How did Henry Armstrong avoid the clinch?

[lparm]

From some of the stories I’ve read Henry was very good with the elbows inside and that makes it difficult to clinch

[OctoberRed]

From some of the stories I’ve read Henry was very good with the elbows inside and that makes it difficult to clinch

I've heard the same

[QueensburyRules]

--- A classic bear hug locks up Henry easily, especially if leading with a butt.

That generation of fighters clinched less than today with exceptions like JJOHNSON for whom the clinch was his most formidable offense.

[TBear]

I also believe that referees and fans were far less accepting of clinching back then. It may have been allowed a bit if a fighter was hurt but unacceptable as a basic defensive ploy as we see today.

[Tom Cruise]

Really good video here, mentions why it was difficult to clinch him at a few points.

[billeau2]

Really good video here, mentions why it was difficult to clinch him at a few points.

Excellent tape.

Notice how Armstrong was so forward with his weight. This also meant that he did not have to transfer weight in his footwork. The elbows are very important. One of those universals that apply to all combatives is to keep the elbows in tight and when trying to control a person doing so from the elbow and not the extended arm.

Marciano fought a lot like Armstrong, even down to how they both slipped the jab.

[billeau2]

--- Henry was not a good boxer.

He was a great fighter who thru the early school of hard knocks found a style niche to leverage his natural attributes.

He won his most acclaim as a welter, but that was not a great era of prime to prime welts for him to fight. He beat fading greats and then new greats beat him in his winter years.

The fighters wanted to get paid, and throwing punches insured steady purses, whereas clinching and spoiling put fighters last in line.

Even today look at how little a Saunders or Andrade clear as opposed to what Canelo or Golovkin harvest.

What is so funny is that there is a tape supplied by Tom Cruise on this thread that if you watched, not even watched very carefully, would show you how misinformed you are. Armstrong did not LOOK like a good boxer. Thats called deception. If you LOOK at what he actually did with his punches, his levers at the elbow, the way he used his weight, you would see that he was very technically accomplished at what he did.

[QueensburyRules]

--- that's one tape out of near 200 fights.

He comes boring in on a good uppercutter, he's toast. He was a ferocious puncher of pressure attrition, not any sort of skilled boxer. But for his stellar physical attributes, he'd have been a journeyman/gatekeeper.

His myths are schoolboy stuff. His middle title challenge was the never regarded Cali 10 rd title, not a legit belt. He didn't win either...Keeping it real!

[billeau2]

--- that's one tape out of near 200 fights.

He comes boring in on a good uppercutter, he's toast. He was a ferocious puncher of pressure attrition, not any sort of skilled boxer. But for his stellar physical attributes, he'd have been a journeyman/gatekeeper.

His myths are schoolboy stuff. His middle title challenge was the never regarded Cali 10 rd title, not a legit belt. He didn't win either...Keeping it real!

So to you Armstrong in how many fights? against how many opponents? and against some of the best...NEVER ENCOUNTERED A DECENT UPPERCUT? And your wanting to keep it real?

Actually Homicidal Hank actually faced off against two distinct types of uppercut. There is a punch from the older style where one comes in from the distance, and the punch in close...

heres a clue: watch Armstrong's head movement. Also watch his shoulder and finally, watch WHERE his head is placed when coming in. And heres a hint, there are actually two horizontal planes one can avoid an uppercut with: the one most are familiar with is the head back past the sweet spot. The other one is below the sweet spot... now taking that info look at where Armstrong keeps his coconut when he comes in. And ask yourself how he could be caught with an uppercut in that position.

[QueensburyRules]

--- Henry lost a lot of fights early and late with a big middle he dominated, mostly at welter.

That was not a big punching gen of welters, and guaranteed there is more than two types of uppercuts mixed in with hybrids.

Get over it. I rank henry high on his natural attributes and dedication, just not as high as you.