This is long but I think a must read. Atleast just skim through it or read a little.
I talk about this all the time on here. I just think that its much easier for a Southpaw to have success in boxing. You either cant see there punches coming or you can see them, play your D perfect like you do against righties and you still get hit clean. The punch hurts way more that way also and most of the time you get hit square in the nose. I also think it makes you much harder to hit. Ive even heard Calzaghe say that being a Southpaw gives guys hell.
Sweet Pea is one of my favorite boxers ever and would be great either way but I dont think he wins all those tought bouts or atleast not as easy if he wasnt a Southpaw. It made him 10x harder to hit and chase down. Guys fight totally different against Southpaws. Most of the time they are so scared and show them so much respect because its like your staring dead at there left hand and if you make any mistake then your finished. Thats why Floyd never overcommited against Zab. Thats why Chop is the only guy to really rock Floyd. Pac Man is a very good fighter and a monsted but dont tell me that he would still be that dominant if he was an orthodox fighter. He's much too raw to dominate guys like that. No way he probably even beats JMM if he's a righty.
Look at Tarver-RJ and the KO. Tarver swung and RJ does what he's done in every fight in his career. Dont give me that garbage about reflexes. RJ knew Tarver was swinging, he stepped back and put his right hand on the side of his jaw just like he does in every fight and just like your supposed to. He wouldve never got hit if that was a righty but not only does Tarver land but he lands flush on RJ's nose. Those are the shots that kill you and only a lefty can do that. The 1st Pac-MAB fight was the exact same way. MAB was kind of like Hopkins. He's one of the few guys who have always done well against Southpaws. Right before his KD Pac threw the same straight left and MAB stepped to the side and put his hand up. A few seconds later the exact same thing happends but Pac catches him square in the nose and you could tell he was really hurt. It hurts you bad. Any other time if MAB had stepped to the side then he's out of range but youre basically never out of range against a Southpaw. Foreman use to say it all the time.
Its also no coincedence when a Southpaw shocks another Southpaw. Spinks was killing cats but I told everyone that Zab would give him trouble because Spinks normal moves wont work against Zab because he too is a slick Southpaw with speed. You could see it in both fights. That shit Spinks kills cats with never really worked against Zab and Zab was the 1st guy to ever hit Spinks clean and Knocked him out. Thats why I told people that Zab could give Williams hell. I actually believe that Williams may be able to beat a guy like Margarito & Cotto nearly every time but would have hell against Zab & Quintana because there southpaw style will throw him off just like his shit throws everyone else off and thats why Quintana owned him in that 1st fight. I think Williams would be pretty average if he was a righty. No way he would give Margarito any problems then. Then on the same night a couple weeks ago there were 2 huge fights. Lefty against Lefty. Both end in shocking 1st round KO's. Why? Because of blind punches again. Quintana walks straight into a left hand square in his nose and Ponce walks straight into a blind right that he never saw coming.
On the Iron Ring finale a lefty was fighting a cat that you could tell was way better then him and the other cat still won but it was much harder then it shouldve been only because this guy was a lefty which made the other guy so nervous about rushing in. Look at Wlad vs Sanders. Would anyone be shocked to see Wlad kill every HW and still get KO again by a old Sanders. Wlad was so shook in that fight he didnt know what to do. He knew Sanders was throwing the left and just couldnt see it or he could see it clearly and still couldnt stop it. It was sad. It got so bad that at the end, Wlad was pushing both hands out like a girl to try to block Sanders punch when he was cocking his hand back. Thats why I say that if 2 guys are even then the righty should be ranked higher because it is just much easier for a lefty in this sport. Guys like Floyd, RJ, Hopkins, and so on wouldve been unbeatable if they were Southpaws while some of these other guys like Pac, Calzaghe, and Sweet Pea still wouldve been good but not as great if they were an orthoxdox fighter. Floyd wouldve been so deadly with his accurate punchers as a lefty. Imagine Sugar Shane as a Southpaw in his prime? Deadly. Kosta Tsyzu? It wouldve been murder every fight.
Rating southpaws lower than orthodox fighters would be like rating a left footed footballer less than a right-footed counterpart. Athletes should not be punished for beng naturally left handed/footed.
Southpaws are open to right hands from orthodox fighters. So should they be rated higher than right handed fighters?
No.
Each stance has ups and downs at the end of the day the more skilled fighter will win.
Boxing is simply and purely the sport of two men fighting with their fists. The style in which they do it is irrelevant, and it is the job of both guys to be able to handle the style of the other.
If a southpaw has an advantage over a righty because of his style, its not a natural advantage, its his opponents fault for not being able to fight southpaws. Its as simple as that.
DLT, I really don't see what you are trying to convey here, man.
So you want every single fight to be 6'0, 168 pound, orthodox fighters facing off with the same skill sets in every match?
What the hell, man?
