what do you think?

[judge_jab]

I've been training just over a year and a half, (due to injury, back, hand etc) and I've been told I have a great boxing mind, and have natural talent, speed, power, generalship blah blah blah.

My trainer's have been saying I'm ready for a fight since before Christmas, thought I am yet to have my first, due to injury. Now I have to wait till after the summer (end of the season) before I can truly put my skills to the test. I will still be trainin hard as normal.

Now all my favourite fighters are quick, elusive, intelligent, slick and for the most part, counterpunchers!

here comes my problem (I think) I'm 6ft tall, 152lbs and have a 73 inch reach! It seems all my favourite fighters such as mayweather have a ridiculously long reach for their height, mayweathers is 72 inches and he's 5 ft 8! James Toney's is 72 inches and is 5ft 10 and Roy Jones's is 74 and he's 5ft 11!

Bernard Hopkins has a 75 inch reach and is more or less my height too.

Ali is only 3 inches taller than me and has 9 inches in reach on me!!!

I have been told I have an excellent jab as well as very good power and have been told I should be fighting in a 1,1,2, style, Wladimir Klitscko, standing my ground in the centre of the ring as I will be bigger than my opponent etc.

However, I don't want to be this kinda fighter. I'd like to fight mayweather, a masterful counterpuncher but the problem is that I do not feel I have the physique for this style as we both would be fighting at welterweight, with him having nearly as long arms as me and being a lot shorter! How can I pick my opponent off with long range shots, lead rights etc with an inferior reach???



Am I just dreaming or are there any fighters who do fight like mayweather, ali, jones etc with below average reach??

sorry for the long post, it's almost developed into an obsession. I'm constantly comparing my arm length to others and literally studying photos of boxers and their arm length!

Am I kidding myself???

thanks

P.S. Oh and i'm a white guy lol, i know we generally have shorter arms to black fighters and all my fave fighters are black lol.

[judge_jab]

anyone???

[REMOVED SHARK 97]

At least you don't have Hugmans Dinosaur arms...

They could be an inch or so longer but if your that good it wouldn't matter.

- good luck

[judge_jab]

At least you don't have Hugmans Dinosaur arms...

They could be an inch or so longer but if your that good it wouldn't matter.

- good luck

thanks for the reply, when i spoke about my talent skills etc, it's more my trainers telling me i have great potential and have shown in glimpses great general ship etc, i'm certainly not a prodigy...yet! lol

keep them coming please!

[F l i c k e r]

Well, to help with your problem. Your favorite fighters have relatively small reach and height for their weight class.

Your 152 and im guessing want to fight in the 154 division. You shouldn't have a problem with anyone in that division since you have a 73" reach. Until/If you reach the top of the weight class and start fighting people like Pavilk and Williams who have freakishly long arms.

If you plan on fighting lower weights. You wont have a problem at all. Most guys will be smaller than you in height and reach.

[judge_jab]

but from a style point of view? As a guy who idolizes mayweather's STYLE would you think my reach is adequate?

[F l i c k e r]

but from a style point of view? As a guy who idolizes mayweather's STYLE would you think my reach is adequate?

Well, I believe your reach is adequate. Its about average for the 154 division and considered long for anything lower.

I would suggest looking at Tommy Hearns instead of Mayweather though. Because he is more like your height and used a similar style. That way you can see how a taller person(inch taller than yourself), picks opponents off with long range shots, lead rights etc.

[judge_jab]

lol Tommy Hearns fought at 147lbs, I can get down to 147lbs, He's 6ft 1, I'm 6ft, I have a 73 inch reach, he has a 78inch reach!!!!!! lol

bastard! lol nah i love tommy

[F l i c k e r]

lol, I suggested him because he is just as tall as you are and picks people off from a distance and did it very well.

Thing is, in 154 division your taller than most and have a longer reach than most. For instance, Verno Phillips(5'7") has a 69" reach and you have a 73" reach. Winky(5'10") has a 72" reach and you have a 73" reach. Cintron(6ft) has a 1" reach advantage on you, which isn't much if you plan on being a counter pucher. lol

I think your set. Just keep working counters and timing if you plan on using a style like Mayweather's. Dont use the shoulder roll unless your in the pocket, its not useful anywhere else. No matter how pretty it looks.

[judge_jab]

haha thanks, not to mention, half of cintron's reach is his shoulder's haha.

I'd counter punch that guy's head off!............in ten years or so

lol