Who do the soviet bloc boxers usually have better jabs than American boxers?

[Mr Objecitivity]

For example, boxers like Wladimir Klitschko, Sergey Kovalev, Gennady Golovkin, Kostya Tszyu and etc. They all have superior jabs than pretty much any American boxer. Wladimir Klitschko's jab alone is better than the jab of any American boxer in history.

Yet, somehow American boxers are supposedly superior 'skilled' boxers or 'technicians'? Isn't the jab one of the most important foundation to being a 'skilled' boxer or a 'technician'?

[DrHouse579]

Just different schools. Just a guess but I suspect since a lot of Soviet countries had state-backed boxing programs whose sole goal was to win gold medals at amateur competition around the world, the boxing styles reflect an amateur-friendly style. Jab and straight cross are thus emphasized and drilled heavily in the "soviet" style (Kovalev, GGG, Usyk). I don't include Lomachenko with the others because he has a completely unique style that only he could pull off.

[dan_cov]

Heard of Larry Holmes? Ali, Mayweather Jr, Tommy Hearns, Andre Ward, Sonny Liston etc etc

[Vlad_]

Heard of Larry Holmes? Ali, Mayweather Jr, Tommy Hearns, Andre Ward, Sonny Liston etc etc

Kovalev outjabbed Ward by far. All the fighters you mentionned are retired or passed away..:

[dan_cov]

Kovalev outjabbed Ward at will. All the fighters you mentionned are retired or passed away..:

So that means Ward doesn't have a great jab? and he can mention retired fighters but I can't?

Crawford, Easter, Thurman, The Charlo's, there are plenty of active American fighters with good jabs but lets face it it doesn't matter because as always its just another race baiting thread on Boxingscene.

[Vlad_]

So that means Ward doesn't have a great jab? and he can mention retired fighters but I can't?

Crawford, Easter, Thurman, The Charlo's, there are plenty of active American fighters with good jabs but lets face it it doesn't matter because as always its just another race baiting thread on Boxingscene.

There are plenty of great active american fighters. As a russian having grown up and living in Canada, I admit to be biased towards eastern euro fighters, but I appreciate great talent from any country when I see it.

That being said, Ward’s jab & clinch tactics that he used throughout his career is pathetic and disgusting to watch.

[DrHouse579]

Yet, somehow American boxers are supposedly superior 'skilled' boxers or 'technicians'? Isn't the jab one of the most important foundation to being a 'skilled' boxer or a 'technician'?

The jab isn't the be all end all. Like I said before, Soviet bloc fighters tend to have a pretty solid 1-2, but they lack in other "skill" departments like inside fighting, body work, and counterpunching. IMO, the most important skill in any sport is making adjustments and changing your look, which I haven't seen GGG, Kovalev, or Usyk do at all in their fights. Hence, why they are described as "robotic" in their approach.

A big reason why I loved the Ward-Kov fights is because we saw this clash of styles, and we saw the fighter with the "inferior jab" win primarily due to body work and crowding the less adaptable Russian fighter (if you think low blows won the fight, check your bias...)

Lomachenko, again, transcends any label and he is a different kind of beast altogether

[Mr Objecitivity]

Heard of Larry Holmes? Ali, Mayweather Jr, Tommy Hearns, Andre Ward, Sonny Liston etc etc

I have and unfortunately, none of them have jabs that are / where anywhere near as good as the jabs of Wladimir Klitschko or Gennady Golovkin.

Furthermore, they're (American's) jabs are weak, feather-fisted looking punches. On the other hand, the Soviet Bloc boxers can actually jab with power.

[dan_cov]

There are plenty of great active american fighters. As a russian having grown up and living in Canada, I admit to be biased towards eastern euro fighters, but I appreciate great talent from any country when I see it.

That being said, Ward’s jab & clinch tactics that he used throughout his career is pathetic and disgusting to watch.

I'm not a fan of his style either he does however have a great, very educated jab even if he was outjabbed by Kovalev. You can't take that away from him.
And Kostya Tszyu as fun as he was too watch isn't somebody I at least remember for having a great jab personally.

If we're too look at the best jabbers throughout history America has easily produced most of the top 10 maybe more in the top 100 than all other countries combined.

[Mr Objecitivity]

The jab isn't the be all end all. Like I said before, Soviet bloc fighters tend to have a pretty solid 1-2, but they lack in other "skill" departments like inside fighting, body work, and counterpunching. IMO, the most important skill in any sport is making adjustments and changing your look, which I haven't seen GGG, Kovalev, or Usyk do at all in their fights. Hence, why they are described as "robotic" in their approach.

A big reason why I loved the Ward-Kov fights is because we saw this clash of styles, and we saw the fighter with the "inferior jab" win primarily due to body work and crowding the less adaptable Russian fighter (if you think low blows won the fight, check your bias...)

Lomachenko, again, transcends any label and he is a different kind of beast altogether

Against Wladimir Klitschko's jab, inside fighting, head movement, adjustments, adaptability, body work, counter punching and changing looks is practically useless and pointless. It is HUMANLY IMPOSSIBLE to get past a peak Wladimir Klitschko's jab. Especially if one is shorter than 6 feet 4 inches in height.

In other words, Wladimir Klitschko's jab alone >>>>>>> body punching, adaptability, counter punching, look changing, inside fighting and etc. of boxers like Floyd Mayweather Jr and Andre Ward.

Sergey Kovalev is one of the worst out of the Soviet Bloc bunch. Yet, he still had a far superior jab to Andre Ward.

Oleksandr Usyk is anything but robotic. He is the closest thing to Vasyl Lomachenko stylistically. Both very similar boxers.