Clinching discussion: Thoughts, opinions, when is it acceptable?

[Crazylegs77]

Sometimes styles of fighters end up leading to excessive clinching and ugly fights. Typically its a tactic to temporarily get out of a bad situation, probably everyone can agree with it being used in that situation.

Where is the line drawn though? It seems to have become part of a "craft" in some peoples eyes. Where it is used as a component of a game plan.

In this situation isnt it like admitting you cannot deal with your opponent by using offense, timing, countering and movement? Core boxing skills. Is it laziness? Or simply playing it safe when it becomes part of the strategy.

Post 2 fights, one where clinching was abused and one where it was used often but you feel fairly.

[#1Assassin]

clinching is and always has been part of the sport, people who claim otherwise are simply new to boxing and uneducated on the subject.

when i say that i mean an acceptable amount of clinching, excessive clinching is a foul. the most serious of the non damaging fouls (headbutts, lowblows etc) imo.

how much is excessive is the real question and people all have different opinions. nobody is necessarily wrong, with the exception of the people who think clinching is never acceptable even if you are badly hurt.

nobody thinks any amount of clinching is okay, some people pretend there are but in reality nobody likes clinching. but like cuts from headbutts its just part of the game, holding it against a fighter when he gets rocked and does what is necessary to stay in the fight is moronic.

[bigfo0t]

Sometimes styles of fighters end up leading to excessive clinching and ugly fights. Typically its a tactic to temporarily get out of a bad situation, probably everyone can agree with it being used in that situation.

Where is the line drawn though? It seems to have become part of a "craft" in some peoples eyes. Where it is used as a component of a game plan.

In this situation isnt it like admitting you cannot deal with your opponent by using offense, timing, countering and movement? Core boxing skills. Is it laziness? Or simply playing it safe when it becomes part of the strategy.

Post 2 fights, one where clinching was abused and one where it was used often but you feel fairly.

lol nice sig Crazylegs!

I get the feeling thats what GGG vs Floyd would look like

[-PBP-]

I have no opinion on it. It's a tactic used to maintain the fight at the distance you want and negate the attack of a high output come forward pressure fighter.

I think the very elite fighters can fight through clinches and use their feet to make it tough to be clinched.

[The Gambler1981]

I will put it like this~

I am a big believer in winning and doing what it takes to win. Clinching though not pretty can be a very effective tool in a winning game plan. Neglecting it and the abilities to negate such a move are not playing to win in tough fights.

That is just me though some people value exciting fights over winning, and clinching certainly can make for some boring fights.

As long as punches are being thrown I don't mind much of anything when it comes to clinching as rough, tough and dirty are fine with me. It is when there is no offense at all and it is basically a greco-roman wrestling contest that points should be taken. If a guy is clinching effectively totally spoiling the other guy while getting off them self I could see taking a point away but I would have a hard time saying more should be done because the other guy wasn't capable enough to deal with it.

[bigfo0t]

IMHO occasional clinching is fine. Clinching after getting rocked, to survive the round and recover is a valid and smart tactic but when you clinch just about every single time an opponent gets close, that's excessive and should be penalized. That kind of clinching is more like a crutch for limited boxing skills or low energy.

People watch Boxing to see a fight, not a slow dance.

[lazy]

Is this about Wlad?

[Shad0wB0xer]

Only when hurt. Slug and hug is a cowardly way to fight.

[arraamis]

clinching is and always has been part of the sport, people who claim otherwise are simply new to boxing and uneducated on the subject.

when i say that i mean an acceptable amount of clinching, excessive clinching is a foul. the most serious of the non damaging fouls (headbutts, lowblows etc) imo.

how much is excessive is the real question and people all have different opinions. nobody is necessarily wrong, with the exception of the people who think clinching is never acceptable even if you are badly hurt.

nobody thinks any amount of clinching is okay, some people pretend there are but in reality nobody likes clinching. but like cuts from headbutts its just part of the game, holding it against a fighter when he gets rocked and does what is necessary to stay in the fight is moronic.

Good points!!!

Tyson vs Bruno II, is a great example of excessive holding\clinching -- Where Mills Lane was on the verge of disqualification of Bruno before Tyson closed the show.

Holding and or clinching has its place in boxing. And it is often used as a valid technique to get out of trouble. But when it becomes excessive, as in the case of a fighter who just doesn't want to engage, then the ref should take a stand and disqualify.

But there are still fine lines and exceptions .....

Take for example, the Porter vs Brook fight, where Brook used his clinches to thwart Porters attack. In many circles it may have seemed excessive, but the converse of that, is that the technique kept Porter from getting off and thereby lowered his punch output. Game-plan? or Excessive? Is in the eye of the referee.

[Ham Porter]

Referees breaking boxers up when one has an arm free certainly doesn't help. The fighter initiating the clinch isn't likely to just stand there and continue holding while he's being hit in the body and head if the referee allows fighting on the inside. It'll either discourage him from initiating clinches or even encourage him to actually fight on the inside.


Can you imagine Kenny Bayless in charge of Ali-Frazier 3 or Leonard-Duran 1? Those fights would never have been allowed to develop into the classics they were if the ref was constantly interfering with the action.