Which fighters have you watched over the years and to the best of your ability, copied from them? I learned how to use the shoulder roll style from Toney, although I'm still pretty **** at it. I learned how to fight on the inside from JCC Sr.
I don't copy any one fighter, but when I'm shadowboxing I can tell I pick up a lot of things from different fighters, and sometimes when watching them I realize. it
When I was fighting I picked things up from Mosley DLH Mayweather Trinidad James Toney Bernard Hopkins (Alot) Winky Wright (Alot) Joe Calzaghe Now I'm training people : Mayweather Andre Ward Miguel Cotto Juan Manuel Marquez (Alot) Barrera Morales Tyson Lennox Lewis Roy Jones Antonio Tarver SRL Hearns Hagler Duran (And on, and on, and on)
I try to emulate Hearns' straight right (my money punch) - the way he turned his legs, hips, core, AND upper back into it. . . I'm also a real tall guy for my weight class - pretty much same size as Hearns. .. For the most part, though, I think that classical Mexican school of boxing that Nacho teaches, is my favorite, and what I try to emulate the most. . . Finito, and Juan Manuel's combination punching. . . Perfectly timing, and transitioning your punches. . . Love how he uses that lead left uppercut. . . He'll snap the head up from behind the guard with the lead left uppercut, and then BLAST IT OFF with the straight right.
Honestly, counterintuitive as it might sound - novices in boxing should try to emulate guys like Louis more than an Ali. I don't just mean punching technique, either. I mean footwork and movement. Most people lack the athleticism to get away with Ali's style. It isn't something everybody should try. Louis' movements, however, are more approachable to a beginner and less difficult to execute - yet can be just as effective if you put in the hard work and repetition to figure out where to have each part of your anatomy positioned & when to be best prepared on both offense and defense.
I copied a few things from Floyd :yep I'm similar build to Timothy Bradley, so I try to watch him a little too. A little Meldrick Taylor also depending on the opponent
Ah, the other classical mexican school of boxing! There are two mexican schools of boxing - the inside technician (Chavez), and the classical boxer/puncher (Sanchez/Marquez/Finito). Chavez is often thought of as a simple "brawler", but it couldn't be further from the truth. . . He was a technician on the inside. . . I'm just not built for inside fighting - shorter dudes always turn their hooks over faster on the inside. . . But I try to take some things from WHitaker, and Toney on how to roll with punches on the inside, and utilize my shoulder, and entire left arm to block, and catch punches.
Morales, Marquez, Mayweather, Hopkins but when I spar in the ring I make Joshua Clottey look like Joe Calzaghe with my punch output.