Two fighters who get called good boxers, but operate well for most of their fights on the inside are:
Joe Calzaghe AND Sugar Shane Mosley.
People seem to think that just because someone has fast hands, they are a good "boxer", and I'm saying boxer meaning the slickster, jab and move, defensive-minded fighter.
Although someone like Roy Jones or Floyd Mayweather aren't exactly slick boxers (because they dispense with their jab for the most part), they still are more of a boxer than Calzaghe or Mosley, because they at least try to stick from the outside and throw lead left hooks or lead straight rights.
Calzaghe and Shane rush in and use their fast hands to be the better brawler on the inside.
So in reality, is is kind of humorous to me when people say, "Oh shit, Mosley is going to outbox Judah!" or, "Hopkins doesn't have a chance, Joey C is going to outbox him."
No dice everyone, if Mosley and Calzaghe win, it will be because they outfought them.
And people should take this as a compliment in a board where the word running is a 4 letter word... these two stand and fight.
Thanks for bumping it!
Calzaghe did anything BUT win with his boxing skills.
When did he control Hopkins with a jab?
When did he land a straight punch?
One of the signs of a good boxer is a definitive, strong jab. Calzaghe and Mosley don't have it. They have a range finding jab, and that is it, at least from what I have seen.
Calzaghe's jab is a spoiler, he threw off Kessler's strong jab with his own, faster jab.
Mosley isn't a jabber but he jabbed to keep Cotto off him while taking a short break. He also scored some nice 1-2 combinations.
Hopkins himself doesn't even seem to use the jab anymore.
Jim, Mikkel Kessler has got to do something... Calzaghe is just giving him a boxing lesson. Jab-Jab straight left, Jab-Jab straight left. - Harold Lederman.
One of the signs of a good boxer is a definitive, strong jab. Calzaghe and Mosley don't have it. They have a range finding jab, and that is it, at least from what I have seen.
Calzaghe boxes, Mosley doesn't. Watch Calzaghe's jab in the Kessler fight, Mosley doesn't have a jab.
Calzaghe's jab is pretty weak and seems like an afterthought IMO.
So far in his career he hasnt needed boxing skills. His rediculously fast hands (which may very well be the fastest ever in the division outside or Roy. certainly top 5) help over come any disadvantages he may have.
Lets just say this. Lets say he gets in the ring with Hopkins and hopkins somehow manages to outbrawl him and beats the crap out of him for 4 or 5 rounds. And when Calzaghe gets back to his corner his trainer tells him has to outbox Hopkins to win. do you really think he has the ability to do that? I REALLY doubt he could. And btw, im not saying all this happens, just a hypothetical
Eh, they both use their amazing handspeed to land scoring combinations but they can box too. These two just know how to adapt during fights.
After losing a few inside exchanges against Cotto, Mosley turns boxer and starts working behind the jab.
Sensing urgency, Mosley starts backing Cotto up. Mosley turns brawler, Cotto turns counter puncher.
Calzaghe loses the fourth round coming forward because Kessler counter punches beautifully.
Calzaghe adapts and turns boxer, working behind the jab, slipping and blocking Kessler's jabs and occasionally landing solid combinations.
Calzaghe boxes, Mosley doesn't. Watch Calzaghe's jab in the Kessler fight, Mosley doesn't have a jab.
Calzaghe also doesn't try to build up points with the jab, he uses it to get inside and flurry. That's not what a boxer does.
And you know what? It doesn't matter at all, because Joe Calzaghe would not be nearly as good as he is if he operated as a slick boxer. He is so good at what he does. So good. Why are people so clingy to the idea that he is a slickster when he gets on the inside and mixes it up so much?
Two fighters who get called good boxers, but operate well for most of their fights on the inside are:
Joe Calzaghe AND Sugar Shane Mosley.
People seem to think that just because someone has fast hands, they are a good "boxer", and I'm saying boxer meaning the slickster, jab and move, defensive-minded fighter.
Although someone like Roy Jones or Floyd Mayweather aren't exactly slick boxers (because they dispense with their jab for the most part), they still are more of a boxer than Calzaghe or Mosley, because they at least try to stick from the outside and throw lead left hooks or lead straight rights.
Calzaghe and Shane rush in and use their fast hands to be the better brawler on the inside.
So in reality, is is kind of humorous to me when people say, "Oh shit, Mosley is going to outbox Judah!" or, "Hopkins doesn't have a chance, Joey C is going to outbox him."
No dice everyone, if Mosley and Calzaghe win, it will be because they outfought them.
And people should take this as a compliment in a board where the word running is a 4 letter word... these two stand and fight.
Good post, although I agree more about Mosley than Calzaghe. However I don't see Joe "outboxing" Hopkins.
18y ago
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