Is speed these guys worst enemy?

[Taeth]

It seems to me the really fast guys in the amateurs are almost being hurt because of the scoring system. Devon Alexander and especially Andre Berto both have great speed, but they seem to spazzy with their punches, and they overcomit to the speed of their punches instead of trying to adopt subtlety and finesse. It's wierd to see a guy like Bradley who is physically slower, actually fight at a faster pace inside the ring because he used his body better, and he lets everything flow. These other guys seemed to have grown up watching Leonard, Mosley, Mayweather, Roy Jones JR, and they have missed the key ingredient to these guys' skill, it wasn't just speed, but their grace, timing and accuracy. Leonard didn't outjab Benitez just because he was quicker, Roy Jones didn't just blind guys with speed but iwht amazing combinations. Mayweather doesn't magically dodge punches or land 50% of his blows. I think a lot of these new guys and you see more and more of them with great speed, but they need to go back to the drawing board and see how these guys were able to convert natural athleticism into boxing excellence.

[amat]

Maybe my favorite Teddy-ism is the one where he compares a young fighter with all kinds of speed being like a 16 year old with a Corvette, they don't really know how to handle the speed and use it to their advantage like Leonard, Mosley, Mayweather etc. It's very true, and I agree pretty much completely. Alexander is not a finished product hopefully so there is always room to grow, that's why I think it would be smart not to rush him for fight the real top tier guys in the division. I too think Bradley would almost fight with speed as his advantage not to his detriment, not because he is faster but because he uses the speed he has much better. Berto isn't a finished product ever but he's racking up the miles without any real improvements (imo) since nearly losing his 0 to Luis Collazo. I think Alexander-Kotelnik is almost the same thing. Right now Alexander isn't very well rounded and while he can be a sharp counterpuncher, he lost his sharpness as he was extended in the fight. Alexander doesn't present you many different looks. I mean Kotelnik was just luring him into doing the same stuff over and over again, he was never really completely on balance, he wasn't landing much clean but he was winning on volume. When Kotelnik started landing ever jab he threw though, and then punches started falling behind that I thought he win those rounds. Alexander did a good job in gutting out and while he took a hell of a lot of punches, he always threw enough punches to claim rounds.

[Youngblood]

It's far from their worst enemy. If they were complete plodders they would be no where near where they are at would they? It is an asset they have. And a damn good one in this sport.

Now what else you may ask do they have in their arsenal to accompany that speed? That is the question to which may separate raw talent and true brilliance.