I just don't see the point in what you are trying to prove. I might have came off as an asshole before, but you are confusing me here. I just don't see it?
so do you guys honestly think that the southpaw stance of Williams didnt give Margarito fits until he finally figured it out? Your going to tell me that you would still pick Williams in a fight between them if Williams is a righty? Hell No. If Williams is a righty then Margarito would rag his ass up and this is coming from a guy who is a far bigger Williams fan then a Margarito fan but its the truth. I also dont think that Pea walks to guys like he did alot if he were a righty. He didnt have the power to fight like that but he could get away with it as a southpaw. It changes everything. Dont get me wrong, his skillset was awesome but he cant fight that way and be super great as a righty with no power
Whats stupid is your notion that lefties have an easier time than righties. Are you going to take credit from Hagler too because he was a southpaw?? The man was a natural righty that converted to southpaw. Would you give Delahoya extra credit for being a natural lefty turned righty??
again, its the stance. Oscar or Cotto's stuff mean nothing to me. Its the stance. Nothing is going to be a 100%. Obviously there are some super great fighters that will be an exception to the rule and are going to be great no matter what but I still think overall its an advantage. I do think the fact that Hagler was a Southpaw absolutely helped him. Does that mean he goes from being a legend to being a bum? Hell no but if there was another Hagler clone who was a righty and accomplished the exact same things then I would think what he did was more special. I think if Zab were not a lefty then Floyd takes him out in that fight.
Im an example my ownself. I am a right hander who fights as a southpaw with a style exactly like Tyson's but I can box too. I just cant believe that you guys think that it makes no difference at all. If you admit that it makes a difference then you have to say that Im right. I love Sweet Pea to death and think that he was brilliant but you hardly ever see a righty fight like him and be great except for a guy like Ali. I know that the JCC fight would be much different if he were righty. I know that Oscar wouldve had a much easier time in that fight if Pea were righty. Its just a natural fact and I dont know why people try to fight against that. It does matter
also guys, you have to understand what Im saying. Im not saying that you should take all southpaws off the P4P list. That would be so stupid. Im just saying if you compare a guy like Floyd vs Sweet Pea then Im going to give Floyd some extra credit because he did his stuff as a righty while I think Pea had it a little easier fighting guys who hardly ever fought Southpaws. If you tell me to compare Pac to Duran at a certain weight them Im going to take some credit away from Pac because I just think he had it a little easier being a southpaw. I think Calzaghe being a southpaw has it easier then a guy like Hopkins. The same with Winky and so on. There southpaw stance gives guys hell in itself
Whats stupid is your notion that lefties have an easier time than righties. Are you going to take credit from Hagler too because he was a southpaw?? The man was a natural righty that converted to southpaw. Would you give Delahoya extra credit for being a natural lefty turned righty??
You're still not internalizing what we are saying. Paws may have the luxury of staying the same but take longer to learn in the development stage because they have to make mirror images of everything in their heads. Spend some time in a ring and you'll see 1sthand there is no magic or advantage in being a paw. No magic punches they can throw that'll get through your D just because they're a paw. If you get knocked silly its because theyre the better man that particular day.
also guys, you have to understand what Im saying. Im not saying that you should take all southpaws off the P4P list. That would be so stupid. Im just saying if you compare a guy like Floyd vs Sweet Pea then Im going to give Floyd some extra credit because he did his stuff as a righty while I think Pea had it a little easier fighting guys who hardly ever fought Southpaws. If you tell me to compare Pac to Duran at a certain weight them Im going to take some credit away from Pac because I just think he had it a little easier being a southpaw. I think Calzaghe being a southpaw has it easier then a guy like Hopkins. The same with Winky and so on. There southpaw stance gives guys hell in itself
But if you were a paw, you could beat your bigger brother up all day?
READ what I'm typing here.
If you are a professional boxer, fighting for money, (the purse fighting idea should be back into play, but whatever) you are going to use whatever advantage you have.
For instance, check out Corrales vs Mayweather. Just because I can.
Now, Corrales had a height, size, and even a power advantage, (or some thought) in that fight.
What did Mayweather do? Well, pretty much negate all that. And beat the shit out of the much bigger guy.
By doing what?
Being smarter, and a better boxer.
Southpaws have a certain advantage. But a pro boxer NOT preparing for that, being orthodox, is NO excuse. It's called training.
Southpaws being ranked lower? Sorry, man. Don't see it. And wouldn't want to.
thats still apples & oranges. Foreman even use to talk about it all the time whenever there was a matchup like Chico-Floyd. Jim would ask George does he think Chico has the advantage with his size but George said they both have equal advantages because Chico is taller & bigger but Floyd is much faster so it cancels eachother out. One of the main guys Im talking about in terms of size is Floyd. Chico had the size but it didnt matter much because they were both in there 1st division so Floyd can handle himself with anyone there. If you fast foward to Floyd at WW then its difference. He's still certainly capable of winning because he is that talented but dont tell me that the size doesnt matter at that weight when Floyd is in his 4th division and hardly gains a pound after the weigh-in and those other guys are in there 1st division and gain like 15 pounds. it definatly matters. If it didnt then Floyd would kill them because he's clearly a much much better fighter then a guy like Margarito but he could possibly lose to him just because of the natural size advantage
But if you were a paw, you could beat your bigger brother up all day?
