By: Ricky Ray Taylor
Jim Lampley said this in last nights HATTON BeatDOWN of PRETTY BOY PAULIE and strangely, it’s still reverberating in my head.
Well, of course, come to think of it – he’s right. A fighter needs to learn how to turn-up EVERY PUNCH in order to increase his arsenal and WIDEN the gap between his Jab & his show-closer. Without significant POWER to so much as slow him down, a scheduled encounter with a BUSY, heavy-handed slugger like HATTON can spell K-O.
If it did ever exist, Boxing has evolved lightyears from the days when a fighter with NO POTENT THREAT outside of a run-away Jab can sell tickets. (I use the term “tickets” loosely since tickets in 2008 can mean PPV Sales, MEDIA Advertising Sales, Merchandise, etc etc .)
People want to see blood.
Most fans know or care NOTHING about the science of a match. They may even be a bit numb when an opponent with only “5” KO’s in 27 fights starts hotdogging in front of a nearly UNDEFEATED Champ. The average FIGHT PAYING FAN knows and understands “KNOCKOUT” much more than they’ll ever know about “KEEPING SOMEONE AWAY WITH A JAB”. A large contingent of fans are clueless about the actual SCIENCE of a match & most likely find relief in seeing the knockout.
The quick knockout can serve as a sort of rescue package for the clueless who now avoid the risk of having to break the fight down! Just as POWER controls countless aspects of FAN involvement, it also does WONDERS at controlling an opponent.
POWER is the quickest and most effective way to STOP the onslaught of POWER coming at you in the Boxing ring. Take POWER out of the equation and the onslaught (BeatDOWN) will continue.
It actually took 3 good minutes for HATTON to be sold on the fact that Paulie c/would not hurt him.
Thus, after the 1st round Paulies descention took steam as HATTON got stronger.
POWER reigned supreme in Malignaggi’s fight with COTTO and likewise, any PUNCH that was without a sizable dose of MUSTARD on it was gobbled up by HATTON.
In my eyes Malignaggi never got full control of his legs after getting clocked hard in the 2nd round.
One fighter in the bout has equivalent POWER in each arm that’s at the very least -DECENT- and he throws each arm plenty. Guess which fighter that is?
One fighter attempted to win the fight on shaky legs and basically ONE arm. Guess who?
It took eleven rounds for me to eat the letters I typed on a few blogs exclaiming that HATTON didn’t handle crafty fighters very well.
ugh.
Oh well, at least I picked up a few pointers from the HATTON BeatDOWN:
-A Boxer has to have a POWER behind their POWER SHOT in order to defeat those who DO.
-Any shot coming directly AFTER a jab can and in many cases SHOULD be a POWER SHOT.
-There should be (not remain) A CHASM separating a POWER PUNCH from a Jab.
*Is it just me or does somebody else smell MARGARITO/HATTON cooking?
Ricky Ray Taylor www.BoxerDRILLZ.com — ———————
“Preach the Gospel at all times, use words when necessary” HOTLINE: 917-758-0058