In this exercise, pick a fight, show how a fighter's body punching paid dividends to lead him or her to victory.
Background:
Boxing has so many aspects that make fighters standout as solid ring technicians or lethal fight stoppers. I've been looking at punch stats in some recent fights I've seen, and I think that more fighters are head-hunting while I am yelling at the TV for them to go downstairs.
Body punching is an effective way to slow your opponents attack down (esp for later rounds), lower their hands, switch up your attack, and cripple their power. Why is that that in recent fights, these guys aren't spending more time taking the wind out of their opponents?
Point: Last night I watched Ward VS Burton again (x8 i think). Ward's double left hook, head then body, sends Burton to his knee to edge a decision... at least on any legitimate scorecard.. have no idea what the judges were smoking that night.
Counterpoint: Initially what got me thinking about this was Nate Campbell VS Isaac Hlatswayo. Nate gave some of the best body work ever administered to the tough Hlatswayo's ribs in the first couple rounds.
Hlatswayo survives the storm and edges a decision.
Most recently let's take for instance Delvin Rodriguez vs Shamone Alvarez, where punchstats were:
ESPN STATS:
Rodriguez total blows 173/789 22%, head 112/700, body 61/89; 69%
Alvarez total 222/772 29%, head 144/629, body 78/143; 55%
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