Cutting off the ring

[Ben Bolt]

The Ring Magazine’s Thomas Hauser wrote some interesting words about the science (for a power puncher against a technician) of cutting off the ring.

I’ve learned, thru Ali’s own words that Foreman was excellent at it, forcing Ali to change strategy in their meeting. (How about Liston, he seems more to be chasing Ali than cutting him off? …)

Hauser ends his article with a quote by trainer Don Turner: “If Larry Holmes stuffed a jab in your face, all of a sudden you didn’t want to cut the ring off him so much.”

[The Old LefHook]

Is it another lost art? Sometimes I have thought so.

Fact: You see a lot of chasers who obviously do not know the technique. Foreman obviously did. I have often wondered if he learned any of it from Archie Moore.

About Liston I believe you are correct also. If Sonny knew how to cut a ring off he forgot against Clay. Liston's feet were pretty fast we see from fight I. He is really pursuing at a pace. If he had known how to apply the theory of cutting the ring off, he had everything else in his medicine bag to beat Clay. With those fast feet doing the right thing, Liston would become the favorite in my historical revisionist scenario.

[OctoberRed]

The Ring Magazine’s Thomas Hauser wrote some interesting words about the science (for a power puncher against a technician) of cutting off the ring.

I’ve learned, thru Ali’s own words that Foreman was excellent at it, forcing Ali to change strategy in their meeting. (How about Liston, he seems more to be chasing Ali than cutting him off? …)

Hauser ends his article with a quote by trainer Don Turner: “If Larry Holmes stuffed a jab in your face, all of a sudden you didn’t want to cut the ring off him so much.”

Mixed reviews on how good Golovkin is at cutting off the ring.

[Ben Bolt]

Is it another lost art?

More on Hauser’s article …

Trainer Pat Burns tells Hauser: "It’s really not that complicated. It’s all about footwork. If you and I got in the ring together, I could teach you how to do it in 15 minutes, yell at you for six weeks, and you’d be a master at cutting off the ring.

It’s a basic skill, but it has to be taught and then practised again and again until each step becomes instinct."

But, will the strategy be useful against every opponent. Hauser mentions that “Hector Camacho could escape all night because he was fast on his feet and a southpaw to boot.”
As Camacho’s hand speed. It’s stunning to watch.

[OctoberRed]

More on Hauser’s article …

Trainer Pat Burns tells Hauser: "It’s really not that complicated. It’s all about footwork. If you and I got in the ring together, I could teach you how to do it in 15 minutes, yell at you for six weeks, and you’d be a master at cutting off the ring.

It’s a basic skill, but it has to be taught and then practised again and again until each step becomes instinct."

But, will the strategy be useful against every opponent. Hauser mentions that “Hector Camacho could escape all night because he was fast on his feet and a southpaw to boot.”
As Camacho’s hand speed. It’s stunning to watch.

None of that helped him with Chavez. Not sure how far past it Camacho was at that point.

[Ben Bolt]

None of that helped him with Chavez.

Hauser: When Muhammad Ali was young, he was able to escape because he was incredibly fast on his feet. And if someone got inside, Ali knew how to tie him up.

Well, if I had been a really good fighter and an opponent to Ali or Chavez in their prime, I don’t think any strategy would’ve helped me. They had taken charge from the opening bell.

[QueensburyRules]

--- cutting off the ring no different than a football defender cutting the angle to catch a speedy runner or an outfielder doing the same on a speeding baseball.

It becomes a flaw if you ain't got the skills to handle your cornered prey, hence the modern game of hide and seek and pittypatty TUE 50-0 excelled in.

He always had a ref to pull the fighter off Him when needed

[Anthony342]

What the hell does TUE mean?

[QueensburyRules]

--- What? You ain't heared of TUE 50-0?

Heresy I say!

[HOUDINI563]

Ali was surprised at several things round one vs Foreman:

1). Foreman was fast. Ali was surprised at how quick Geirge was.
2). Foreman was cutting the ring. Ali was moving four steps to George's two. Ali could not keep that pace for 15 rounds.
3). Thickly padded punchers canvas. Moving side to side as Ali was doing on such a canvas is EXTREMELY tiring. Stepping foreward as Foreman was doing is easy.

As an example I boxed in a NJ gym back in the late 70's. I was quick and would typically move side to side utilizing a good jab. I had no issues doing very well at my gym in a ring that had literally no padded at all. One day my buddy asked me to his gym in Hackettstown NJ. Got in the ring and found myself literally unable to move side to side. The same opponent I slapped around the week prior now was easily cornering me and doing damage. This was a graphic demonstration as to what a difference in ring padding can do to alter performance.