Do some fighters willingly fight on the inside? Or is it only because they have to?

[IronDanHamza]

I'm curious, because I believe that some fighter's chose to fight on the inside, I apparently don't know anything about Boxing.

According to Tim2daresq in this thread;

http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=593143&page=4

Fighter's do not willingly chose to fight on the inside. Inside fighting is only something you do when you have to or are forced to.

Take Bernard Hopkins, for example. Is he a fighter who never willingly fought on the inside? Or did he fight there solely because he had no choice?

What do you think? Do some fighter's chose to fight on the inside?

[bojangles1987]

I'm definitely on your side in that argument. Especially since it started with a conversation involving Pernell Whitaker, who both boxed outside and chose to fight inside in the biggest fight he was ever in. You don't even need to be that knowledgeable about Whitaker to know he actively chose to fight inside when it wasn't necessary.

[IronDanHamza]

Here's another twist to the tale, apparently, boxers aren't inside fighters;

Such a silly argument. Do you know what an inside game is? Corrales/Castillo is an inside game. Rios has an inside game. Peterson has an inside game.

Boxers don't have inside games like them. A majority of them tie up, and pot shot, or use their body to shield themselves, and throw quick little punches.

Does anyone else believe Boxers don't have inside games?

Do "boxers" never willingly go onto the inside ala Bernard Hopkins?

I personally loved this Gem;

Rigo does exactly what Floyd is doing, when Floyd is in the center of the ring, "in fighting"

Or this;

Floyd laying on the ropes, looks cool, but that's not an inside fight. It's him rolling punches, and using his gloves to block an attack, and then pot shot.

WTF is the difference between that, and being the center of the ring, slipping a shot, and countering?

[KickAzz]

Yes, you can choose to fight on the inside... just like SRL chose to fight with Duran on the inside and lost, but in the rematch chose to fight exclusively on the outside and won.

[BackfromtheDead]

You're right.

[Jloro]

lol I think it's a choice. sometimes you might be forced into it like being pushed around but they can stick to longer range if they don't want to fight inside

[The Tase]

is tim2daresque timmy horton?

[IronDanHamza]

I'm definitely on your side in that argument. Especially since it started with a conversation involving Pernell Whitaker, who both boxed outside and chose to fight inside in the biggest fight he was ever in. You don't even need to be that knowledgeable about Whitaker to know he actively chose to fight inside when it wasn't necessary.

How about Andre Ward? Do you think he only fights on the inside because he has to?

Does he fight on the inside? You know, like ACTUAL inside fighters - Castillo, Corrales and Rios.

Or, is he merely forced to?

When he fought Abraham, and said after the fight "I wanted to take it to the inside but the ref wouldn't let me so I just boxed him" was he lying? He must have been.

How about against Froch, the success he had on the outside was the reason he went onto the inside.

No way he could have willingly chosen to do that.

[IronDanHamza]

is tim2daresque timmy horton?

I would find that doubtful.

[The Gambler1981]

This is only one example, but if you are facing a taller longer guy who is a good outside boxer, it only makes sense for a smaller good boxer to take the fight inside because that is where he can get an advantage.

SRL is being used, he couldn't beat Hearns at range so he took the fight inside paying a huge price for doing that but it allowed him to damage Hearns enough to win the first fight. That was not expected going in, but when faced with a guy that can out range you, the smart thing to do is get inside the arc of their power and put the bigger guy at a better range for you.

Also some guys like to lay on the ropes, you don't lay on the ropes to let him stay at range, you lay on the ropes to draw a guy in.


Boxing is about finding your advantage, and exploiting it.