Why "boxers" fail

Random thoughts.

The boxer has to have decent versatility. You cannot only be great at out-slicking your opponent. You also have to be able to fight in the pocket. Sometimes you need to stand your ground and show the brawler that he will pay a price if he continues to try to get inside. This requires having a tight defense in close quarters and firing fast short combination's. You have to show the brawler that he will fail from the outside AND on the inside.

Mike Jones gave a great example of how a boxer will fail as a boxer against a pressure fighter when you lack an inside game. When Jones decided to stop moving away from Sotto he could only throw haymakers like an elementary kid in a playground fight until he gassed out. He does not know how to fight inside.

A very good boxer can avoid inside fighting and still break the will of a pressure fight. Pernell is a good example. But Pernell had a toughness about him that most fighters don't have. When a fighter tries to make the boxer FIGHT rather than box, the boxer has to have enough "fight" in him to control the situation. This is what I think Andre Dirrell lacks. He's a great boxer... one of the most skilled in this era. But I think when things get gritty and rugged he will start folding under pressure, slowly. Zab Judah is another example. Great boxer, but folds under pressure.

There are too many fighters who are only focused on being slicksters and molding everything around being slick. You need toughness as well. Say what you want about Mayweather but Floyd is a scrappy little fighter with a temper inside the ring. He will stand in the pocket and break you down. This is one reason I think people are ignorant who think Pacquiao is more skilled than Floyd. Has anybody ever seen Manny fight in the pocket?

I'll give you while to think on that one....

:tired

No, you have not. Pacquiao will throw a few punches and get out of there. Boxers need a decent inside game to be successful against different fighters who have a variety of styles and that's why Pacquiao is always matched with the same types of fighters.

All that flashiness and trying to look pretty in every fight will not last long. Jacobs being KOd by Pirog is another example. These are boxers who lack toughness that was seen in Leonard, Haglar, Hearns, and others. Just a few random thoughts.

 

Don't worry... this thread is not intended for people with brains that fail after encountering 3 paragraphs (the others don't have enough sentences to be considered a paragraph).

 

I disagree.

Also, that was not a "gift decision" IMO or in the minds of many ringside observers and analysts.

 

Can't remember.... it was a while ago that I knew about ESB forums. I just decided to make an account recently tho.