What Happened to the Swarming Style?

[GrandpaBernard]

It's M I A these days. Our counter punching masters (Mayweather, Hopkins, Marquez, and Ward) fight better on the inside than all these trigger happy offense oriented fighters.

sh1tty amateur system responsible for the near extinction of swarming?

[Capaedia]

Originally Posted by GrandpaBernard

sh1tty amateur system responsible for the near extinction of swarming?

For my money, bingo.

I'd think an amateur boxer-boxer is likely to tear apart a swarmer in the amateurs.

[TBear]

You might also have to take into consideration that most swarming fighters fail before or as they reach the top level. The Primary reason being that they generally run into punches while landng their own. Frank Fletcher was a prime example of this. He was able to beat alot of fringe contenders on his way up but when he reached the upper level of the middleweight division he failed.

I don't know if you remember heavyweights like Clifford Etienne and Derrek Jefferson that overwelmed heavyweights right up til when they moved up to the level where defence was necessary to compete, and that is where they failed.

[SCtrojansbaby]

Abner Mares isn't a swarmer? If not then define the "swarming style"

[HtotheZ]

Amir Khan swarms and so does Pacquiao, Timothy Bradley, and a few others. Some of them may not be Swarmers perse but they do tend to go in all the time

[TBear]

Originally Posted by SCtrojansbaby

Abner Mares isn't a swarmer? If not then define the "swarming style"

People often confuse aggressive fighters as swarmers. A swarmer is a fighter that tries to win on volume of punches. Taking a punch to land three of his own. Sometimes wearing down his opponent and other times just out working him over the distance.

Originally Posted by HtotheZ

Amir Khan swarms and so does Pacquiao, Timothy Bradley, and a few others. Some of them may not be Swarmers perse but they do tend to go in all the time

Khan brawls later in fights as his endurance runs down. I hardly consider fighters that are forced to brawl when it is not part of their game plan as swarmers. Against Maidana and Peterson, Khan was in control early by out boxing them. But during the second half of the fight he let them back into the fight and was forced to brawl.

[Rockin']

Originally Posted by TBear

You might also have to take into consideration that most swarming fighters fail before or as they reach the top level. The Primary reason being that they generally run into punches while landng their own. Frank Fletcher was a prime example of this. He was able to beat alot of fringe contenders on his way up but when he reached the upper level of the middleweight division he failed.

I don't know if you remember heavyweights like Clifford Etienne and Derrek Jefferson that overwelmed heavyweights right up til when they moved up to the level where defence was necessary to compete, and that is where they failed.

I remember working in the gym when Jefferson was around. He was tough not to notice, an intimidating person certainly. He was tough and strong aswell but Fletcher was worlds ahead of Jefferson and Etiene in the skill department. Jefferson had a good run for his limited time in the amatuers but the inexperience was unmistakable..........Rockin'

[TBear]

Originally Posted by Rockin'

I remember working in the gym when Jefferson was around. He was tough not to notice, an intimidating person certainly. He was tough and strong aswell but Fletcher was worlds ahead of Jefferson and Etiene in the skill department. Jefferson had a good run for his limited time in the amatuers but the inexperience was unmistakable..........Rockin'

I liked Jefferson's power. And Fletcher did go pretty far with that style, he had good power himself. Fletcher was ranked at the top for awhile and was in line to fight Hagler before Wilford Scypion beat him. Probably a good thing because Hagler would have murderized him. The thing about fighters like them is that they are very exciting and sell tickets but usually have short careers.

About the amateurs Rockin', did you have many amateur fights and looking back do you think more amateur fights would have made things better in the pros like it might of for Derek Jefferson?

[jaded]

I liked watching Jefferson...he would try to KO with every punch he threw. I remember the David Izon fight...he was just landing bombs on Izon until he threw so many he started to break down from exhaustion. In the end he did himself in and the ref stopped the fight...a fight he would have won had he paced himself and fought more intelligently.

[TBear]

Originally Posted by jaded

I liked watching Jefferson...he would try to KO with every punch he threw. I remember the David Izon fight...he was just landing bombs on Izon until he threw so many he started to break down from exhaustion. In the end he did himself in and the ref stopped the fight...a fight he would have won had he paced himself and fought more intelligently.

That was a good fight, the best was probably Jefferson's fight with Maurice Harris!