Are u NOT a boxer (not amateur or pro) but HAVE sparred before?

[Quiksilva]

Have sparred numerous of times and have done one exhibition. I loved boxing so much

I miss my old days, but I'm now not as fit as I was before. Nor do I have the motivation as I did in my early teens

[K-Nan]

I was crazy for boxing during my middle years of High School. Sparred probably 20 or so times... Never could get my mom to sign off on those papers though. Once college started i srta went the academic route. Still wish I'd had an amateur bout or two... just to see, u know

[K-Nan]

To certain degree...but sparring is sparring and fighting is fighting. The level of sparring also matters...and I'm sure some of the high and mighty "i go to the gym" guys around here are complete novices.

Sparring can be some hellacious shit even if coach says "only throw jabs"... trust me man that head gear does NOT protect you from getting your nose busted the **** up from a well placed jab or straight shot

[Quiksilva]

Sparring can be some hellacious shit even if coach says "only throw jabs"... trust me man that head gear does NOT protect you from getting your nose busted the **** up from a well placed jab or straight shot

That is why wear something like a full-face mask.

[BWC]

Wrong. There's a lot, a LOT, that separates a guy who makes judgements about boxers but hasn't ever actually participated vs someone who has gotten in there and sparred, and has gone back for more. When you've gone home with a busted nose, black eye, blood on your shirt and your opponents blood onyour glove, you so have some authority to talk about what it's like to be in there.

I really didn't get into boxing until I started training honestly. But yeah, until you've been buzzed from a hard shot, hot with a kidney blow that literally buckles your knees, it's hard to call someone a "bum" in my view..

[Redd Foxx]

I really didn't get into boxing until I started training honestly. But yeah, until you've been buzzed from a hard shot, hot with a kidney blow that literally buckles your knees, it's hard to call someone a "bum" in my view..

Agreed.

As a casual, the big one for me was "why aren't they punching?!"
Having always sparred w/ friends and having been in numerous fights I thought the key was just to throw more and fighters were stupid for not doing it.
In my first "real" sparring match I was dead to the world after the first round and suddenly realized that you can't just keep throwing.

I also realized why guys sometimes "shut down" when they are getting countered every time they throw and can't find an answer. I was oblivious to what that's truly like until formal training and it gave me a ton of perspective.

[Redd Foxx]

Sparring can be some hellacious shit even if coach says "only throw jabs"... trust me man that head gear does NOT protect you from getting your nose busted the **** up from a well placed jab or straight shot

Absolutely true. The gym I trained at was a little on the "rugged" side and while the people were all cool w/ zero attitudes, they still went hard. No stopping for a bloody nose (and there were many) despite requiring headgear. IMO, headgear basically makes your head larger and means more punches will rattle your brain as you try to slip and maneuver.

[jaded]

It's pretty hard to appreciate how hard even a single 3 min round can be until you've tried it because of how easy pro's make 12 rounds look...even if you are in pretty good shape. Your perspective changes completely after you've had some experience and only then do you start to understand what is going on.

[Real King Kong]

I boxed since i was 12 and my 15 year old has been in and out of the gym since he was 8....you barking up the wrong tree son

What's your point? You somehow think that gives you the right to **** on fighters? I've trained and competed in boxing kickboxing wrestling jiu jitsu and mma...if anything it made me more respectful of all guys trying to make a go of it, not just the ones who have a style i like.

[K-Nan]

Absolutely true. The gym I trained at was a little on the "rugged" side and while the people were all cool w/ zero attitudes, they still went hard. No stopping for a bloody nose (and there were many) despite requiring headgear. IMO, headgear basically makes your head larger and means more punches will rattle your brain as you try to slip and maneuver.

To add on to what u said about "little things that people dont see"... Let me just say that its pretty much impossible to understand how much a good jab (especially doubled up) will blind the FUCK outta you... Even when they aint quite landing! People dont realize how big gloves are and how your line of sight can be allllll the way covered up from a punch even when you block it... I think more people would appreciate defense if they understood how impossibly sick it is to watch top fighters mix defense and offensive so fluidly. I could never 100% get tired of a Rigondeaux or Mayweather style even when I can see how the average observer will see only missed punches in certain exchanges