36 Minutes and 12 rounds By M.DeTyrone

36 Minutes and 12 rounds

By M.DeTyrone

What is boxing? One can use the simple definition about boxing just being the art of attack and defense by using one’s fist. In my opinion, boxing is such much more it’s a war between two opponents that involves skills, intelligence, top physical and psychological preparation, and willpower for 12 or 10 three minutes battles. The boxer that achieves the use of effective aggression, defense, ring generalship, and lands the clean and hard punches within 10 or 12 rounds should win the boxing match, if judged correctly. In a championship fight, the goal is to achieve the highest score nearest 120 points at the end of the fight… in the eyes of the three judges or eliminate the opponent from being a competitor in any of those 12 rounds. The goal is to win within the accepted rules of the commission. There is nothing more and nothing less!

 Now, the more balanced boxer should always win the majority of the time although there are exceptions, since in boxing a KO can change the outcome of a fight. When I comment about a balanced boxer, I mean a boxer, which is in constant position to land combinations and clear hard punchers by controlling the momentum, distance, timing, and space. The higher classes of boxers have more balance visibly seen compared to the lower class skilled boxer.

 “And as water shapes its flow in accordance with the ground, so an army manages its victory in accordance with the situation of the enemy. Thus, one able to gain the victory by modifying his tactics in accordance with the enemy situation may be said to be divine.” – Sun Tzu

How can you recognize a good to elite boxers? I will comment this like it or not boxing has a hierarchy based on a meritocratic / Darwinian “survival of the fittest” system that’s why I wouldn’t call anyone great or good without any true test of skills, accomplishments, or a record without adversity. What do I look for? I look for a good boxer, which has the ability to constantly change or switch up their styles to take advantage of an opponent’s lack of skills and weakness during a boxing bout. You can notice a boxer’s intelligence and experience when he’s able to grasp and take advantage of every opportunity offered by a weakness in the opponent by using a combination of momentum, power, footwork, speed, accuracy, feinting, and timing. A good and elite boxer nullifies or offset the opponent’s attacking strengths and they force the opponents to adapt to their style of boxing, which the opponents lacks skills. In the Art of War Sun Tzu once wrote, “Thus, those skilled at making the enemy move do so by creating a situation to which he must conform; they entice him with something he is certain to take, and with lures of ostensible profit they await him in strengths.” Now, for the more experienced boxer there’s hardly anything, which they can’t cope with, that could develop during the 36 minutes of combat, unless they are long past their prime, then they can be outmatched.

“Strike at the enemy as swiftly as a falcon strike its target. It surely breaks the back of its prey for the reason that it awaits the right moment to strike. Its movement is regulated.” – Tu Yu

A boxer that makes the correct judgment throughout the fight on the correct moment to land his combinations controls the timing and without controlling the distance, a boxer can’t use his timing. A boxer that uses timing with accuracy is very dangerous especially when facing opponents that use repetitive combinations by creating an artificial impression of speed or boxers that constantly rely on their speed. A boxer with good speed, timing, and accuracy is dangerous because they land accurate combinations or an accurate power punch in less time than the opponent’s reaction. Many times resulting in hurting an opponent, a knockdown, or a KO of the opponent.

“He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot will be victorious.” – Sun Tzu

                                                                                                                                           

A boxer that uses effectively the amount space in the ring thus controls the space and this is very important for all boxing styles. It’s a tactical weapon for pure-boxers and boxer-punchers, which use their knowledge of the ring for footwork and defense and the sluggers and infighters, use their knowledge of the ring to trap and corner opponents. In essence, a boxer that controls the amount of space between the opponents controls the distance something, which is essential for all boxing styles from sluggers, boxer-punchers, pure-boxers, and infighters, all seek to control the distance. If a boxer can’t close the distance there’s no way he can constantly land effective punches and use effective aggression, overall, a lower class boxer.

“When I wish to avoid battle I may defend myself simply by drawing a line on the ground; the enemy will be unable to attack me because I divert him from going where he wishes.” – Sun Tzu

If a boxer controls the distance with good footwork and defensive skills the result is that they are in a good position and is limiting the opponent’s ability to land clear effective punches. That’s when that boxer is constantly landing first and is imposing their style on the opponent they’re controlling the pace and the work rate of the fight as a result they control the momentum. The only way to stop their momentum is by out working them with speed, timing, power to regain the momentum. Dynamic boxers with world-class experience can seize the momentum once again with more ease than the static boxers that tend to rely on imposing their willpower on an opponent.  

“In battles based on martial strategy, it is taboo to let your opponent take the initiative, thus putting yourself on the defensive. You must try at all cost to lead your opponent by taking complete control of him. During combat, your opponent intends to dominate you as much as you want to dominate him, so it is vital that you pick up on your opponent’s intentions and tactics so as to control him… according to the principle of martial strategy , you must be able to control your opponent(s) at all times.” – Miyamoto Musashi

All these boxers, trainers, commentators, and fans that whine all over the web and television about a boxer “running” are admitting that their boxer lacked the necessary skills to dominate an opponent or adjust. That’s why they will remain always weak and exposed when faced with tough opposition regardless of their fan base, or what the boxing media tries to construct.