Glaring flaws in great fighters.

[VG_Addict]

Some of the greatest fighters of all time had big, glaring flaws in their game, that caused some of their fights to be tougher than they should have been. Who are some fighters, and what were their flaws?

I'm talking about technical flaws, BTW.

[BKM-2010]

The most famous one is probably Max Schmeling planting his right cross over Louis' low-kept left hand.

Norton was unable to handle a steamroll from a hard puncher, he would freeze up in his shell while continuing to take punishment. Really cost him most of his losses.

[Panamaniac]

Muhammad Ali

There was an alleged flaw in (the then) Cassius Clay pulling back from, rather than slipping punches. "Experts" said it left him vulnerable. That tactic wasn't conventional, but it served him well defensively. His mere speed overcame any vulnerability he might have had.

[NChristo]

There was an alleged flaw in (the then) Cassius Clay pulling back from, rather than slipping punches. "Experts" said it left him vulnerable. That tactic wasn't conventional, but it served him well defensively. His mere speed overcame any vulnerability he might have had.

Surely his lack of body punching was a bigger technical 'flaw' and it would have served him better to do more of it in some fights, also his uppercuts weren't exactly spectacular and his hands always being low cost him more then him pulling back.

[billeau2]

Surely his lack of body punching was a bigger technical 'flaw' and it would have served him better to do more of it in some fights, also his uppercuts weren't exactly spectacular and his hands always being low cost him more then him pulling back.

lol Ali was something else that way...not to pile on here but Ali did so many things...different. He used head movement to such an extreme that he really did not use angles at times...most notably when Frazier caught him going straight back...He often lunged with his jab, and on his flurries his punches were often not completed...

and its one thing to hold the hands low...jack Johnson held his hands low, Roy Jones junior, likewise...its quite another to hold the hands down low, stick the chin out with the weight on the front foot!

[billeau2]

speaking of Jones:

Another one who occasionally forgot to measure when moving back...its how Tarver caught him. No angle to speak of and no back leg to move towards.

[Panamaniac]

Surely his lack of body punching was a bigger technical 'flaw' and it would have served him better to do more of it in some fights, also his uppercuts weren't exactly spectacular and his hands always being low cost him more then him pulling back.

Your point is well-taken. He was, in essence, a head hunter. Still, his "stick and move" boxing style did not lend itself to much body punching. He rarely (if ever) planted his feet to slug it out with an opponent. One could also argue that his lack of body-punching was more a by-product of his style, rather than necessarily a flaw.

[McGoorty]

Gee nearly every fighter that ever lived had flaws and weaknesses, if they didn't they would never lose a fight. Tyson had flaws, Schmeling too, Baer ditto but Willie Pep and SRR don't seem to have any technical flaws yet still lost fights but I put most of those down to the fact they fought on at the wrong weight and had too many fights which wore them down...