Excessive holding, please clarify what constitutes a foul?

[jmrf4435]

"Clinching and fighting within the clinch have been part of this sport since it was first realised. Before the Queensbury rules were introduced, wrestling your opponent was very much as important as punching them.
I believe that clinching is a great part of the game and boxers should learn to fight within the clinch. However, most referees are useless and as soon as fighters commence a clinch, they break them up, making the fight seem very stop/start.
I think that excessive clinching should be if the fighter clinches, but never has any intention of fighting within the clinch... and are constantly just trying to take a break from the action.
A referee should tell the boxers to fight in the clinch and to fight out of it, and if they don't make a good effort to do so, they should be deducted points.... but they never do..."

I agree with it being part of boxing as a strategy. I think there needs to be more clarity on violations though, it's too ambiguous.

[KingHippo]

An active clinch isn't the same as excessive holding.

[jmrf4435]

"An active clinch isn't the same as excessive holding"

What about clinching and holding to stop momentum like Floyd and Wlad do all fight?

[FeFist]

I can't define excessive clinching, but I know it when I see it.

[sicko]

When you're a fan of a fighter who can't fight inside I think it bothers those fans the most. If you clinich, get inside free your hands and work on the inside like Ward, B-Hop, even the great Duran, but even also with Postol, I have no problem with that at all because despite the clinching from Postol he was also outworking Matthysse on the inside

However the way someone like Lydell Rhodes does it, absolutely Terrible. He literally Clinches and then looking at the Ref to stop the action, that is as blatant as spitting your mouth piece out on purpose. I think refs should stay out of the way and MAKE THEM fight out of tie ups instead of being so quick to break. I like the way the refs called fights last week in Alabama, they just stayed out of the way. Sammy Vazquez was looking for the ref to break and the ref made Vazquez and Daiz fight out every time they would tie up, I do think that is the way it should be instead of quick break and helping guys who clearly can't fight inside. You can't fight inside, that is on the fighters not the ref for not breaking fast enough

When the ref screams BREAK and you don't let go and you're pushing your opponents all around the ref and against the Ropes, yes that is when I think refs should consider taking points after some Warnings

Tomorrow if Crawford is not ready for Postol inside antics...HE DOESN'T DESERVE TO WIN, PERIOD! Stop making excuses for fighters!

[MPX309]

As a Mayweather fan, I'd say he held too much during the Pac fight. With the Maidana fight, I think allowances could be made a little as Maidana smothers, but Pac doesn't so should have got a warning at the very least. . . possibly a point deduction.

Also, I'd say Garcia vs Matthysse, towards the latter half was too much.

[Combat Talk Radio]

Just needing some clarity in official rules regarding clinching. I see some fighters utilize it as an effective strategy ( Floyd, Wlad, postol, Ward) and get praised for defensive strategy, others get criticized and penalized.

How many times a round is clinching a point deducting offense?

True answer: as many times as the fighter feels like it OR if the clinching is done instead of any sort of fighting, depending on the ref.

Example: Grabomir Clinchko vs. Adrien Broner.

You know why Floyd doesn't get punished for it? Because he doesn't do it nearly as much as people claim.

Grabomir was over 14 clinches a round against Povetkin. FOURTEEN. PER. ROUND.

Floyd - an average of ONE and A HALF per round against Manny.

Tyson - clinching for DEAR LIFE against half his opponents.
Ali - clinching for DEAR LIFE in Rumble in the Jungle.
Stiverne - clinching for DEAR LIFE against Wilder.
Quillin - tried to clinch for DEAR LIFE against Jacobs.
Broner - clinching for NO DAMN REASON against Porter.

[brettWall]

Excessive holding has become part of the strategy. I don't like it but what can we do? They're okay with it when it's their idol doing it. So what's the point?

[jmrf4435]

What about instituting number of clinches per round policy, like once you exceed a certain amount the ref starts to ask questions and give warnings.

[Combat Talk Radio]

What about instituting number of clinches per round policy, like once you exceed a certain amount the ref starts to ask questions and give warnings.

Do that and Grabomir would have to retire.