If you REALLY want to learn how to box?

[mconstantine]

I don't think there's anything wrong with watching fights and analyzing fighters BUT.......

Do you think it can teach you about boxing from a personal perspective? See, I been training for over 10 years now, both pro's and amateurs. I also used to box, and started when I was 12 years old.

I'm almost re-learning the sport as a trainer, to when I was a fighter. It's two different things and it's amazing how harder it is to teach the sport, than it is to learn it.

Saying that, I think that every fighter is an individual. Meaning you can't just teach the same thing over and over and think every kid will just pick it up the same way. Fundamentals are one thing, they are the same but styles vary.

You can't teach a short, stocky kid that is a puncher to slip and move like Mohamed Ali....I mean you could but it wouldn't make much sense to the development of that fighter.

So my point is, while watching video and emulating fighters is fun, everyone has to work on their OWN skills and style. Just emulating something you see, can be a determent in the development of you as a fighter.

Everything you just said supports the idea of watching fights to learn the sport....ESPECIALLY as a trainer.

As a fighter, you typically learn to fight a certain way right? To your point, if you're short, you don't learn to fight like Ali. If you are the "cute" type, you aren't going to learn to fight like Tyson. Learning the sport purely from the fighter's perspective is limited.

However, by watching fights. Lots of fights, you observe many different styles. You learn that there are many ways to skin a cat. You learn there are many types of ways to initiate offense, throw combinations, defend against a jab, break down a fighter, etc...the list goes on and on. That will give you the tools as a trainer/teacher of the sport to optimize the style for ANYONE who walks into your gym. THAT is the point I'm making.

If you've only learned the sport in one way, you'll try to force every kid who comes into your gym to be that mold which will make you a shietty trainer. The only way to really learn and understand the various styles and types of fighters and understand what works for them and what doesn't, is to watch fights. Study different fighters with different styles and temperaments.

Just my opinion. I am not a trainer nor a boxer...but boxing is sport like any other sport or even profession...to be effective, you must study AND apply.

My point for talking about this fight in particular, is because Toney's performance was masterful in virtually every aspect of boxing. There are nuggets in virtually every category within this fight.

[Cuauhtémoc1520]

Everything you just said supports the idea of watching fights to learn the sport....ESPECIALLY as a trainer.

As a fighter, you typically learn to fight a certain way right? To your point, if you're short, you don't learn to fight like Ali. If you are the "cute" type, you aren't going to learn to fight like Tyson. Learning the sport purely from the fighter's perspective is limited.

However, by watching fights. Lots of fights, you observe many different styles. You learn that there are many ways to skin a cat. You learn there are many types of ways to initiate offense, throw combinations, defend against a jab, break down a fighter, etc...the list goes on and on. That will give you the tools as a trainer/teacher of the sport to optimize the style for ANYONE who walks into your gym. THAT is the point I'm making.

If you've only learned the sport in one way, you'll try to force every kid who comes into your gym to be that mold which will make you a shietty trainer. The only way to really learn and understand the various styles and types of fighters and understand what works for them and what doesn't, is to watch fights. Study different fighters with different styles and temperaments.

Just my opinion. I am not a trainer nor a boxer...but boxing is sport like any other sport or even profession...to be effective, you must study AND apply.

My point for talking about this fight in particular, is because Toney's performance was masterful in virtually every aspect of boxing. There are nuggets in virtually every category within this fight.

I agree with everything you just said but you just changed the argument. You were speaking from a BOXERS point of view and that's different than a TRAINERS point of view.

As a trainer, I teach fundamentals first and foremost. Then I do teach different depending on what physical traits are.

What I was opposed to, or maybe opposed isn't the word but was concerned about was actual fighters watching videos and wanting to emulate someone's style because that's what they like.

For example, there's a kid that wants to fight like Floyd Mayweather. He wants to keep his hands down in the philly shell. I tell him that's not smart because it takes decades to learn and master that style. He does it anyway and gets hit way too much in sparring.

You need to find your own path as fighter, is what I'm saying. As a trainer, I agree with you and I watch a ton of film to help me learn new styles and little nuances to better my craft.

[mconstantine]

I agree with everything you just said but you just changed the argument. You were speaking from a BOXERS point of view and that's different than a TRAINERS point of view.

As a trainer, I teach fundamentals first and foremost. Then I do teach different depending on what physical traits are.

What I was opposed to, or maybe opposed isn't the word but was concerned about was actual fighters watching videos and wanting to emulate someone's style because that's what they like.

For example, there's a kid that wants to fight like Floyd Mayweather. He wants to keep his hands down in the philly shell. I tell him that's not smart because it takes decades to learn and master that style. He does it anyway and gets hit way too much in sparring.

You need to find your own path as fighter, is what I'm saying. As a trainer, I agree with you and I watch a ton of film to help me learn new styles and little nuances to better my craft.

I'm not disputing what you're saying. I agree with you. Like I said, folks are over analyzing. My main point is that there are few fights where you can see so many aspects of boxing applied in such a skillful way. Toney put on a clinic in virtually every aspect of boxing. But yes, he showed HIS way in each of those areas which doesn't necessarily work for everybody. That was never my argument.

[Alx.]

That was a boxing clinic, probably Toney's best performance ever. Jesus that defense, movement, accuracy and countering simply beautiful.

It's like watching Beethoven perform the Moonlight Sonata live