READ what I'm typing here.
If you are a professional boxer, fighting for money, (the purse fighting idea should be back into play, but whatever) you are going to use whatever advantage you have.
For instance, check out Corrales vs Mayweather. Just because I can.
Now, Corrales had a height, size, and even a power advantage, (or some thought) in that fight.
What did Mayweather do? Well, pretty much negate all that. And beat the shit out of the much bigger guy.
By doing what?
Being smarter, and a better boxer.
Southpaws have a certain advantage. But a pro boxer NOT preparing for that, being orthodox, is NO excuse. It's called training.
Southpaws being ranked lower? Sorry, man. Don't see it. And wouldn't want to.
Ok look check it out. If you take 2 kids same age never boxed before. 1 righty and 1 lefty. Brought them to the same gym. Who do you think makes more progress the 1st day?? It will always be the righty making more progress because all they have to do is copy everything they're shown while the lefty has to see the trainer, make a mirror image in his mind and copy that. So where's the advantage?
ok but then put them up against an opponent and see which guy catches on way way way quicker. Righties always get killed when they 1st step into the ring but even at a young age guys have problems against lefties so they dont take the same amount of punishment and at the very least can make it a sloppy fight where no one lands but the righty gets his ass kicked.
No but i think the fact that they have such different styles may have to do with 1 being a southpaw. Marquez is a textbook fighter who was trained by Nacho who was a textbook fighter in his day. The book was obviously made by righties 4 righties and leaves southpaws high and dry to figure shit out on their own. Thats why southpaws like Pea and Pac develop ways to even the odds like a nonstop attack or superior defens
How can you use the word "obviously" when you know you are just assuming? You think those guys havent trained southpaws before. That stuff isnt true. You think if JMM were a Southpaw then he wouldnt have trained him or something? All Im saying to you is that Pac and Pea arent developing any special styles. It just makes it seem special because they are Southpaws. They fight just like alot of others. A righty boxer always circles to the left while the Southpaw circles to ther right but if your a righty circling to the left then your still going to your opponents power hand while the Southpaw is going away from it. Its more then just being on the opposite side. Its a huge advantage. Pac comes straight at you like a ton of guys do and sometimes he uses the in & out movement or whatever but its still an aggressive style that alot of righties use but his Southpaw stance definatly makes it more effective.
You see a ton of righties put there right hand over the side of there face, right? Thats how most guys teach it but a Southpaw's punch comes straight downt the pipe most of the time so you dont block it. Thats why they kill these guys
They dont need videos because there fighting them every fight. If anything, Southpaws would need videos on other Southpaws also. Look, Im not trying to diss you. I understand where your coming from but I also think that your starting to see what Im trying to say also. Its all good
Ok look check it out. If you take 2 kids same age never boxed before. 1 righty and 1 lefty. Brought them to the same gym. Who do you think makes more progress the 1st day?? It will always be the righty making more progress because all they have to do is copy everything they're shown while the lefty has to see the trainer, make a mirror image in his mind and copy that. So where's the advantage?
So you guys are trying to tell me that Pac dropping JMM 3 times in the 1st round has nothing to do with him being a Southpaw? A great techiniqal fighter like JMM gets caught clean non stop in his nose has nothing to do with Pac being a southpaw. Its just because Pac is such a highly skilled fighter? Again, Im not dissing Pac or nothing like that but dont tell me that its not an advantage and it takes alot of guys some time to adjust to it. There is no way he drops JMM those 3 times if he's an orthodox fighter with the same exact skill set as he has now. No way
No but i think the fact that they have such different styles may have to do with 1 being a southpaw. Marquez is a textbook fighter who was trained by Nacho who was a textbook fighter in his day. The book was obviously made by righties 4 righties and leaves southpaws high and dry to figure shit out on their own. Thats why southpaws like Pea and Pac develop ways to even the odds like a nonstop attack or superior defens
Again, its not about dissin southpaws. I love watching them do there thing and I favor them in alot of fights because of it but dont tell me its not an advantage in the ring. There are only a couple of guys who are great at fighting Southpaws. Hopkins was one. Even he always says that most guys dont know how to fight Southpaws so they are scared to fight them but I do
Ok...lets try to paint the picture this way. How many boxing books and/or instructional videos do you know of that show you the proper footwork for throwing a proper "right" jab?? or the proper southpaw defense for an orthodox left hook?? I dont know of any book or video that teaches proper fundamentals for southpaws. They either have to figure it out for themselves for the most part just to even develop. This is where all these supposed advantages are offset
They dont need videos because there fighting them every fight. If anything, Southpaws would need videos on other Southpaws also. Look, Im not trying to diss you. I understand where your coming from but I also think that your starting to see what Im trying to say also. Its all good