Secret to Pacquiao's success, world class sparring..

[!! Shawn]

I agree with you Alex. Though it is important to train hard, and have the sparring partner be aggressive, and hit hard because otherwise you can't be prepared for a real fight.. BUT as you said if you have too many wars in sparring it can cause problems down the road. I've seen it, so I totally understand your point. It's possible that the ppl that are totally disagreeing with you are ones that aren't boxers themselves like you are. Or haven't seen people spar.

90% of the damage a fighter takes is in the gym. I personally do not believe that hard sparring is beneficial in any way. You never need to be hit with big punches. Fast paced sparring is good, intense sparring is good, but fighters should never be hitting each other full power. You are honing your instincts, and reflexes. Getting hit harder does not help with that at all. If you see an opening, you should touch it, you shouldn't try and drop your sparring partner.

Unfortunately, many gyms encourage that kind of sparring. Their fighters end up punchy, and slurring at early ages.

Tommy Hearns and Terry Norris are perfect examples. I have a feeling Wilfred Benitez engaged in frequent gym wars too, but I have no sources for that.

[Alibata]

90% of the damage a fighter takes is in the gym. I personally do not believe that hard sparring is beneficial in any way. You never need to be hit with big punches. Fast paced sparring is good, intense sparring is good, but fighters should never be hitting each other full power. You are honing your instincts, and reflexes. Getting hit harder does not help with that at all. If you see an opening, you should touch it, you shouldn't try and drop your sparring partner.

Unfortunately, many gyms encourage that kind of sparring. Their fighters end up punchy, and slurring at early ages.

Tommy Hearns and Terry Norris are perfect examples. I have a feeling Wilfred Benitez engaged in frequent gym wars too, but I have no sources for that.

With 16oz gloves, headgear all it needs is some regulation... I agree that gym wars are detrimental to fighter but also necessary in preparation for the actual intensity of a real fight... If you have fighters like Urbano Antillon, Israel Vasquez, Holloway, Kahn, etc., you don't want to patty cake with them if they are at your disposal. I am not saying having wars every time out.. But having a good hard session to see if muscle memory, Instincts, reflexes, etc. are starting to adhere to what the game plan dictates. You can have intense sparring but holding back on all your punches ain't the same thing and can become a habit that may surface in the real thing. So letting loose ever so often in sparring can help... I don't think Pac goes hard everytime out with his partners, but when the adjustments are made, I feel a hard session can ingrain certain new instincts you can't learn anywhere else, specially if you are training with someone world class.

[ELPacman]

Could that be why Mosley slurs abit every now and then? I didn't think he got hit flush too many times in his early days. Nowdays he's getting hit abit more, but I'd imagine that's due to age. Think he had many wars in gym and that's why he's not so centered these days?

[Alibata]

Could that be why Mosley slurs abit every now and then? I didn't think he got hit flush too many times in his early days. Nowdays he's getting hit abit more, but I'd imagine that's due to age. Think he had many wars in gym and that's why he's not so centered these days?

Wars with 2x De La Hoya, 2x Vernon Forrest, Miguel Cotto, 2x Winky wright.. I think that list alone can get you slurrin.

[Guest]

Could that be why Mosley slurs abit every now and then? I didn't think he got hit flush too many times in his early days. Nowdays he's getting hit abit more, but I'd imagine that's due to age. Think he had many wars in gym and that's why he's not so centered these days?

Wars with 2x De La Hoya, 2x Vernon Forrest, Miguel Cotto, 2x Winky wright.. I think that list alone can get you slurrin.

Yeah and still doing it at 37.

Pac would be smart to bail on boxing after this and one more fight.
He doesn't exactly have the style for longevity although he's boxing a ton better than he used to.
Problem is he's got the warrior in him and that will always come out in the heat of battle...
just hope he bails before it's too late. dude has over 50 fights already.