Tweet
Some good things have been said already, but to add I would say a lot of fighters start to lose their core strength with age, and that can definitely have an effect. Also fighters start struggling to make weight, which can make you weak and kind of ties in with getting old and losing core strength, I think if you have been squeezing down to the same weight for a long time that is definitely not a good thing.
It might also push you to move up divisions on the flip side because you can't make the weight anymore and if you are not athletic and strong at those higher weights than you will get the same effect, not only that but now you are fighting bigger guys who hit harder.
In terms of the Pacquiao example, I think a couple hit the nail on the head already. I think he fooled everyone in thinking he had some iron chin in his prime at 47 because he was going in with monsters and taking some big shots. But for me he just wasn't getting hit clean anymore with shots he didn't see. He could see the shots coming and would sometimes lay on the ropes and take them, but he could see them that's the difference. When he was fighting guys like Morales, Barrera, JMM they were able to hit him with clean shots and counters where he didn't see them because of the speed and accuracy, plus he improved defensively from that time. Fighters can touch Pacquiao but he isn't someone who is easy to hit with clean power shots.
But with Tim and JMM they were still carrying speed so they were able to catch Pac clean. Tim rocked him with a right hand, and JMM put him out because of the way they were able to hit him. Its often about the quality of the contact and hitting the guy when his body isn't totally prepared to take the punch. When you get to the elite level it isn't just about getting the guy on the ropes and teeing off, you won't hurt or get an elite guy out of their like that most of the time. That is why when people talk about Khan not having a chin, I think they are only semi correct, I think that he doesn't have a great chin, but I also don't think it is terrible, the thing that compounds Khan's problem is that he gets hit with the wrong kinds of punches at the wrong time. You notice when Maidana was teeing off on him at times he had no problems taking those shots, because he is conditioned to an elite level, his main problem is his style and technique expose his average chin.
It might also push you to move up divisions on the flip side because you can't make the weight anymore and if you are not athletic and strong at those higher weights than you will get the same effect, not only that but now you are fighting bigger guys who hit harder.
In terms of the Pacquiao example, I think a couple hit the nail on the head already. I think he fooled everyone in thinking he had some iron chin in his prime at 47 because he was going in with monsters and taking some big shots. But for me he just wasn't getting hit clean anymore with shots he didn't see. He could see the shots coming and would sometimes lay on the ropes and take them, but he could see them that's the difference. When he was fighting guys like Morales, Barrera, JMM they were able to hit him with clean shots and counters where he didn't see them because of the speed and accuracy, plus he improved defensively from that time. Fighters can touch Pacquiao but he isn't someone who is easy to hit with clean power shots.
But with Tim and JMM they were still carrying speed so they were able to catch Pac clean. Tim rocked him with a right hand, and JMM put him out because of the way they were able to hit him. Its often about the quality of the contact and hitting the guy when his body isn't totally prepared to take the punch. When you get to the elite level it isn't just about getting the guy on the ropes and teeing off, you won't hurt or get an elite guy out of their like that most of the time. That is why when people talk about Khan not having a chin, I think they are only semi correct, I think that he doesn't have a great chin, but I also don't think it is terrible, the thing that compounds Khan's problem is that he gets hit with the wrong kinds of punches at the wrong time. You notice when Maidana was teeing off on him at times he had no problems taking those shots, because he is conditioned to an elite level, his main problem is his style and technique expose his average chin.
Comment