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I had a multi-dimensional defense - multi-directional foot movement, multi-directional body movement, multi-directional head movement, and used my right glove to catch jabs or block left hooks. Offensively, I had a dozen perfect punches to pick from, and at least two or three variations of each of the 12 punches, then countless combinations to choose from. All in the mind - mind ticking over, what do I use. It does help having a genius-level IQ score in a game of physical chess with gloves - quick-thinking.
It's why I stayed just out of range, because I wasn't naturally fluid, because I had to be scientific - I had to think. I wasn't actually that gifted, you see. I would stay just out of range so I could decide what, how, why, where, when. Get the measure of his range, of his punching, of his stance - the opponent, that is. Don't step in and then look to punch, punch on the way in and get back out to think some more. Stretching - most important part of my training apart from sparring, backbends, splits. Holding my gloves together below the chest - harder to read what punch was going to be released. Scientist, a strategist. That was what I was. Meticulously studying the opponent beforehand, as well - what are his strengths, his style, how well does he take a body shot and so on.
Chin? Chin is confidence. If a shot got in, which invariably it always does on any fighter in every round they fight - apart from Roy Jones I think in one round of one of his fights - I knew I could soak up better than probably anyone else would. In regards to my jaw density, which was abnormal, and my absorbance of blows from the world's hardest pound-for-pound punchers. That added bit of confidence that a cast-iron chin provides you with, allows you to actually get your chin hit even less.
Punch? Punch is confidence. I didn't have natural power, but that only meant I didn't need to get lucky with a punch. I knew how to punch, I knew what I was doing. That's confidence. I knew only one time in any round of fighting I would need to land with the index and middle knuckles of the fist, having pivoted from the big toe of the foot, and the opponent would be legless, on cloud cuckoo, so to speak. That's confidence.
My ability, my training, my ten's of thousands of hours of work, of practice, of perspiration, of unwasted perspiration, and my forefathers, who were bred as slaves - that gave Chris Eubank his confidence. The rest was the mind.
It's why I stayed just out of range, because I wasn't naturally fluid, because I had to be scientific - I had to think. I wasn't actually that gifted, you see. I would stay just out of range so I could decide what, how, why, where, when. Get the measure of his range, of his punching, of his stance - the opponent, that is. Don't step in and then look to punch, punch on the way in and get back out to think some more. Stretching - most important part of my training apart from sparring, backbends, splits. Holding my gloves together below the chest - harder to read what punch was going to be released. Scientist, a strategist. That was what I was. Meticulously studying the opponent beforehand, as well - what are his strengths, his style, how well does he take a body shot and so on.
Chin? Chin is confidence. If a shot got in, which invariably it always does on any fighter in every round they fight - apart from Roy Jones I think in one round of one of his fights - I knew I could soak up better than probably anyone else would. In regards to my jaw density, which was abnormal, and my absorbance of blows from the world's hardest pound-for-pound punchers. That added bit of confidence that a cast-iron chin provides you with, allows you to actually get your chin hit even less.
Punch? Punch is confidence. I didn't have natural power, but that only meant I didn't need to get lucky with a punch. I knew how to punch, I knew what I was doing. That's confidence. I knew only one time in any round of fighting I would need to land with the index and middle knuckles of the fist, having pivoted from the big toe of the foot, and the opponent would be legless, on cloud cuckoo, so to speak. That's confidence.
My ability, my training, my ten's of thousands of hours of work, of practice, of perspiration, of unwasted perspiration, and my forefathers, who were bred as slaves - that gave Chris Eubank his confidence. The rest was the mind.
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