Corbett spars Tunney - PURE GOLD

[Jc8804]

How good would modern fighters be without youtube and being overpayed??

[billeau2]

I love to watch these clips but cringe because of how they are interpreted.

In those days instructional videos were done a certain way. Its more a matter of social mores than skill sets at issue.

If you read boxing books at the time, Dempsey's book, books like "Boxing " by captain Wedgeworth Johnstone, you will see that a big issue was looking cute when sparring (demos were considered sparring). So when professionals were showing technique they would try to show hard punching. One problem was that at this time it was still hard to take a blow and show it devoid of context because when you were punching you were moving constantly up until you set to throw the blow.

What Corbett is doing is completing the strike and not pulling it prematurely. Lets understand why:

As I have said, boxing was still very much using a fencing paradigm at that time and in fencing when one struck the idea for good form was to complete the strike, extending fully before pulling it back. there is method to this madness...Even though one practices a huge lunge as the lead is delivered, just like martial arts, as one gets better the movements become smaller. So one may watch instruction plates in an old boxing manual where a guy has his back hand way down and his punch way out, even a bit off balance but this is purely to develop form, power and timing.

Corbett was doing exactly as one would to instruct at that time, he was emphasizing perpetual movement from the arm, extending it fully and retracting it at the same speed. For those who were perceptive there was one time when Corbett opened up and showed application. That was when he trapped Gene's hand and threw a cross to the jaw. He did this rapidly.

Because of this emphasis on power, distance and timing, the punches looked slow and unweildly. But to these guys the way people fight today would look statico and like arm punching. A fighter today needs to be in hittable range to hit, guys from that time would not be in hittable range until they had set an attack up and were coming in. Thats another thing demonstrated if one is perceptive. If you watch Corbett's blows start slowly and easily and only as he moves through the target for an instant does he tense his body. This is because he would not be standing still as he threw, he would be moving in towards the target(s) areas....

Watch a picture of Jack Johnson running towards the opponent with his hands up. Now from that position, as he is coming in, imagine him launching a lead, as he is stepping his punch is gaining momentum, only as it is landing does he set. Try this some time. Thats what these guys were demonstrating. The punches look gofy because they would be thrown as the person was moving in. The timing is such that the front foot must hit, the weight be fowards, the hand extended and contacting the target....all at the same time.

[The Old LefHook]

I love to watch these clips but cringe because of how they are interpreted.

In those days instructional videos were done a certain way. Its more a matter of social mores than skill sets at issue.

If you read boxing books at the time, Dempsey's book, books like "Boxing " by captain Wedgeworth Johnstone, you will see that a big issue was looking cute when sparring (demos were considered sparring). So when professionals were showing technique they would try to show hard punching. One problem was that at this time it was still hard to take a blow and show it devoid of context because when you were punching you were moving constantly up until you set to throw the blow.

What Corbett is doing is completing the strike and not pulling it prematurely. Lets understand why:

As I have said, boxing was still very much using a fencing paradigm at that time and in fencing when one struck the idea for good form was to complete the strike, extending fully before pulling it back. there is method to this madness...Even though one practices a huge lunge as the lead is delivered, just like martial arts, as one gets better the movements become smaller. So one may watch instruction plates in an old boxing manual where a guy has his back hand way down and his punch way out, even a bit off balance but this is purely to develop form, power and timing.

Corbett was doing exactly as one would to instruct at that time, he was emphasizing perpetual movement from the arm, extending it fully and retracting it at the same speed. For those who were perceptive there was one time when Corbett opened up and showed application. That was when he trapped Gene's hand and threw a cross to the jaw. He did this rapidly.

Because of this emphasis on power, distance and timing, the punches looked slow and unweildly. But to these guys the way people fight today would look statico and like arm punching. A fighter today needs to be in hittable range to hit, guys from that time would not be in hittable range until they had set an attack up and were coming in. Thats another thing demonstrated if one is perceptive. If you watch Corbett's blows start slowly and easily and only as he moves through the target for an instant does he tense his body. This is because he would not be standing still as he threw, he would be moving in towards the target(s) areas....

Watch a picture of Jack Johnson running towards the opponent with his hands up. Now from that position, as he is coming in, imagine him launching a lead, as he is stepping his punch is gaining momentum, only as it is landing does he set. Try this some time. Thats what these guys were demonstrating. The punches look gofy because they would be thrown as the person was moving in. The timing is such that the front foot must hit, the weight be fowards, the hand extended and contacting the target....all at the same time.

Indeed another teriffic post, sir.

[billeau2]

Indeed another teriffic post, sir.

Where ya been Lefty?

[bklynboy]

I believe a lot of today’s heavyweights would destroy them both.

In the Athens Olympic Games 1896, Thomas Burke won the 100 metres final with the time 12.0 seconds. I do think Usain Bolt would beat him if they clashed. Still, Burke was considered the fastest man on Earth in his time. That’s what counts.

We owe ‘em, these people who bothered, and found it important, to preserve footage of old warriors.

Please stop that. Don't you think there were faster runners in 1896 than those in the Olympics? Think of the 1896 Olympics as being populated by Ivy League students who got there on grades and their parents having the money and clout to send them to those schools.

Then, their parents had to be able and willing to foot the bill to send their sons to Athens, Greece. (You know 2 weeks on a cruise ship to France. Then hotels in Paris; a train ride to Greece, hotels there and then the trip back. Read up on the 1896 Olympics some American participants went there and their parents had fits about them wasting their time with such foolishness (participating in the Olympics).

You do realize that as late as 1960 a young American prospect, Cassius Clay was his name, had to get local small businesses to fund his trip to the Rome Olympics.

[Ben Bolt]

Please stop that. Don't you think there were faster runners in 1896 than those in the Olympics?

Actually, Burke wasn’t thought of as the fastest man in 1896, as some favorites never turned up in Athens. (And yes, there were surely some undetected men worldwide who could have run a bit faster than the favorites …)
My point was, I do believe athletes in every area have taken huge steps in development through the years. And that also includes boxing, though I learned some fans on this forum object this.

Gentleman Jim was considered a top fighter in his time, and again, that’s what counts. I don’t think it’s either relevant or fair to compare his skills to those of pugilists a century later.

[McGoorty]

Honestly, I know it was just a tutorial video, but not very impressed with either guy.. Tyson would knock both out in the same night. I honestly think these dudes wouldn't beat frank bruno or tommy Morrison

You do realise how small these guys are for heavyweights don't you ?.... you should compare them to light heavyweights only...... ok

[McGoorty]

I believe a lot of today’s heavyweights would destroy them both.

In the Athens Olympic Games 1896, Thomas Burke won the 100 metres final with the time 12.0 seconds. I do think Usain Bolt would beat him if they clashed. Still, Burke was considered the fastest man on Earth in his time. That’s what counts.

We owe ‘em, these people who bothered, and found it important, to preserve footage of old warriors.

Jesus, now we are comparing boxers to sprinters ?...... chalk and cheese, boxing is nothing like a one dimensional sport like athletics. Boxer way back were tougher and in most cases BETTER than todays bums

[Sugar Adam Ali]

You do realise how small these guys are for heavyweights don't you ?.... you should compare them to light heavyweights only...... ok

Ok,,,

Micheal spinks, kovolev, Bob foster, roy jones, etc would all brutalize these guys

[Tony Trick-Pony]

Thought's please

Great video!

I like how Corbett threw that uppercut that seemed to twist into a straight punch. Very interesting. Training with the lightweights would help any slower fighter. Corbett still had a lot left after all those years. Very impressive.