padwork is so new!
Let's wait to see if anyone gives us any evidence of it being around earlier first though. I always just assumed it had been around forever! Like you said we just take it for granted now.
Their use is at least 60 years old. According to trainer Tommy Noel, a variation of mitts were used, very possibly first used, by Charley Goldman when he trained a late-starting Marciano. It would make sense to help streamline a cave-man style and give it precision. Chances are pretty good, though, that Goldman picked up the idea much earlier though. Goldman had been around the block.
I'm pretty sure I've seen a picture of Angelo Dundee holding the pads for someone in his gym back in the 60's.