What Can a Fighter Do Against a Hugger AND a Ref Who Breaks up Infighting?

[Tony Trick-Pony]

I am a big fan of refs who say punch your way out, if one arm is free.

Me, too. When one guy keeps clinching and looking for the ref to break it up, the refs who do it seem like they are just babysitters at that point.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

If your a fighter who likes to work hard and throw punches constantly and you are fighting a hugger it seems to me you would want the referee to order a break to get the hugger off you. When Broner fought Porter and Maidana he couldn't handle their hard two fisted attack so he started hugging like a damn octopus and wouldn't let go. Broner is very strong and it's hard to escape his bear hug. Mosley and Berto are two other strong huggers. The ref has the power to order a break and take points away for excessive holding. The ref can tell two tied up fighters to punch their way out but he has no authority to make them punch their way out or take a point away if they don't punch their way out. All he can do if they don't feel like punching their way out is order them to break and physically break them. In fighting only works when both fighters are throwing punches. If your opponent is hugging you it's hard to get much work done on the inside. That's when a good referee will make the hugger stop hugging. You can legally punch a fighter who is holding you. What is illegal is to hold your opponent with one hand and pound away with the other hand. Many fighters get away with lots of holding and hitting and some referees don't enforce this rule.

Well, I have to say, though. If they bear hug forever, won't the crowd totally turn against them? And the judges for that matter?

[Zaroku]

Me, too. When one guy keeps clinching and looking for the ref to break it up, the refs who do it seem like they are just babysitters at that point.

I assume the fix is in!! I like the ref who makes the clincher let go, and says, fight you way out. This is boxing not fencing!

[Tony Trick-Pony]

I assume the fix is in!! I like the ref who makes the clincher let go, and says, fight you way out. This is boxing not fencing!

I do, too. Even in that fight last Saturday with Marcus Browne where he clearly lost but got the decision, he tied that guy up over and over and the referee separated them each time and sure took his time in doing so. It was also only 8 rounds between two guys who were both unbeaten with around 20 fights a piece. That should always be ten rounds. That definitely helped him survive and take the decision especially in his hometown and was an Olympian alongside Spence in the main event. Fix was in there for sure and that really hurts boxing.

[Jiub]

You mean like this? Old Joe was way too involved in this one.

Ref was **** no doubt but Floyd was hardly a hugger in that fight, he tooled Hatton on the inside. Honestly i feel like this fight actually answers the OP's question. What can you do to avoid the hug? Get your arms between your bodies so that if they try to wrap their arms around you there's too much room between each fighter. He does this to Hatton plenty and is able to simply push him off with his shoulder and arms to make space for short inside shots. I can't post an image at the moment but look at the 39:10 mark of the Golden boy upload of that fight to see it in action.
Edit: As to what you can do about the ref? I'm not so sure. I guess if you just actively work to create space in the clinch itself the ref might give you more leeway to work there. Maidana got some good opportunities to work Mayweather on the inside uninterrupted. Just gotta avoid the full on under the armpit hug you know, cause that's basically a guaranteed break just cause nothing will get done from there except each dude punching the other in the back of the head

[Tony Trick-Pony]

Ref was **** no doubt but Floyd was hardly a hugger in that fight, he tooled Hatton on the inside. Honestly i feel like this fight actually answers the OP's question. What can you do to avoid the hug? Get your arms between your bodies so that if they try to wrap their arms around you there's too much room between each fighter. He does this to Hatton plenty and is able to simply push him off with his shoulder and arms to make space for short inside shots. I can't post an image at the moment but look at the 39:10 mark of the Golden boy upload of that fight to see it in action.
Edit: As to what you can do about the ref? I'm not so sure. I guess if you just actively work to create space in the clinch itself the ref might give you more leeway to work there. Maidana got some good opportunities to work Mayweather on the inside uninterrupted. Just gotta avoid the full on under the armpit hug you know, cause that's basically a guaranteed break just cause nothing will get done from there except each dude punching the other in the back of the head

Yeah, I guess you just have to keep the punches going. If you're throwing, you are way harder to tie up. I really hate those fights where it's one clinch after another. Sucks the energy out of a fight and a ref that never says "Punch and get out" is not doing his job IMO.