AMAZING! James Corbett and Gene Tunney demonstrating tactics.

[Jim Jeffries]

Corbett looks in pretty decent shape for 59 years old.

[greynotsoold]

It's amazing how much boxing has evolved. It was much simpler then and there were huge gaps in defense.

IMO boxing really didn't develop into the "sweet science" until the 60's.

Didn't evolve until the 60s? Huge gaps in defense? That is ignorant. With all due respect. Do you understand the concept of range? Honest to God, did you really mean that?

[KidDinamita]

It is very difficult to compare the fighters of yesteryear with today's fighters. the video qualities are not so good, and in my opinion the old timers had better stamina and moved much quicker then today's fighters. There were a lot of great defensive fighters, Willie Pep is an example, Sugar Ray Robinson is another, Jack Johnson was also great and the list goes on.

Although today's fighters have evolved in terms of science, as in how to put leverage on punches, supplements etc.

At least the old timers fought everyone not like today's fighters.

[greynotsoold]

You don't see guys getting 'leverage' on punches these days. You see them swinging their arms.

[BKM-2010]

The old timers could fight, but they weren't good at demonstrations. Think of the Harry Greb clips where he made himself look like a man who has never laced up a pair of gloves in his life. I think that's more fair to say than to disqualify their actual in-ring prowess.

[Ray Corso]

Try to understand that the shutter speed your viewing is distorting their movements. It's amazing that people don;'t understand the filming technically is crude not so much the techniques used. You are viewing a different era and style you could say Wlad is crude in many ways too with all his holding and lack of combination punching! Also the size of the gloves for actual bouts in Corbetts days kept men leaning away (ala Ali) and allowed their feet to be planted to return counters with power. They slipped much more than parried back then other than wiping a jab.
No one noticed the lock up (under the arm pit) of the right glove and cross over with the open left to tie the left? Very quick and sneaky stuff going on then. Beautiful move!!!
I will suggest that what you think is evolved in the 60's was happening in the 30s with people like Tunney and then Pep into Louis and Robinson. Their weren't as many but the "new era" in boxing begins then not the 60's! Using Ali as a modern model is pretty silly Ali went against the "book" in most ways such as leaning back, dropping your hands, and lack of a body attack.
Tunney and B. Leonard and Pep are some of the most gifted boxers of all times including todays best boxers. As for punchers the hard punchers from the past throw with more leverage and "ill intent" then todays boxers and I doubt there's a disagreeing on that.

The really great fighters could appear in any era and be competitive, that's greatness to me when speaking of boxing history.
Ray

[New England]

Honestly, I know I'm gonna get yelled at for saying this, but they looked very unskilled.. I know it was just a demonstration but they looked very crude.. There was nothing in there that impressed me, looked like some actors pretending to be fighters..

they definitely don't look like actors to me, but the boxing is crude.


tunney was an innovator of "technical boxing" in the 20's.

today, a 10 year old kid in the gym is taught better / more effective form.

[New England]

Try to understand that the shutter speed your viewing is distorting their movements. It's amazing that people don;'t understand the filming technically is crude not so much the techniques used. You are viewing a different era and style you could say Wlad is crude in many ways too with all his holding and lack of combination punching! Also the size of the gloves for actual bouts in Corbetts days kept men leaning away (ala Ali) and allowed their feet to be planted to return counters with power. They slipped much more than parried back then other than wiping a jab.
No one noticed the lock up (under the arm pit) of the right glove and cross over with the open left to tie the left? Very quick and sneaky stuff going on then. Beautiful move!!!
I will suggest that what you think is evolved in the 60's was happening in the 30s with people like Tunney and then Pep into Louis and Robinson. Their weren't as many but the "new era" in boxing begins then not the 60's! Using Ali as a modern model is pretty silly Ali went against the "book" in most ways such as leaning back, dropping your hands, and lack of a body attack.
Tunney and B. Leonard and Pep are some of the most gifted boxers of all times including todays best boxers. As for punchers the hard punchers from the past throw with more leverage and "ill intent" then todays boxers and I doubt there's a disagreeing on that.

The really great fighters could appear in any era and be competitive, that's greatness to me when speaking of boxing history.
Ray

corbett and even tunney would be embarrassed by 70's or 90's HW. what the hell is jim corbett going to do to freaking lennox lewis? bleed on him? he does nothing better. he's crude by comparison.

[billeau2]

they definitely don't look like actors to me, but the boxing is crude.


tunney was an innovator of "technical boxing" in the 20's.

today, a 10 year old kid in the gym is taught better / more effective form.

Thats a ridiculous thing to say. It shows a total lack of understanding. You can't see the technique so it does not exist? Thats what your argument amounts to.

[New England]

Thats a ridiculous thing to say. It shows a total lack of understanding. You can't see the technique so it does not exist? Thats what your argument amounts to.

i can assure you that my understanding isn't limited. i know a lot about boxing. you can ask around, or take my word for it.


you're trying to tell me that those two are displaying technique on the level of a modern technician [mayweather, whitaker, etc?]

you don't think they look crude by comparison?

a 10 year old will be taught a much more technical version of the jab, the uppercut, etc. if he's talented, he'll be a much more technical fighter than those two by the time he is 20.
some of those demonstrations are downright laughable.


if that's what you think, that this video displays high level technique outside of the context of the 1920's, it's you who lacks the understanding of the game.