Is clinching really that bad?

[pacmanis1]

Clinching is horrible and ruins fights. The only people who support clinching are people who's favorite fighters utilize it. Fanboys of Ward and Klits will say "it's a part of the game yo".

[al-Xander]

If one fighter is just naturally an excessive clincher, the best thing the ref can do is to let the fighters break themselves apart and not interfere everytime the clincher does his de****able tactic. Otherwise, it's like aiding the clincher to win. There's no other way to look at it. One fighter cheats, the ref allows it. No warning, no penalties.

Occasional clinching is fine. Excessive clinching is cheating. The ref should be expected to do something about it.

[Motorcity Cobra]

No it isn't. And some of the guys who are accused of clinching don't even clinch that much. Mayweather is a perfect example.

Knowing how to fight in and out of the clinch is part of boxing.

Yep. Complaining to the ref isn't part of the sport

[Motorcity Cobra]

I guess none of you are Ali fans

[Don Pichardo]

Clinching to me is permissible when wobbled or stunned to keep from getting ktfo. That's fair and it has been done and accepted in professional boxing for as long as I can remember. It's actually considered a skill. Notice all the newbis who get wobbled and then proceed to get ko'd for not knowing or forgetting to clinch. The elites Invaribily will clinch when in ****er either to get to the bell or to by the cob webs out.

The problem with clinching is when a boxer uses it to avoid punches altogether a la mayweather vs maidana 2. Others do it as well. I do not condone this even bough I understand why Floyd did it in the maidana fight. It was strategic. I do not recall Floyd holding much in other fights though.

[Boxfan83]

Tony Weeks > Kenny Bayless.

[Boxfan83]

Pretty vague...

The clinch – Clinching is a form of trapping or a rough form of grappling and occurs when the distance between both fighters has closed and straight punches cannot be employed. In this situation, the boxer attempts to hold or "tie up" the opponent's hands so he is unable to throw hooks or uppercuts. To perform a clinch, the boxer loops both hands around the outside of the opponent's shoulders, scooping back under the forearms to grasp the opponent's arms tightly against his own body. In this position, the opponent's arms are pinned and cannot be used to attack. Clinching is a temporary match state and is quickly dissipated by the referee. Clinching is technically against the rules, and in amateur fights points are deducted fairly quickly for it. It is unlikely, however, to see points deducted for a clinch in professional boxing.

If a "clinch" – a defensive move in which a boxer wraps his or her opponents arms and holds on to create a pause – is broken by the referee, each fighter must take a full step back before punching again (alternatively, the referee may direct the fighters to "punch out" of the clinch). When a boxer is knocked down, the other boxer must immediately cease fighting and move to the furthest neutral corner of the ring until the referee has either ruled a knockout or called for the fight to continue.

[buddyguns]

I guess none of you are Ali fans

Best comment yet. The Rumble in the Jungle was won almost single handedly by brilliant in-fighting.

[Larry the boss]

Gayweather clinched like a girl. So did postol. So did Wlad.

what fights did Mayweather clinch alot in out of his 49 fights

[Redd Foxx]

Stalling the action, aka 'holding', is bad IMO. Sucks to watch and should be reserved for a last resort or for situations when you need to avoid headbutting because you're in too close.

Tactical clinch/dirty boxing/bullying on the inside is totally cool in my book and adds another dimension to the game. Sadly, a lot of fans just throw it under one banner and dismiss it simply because their fave guys aren't skilled in that area.