Henry Armstrong would be disqualified for his style if he fought today

[them_apples]

If he fought today he would probably do quite well and beat up or nullify a lot of fighters with his head pinning smothering style. It wouldn't be considered legal though and would likely result in a disqualification. If not he would be at a serious disadvantage having to reinvent his style that allowed him to beat much bigger fighters.

watch his fight with Garcia, he pins the top of his head under Garcias chin all night and maneuvers it so it stays there preventing Garcia from seeing what Armstrong is doing and also shielding Armstrongs head by being too close to Garcia, all the while grabbing and manipulating Garcias gloves and finding openings. Its way too rough of a style the ref would disqualify him.

[QueensburyRules]

If he fought today he would probably do quite well and beat up or nullify a lot of fighters with his head pinning smothering style. It wouldn't be considered legal though and would likely result in a disqualification. If not he would be at a serious disadvantage having to reinvent his style that allowed him to beat much bigger fighters.

watch his fight with Garcia, he pins the top of his head under Garcias chin all night and maneuvers it so it stays there preventing Garcia from seeing what Armstrong is doing and also shielding Armstrongs head by being too close to Garcia, all the while grabbing and manipulating Garcias gloves and finding openings. Its way too rough of a style the ref would disqualify him.

- -Not illegal to fight inside close quarters as long as there is no butting. He fought Garcia twice that you failed to distinguish. Gonna have to try harder starting with smarter...

[The Old LefHook]

I always thought Armstrong was among the most overrated of ATGs. I cannot see him rising above #5 AT in his best division. He would try the same technique against Saddler and I wonder if he could make it work. I know it would not work against Pep or Sanchez. Armstrong would lose every round. Nobody is burying their head in Willie's or Sally's chest.

[travestyny]

Here's a pretty good video on his infighting.

[HOUDINI563]

Tremendous fighter. He avoids his opponents blows via head movement and parrying keeping his fists low always in position to counter. Don’t make fighters like this anymore.

[Willie Pep 229]

I don't know . . . Lots of elbows and forearms landed - is using his head to force his opponents off balance . . . The answer to the OP question isn't IMO so cut and dry. . . He might very well have a hard time with some of today's referees . . . Certainty much going on there then suggested above; very slick fighter doing much more with his head then just him putting it on his opponent's chest and punching. I could see fans today calling it cheating; I wouldn't but I like 'dirty' fighters (except butting).

[The Old LefHook]

Instead of Hammern Hank they should have called him battern ram. Worst and most consistent head butter I have ever seen in the ring. He has plenty of skills all right, but his main technique is butting, pure and simple.

[them_apples]

Instead of Hammern Hank they should have called him battern ram. Worst and most consistent head butter I have ever seen in the ring. He has plenty of skills all right, but his main technique is butting, pure and simple.

This is what I mean. I don't doubt his style worked, but its dirty by todays standards. They called Duran dirty when he did the head pin on Leonard, but even Duran did it in bursts and hid it better. Armstrong was just allowed to do that all night, a fighter today would have no idea how to deal with that, defence based on not giving you space. Its also illegal by todays standards though as in OP

[HOUDINI563]

Problem is you are anticipating that just altering one aspect of Armstrong’s game he becomes ineffective. If he needed to make this adjustment he would do so and still have bountiful skills to put the present generation to shame.

[them_apples]

Problem is you are anticipating that just altering one aspect of Armstrong’s game he becomes ineffective. If he needed to make this adjustment he would do so and still have bountiful skills to put the present generation to shame.

oh thats a whole different story. Yeah if you took Henry Armstrong as a person and transported him to a modern day scenario im sure he would adapt fine and dominate, just coming from a no distraction hard living era