Eubank on Timing & Technique

[berry]

What I recorded when he came to Tyneside with Glenn McCrory and Tony Jeffries to explain his 'technical philosophy of the fistic art, that very very few are privy to' to a group of amateur boxers.

When you throw a punch, you're exposed. So the key is to throw the least amount of punches as possible. To do that, you have to make every punch count. That was my philosophy of accurate boxing, of skillful defensive boxing.

In regards to striking, it was letting the punch go at the right time. Imagine target practice - you're finger is on the trigger and what you've got is a moving target. Timing is apprehension, which comes from thousands of hours of sparring wars. It's striking just before or just after the attack of the opponent, of which when they are most vulnerable. That was my philosophy of skillful offensive boxing.

What one must do, to be a skilled practitioner of the art, is to blend those two examples, those two philosophies, into one. I'm trying to keep it simple, and I believe that's quite a straight-forward way to explain careful application of the art.

In regards to striking technique, speed is key. I say that because speed is accuracy. By speed, I don't the mean the speed of which the glove travels through the air. I mean the speed of which the glove travels to the target, which is all about unwasted motion. The sooner the glove reaches the target, the more likely it is that it is going to land.

My glove positioning, if you watch my fights, was based on that theory. If you fight with a high guard, you have to move your hands away from your face to throw a punch - wasted motion. If you fight with hands by your sides, you have to lift them in execution of the punch - wasted motion. That's why I held my gloves together at stomach height - it made it difficult for opponents to work out what punch was coming next, and when I struck, I would execute the punch with virtually no back-pull, and that made it very difficult for opponents to react fast enough.

Brain over brawn, it's how I won 97.5% of the fights. Brain over brawn... brain, over, brawn.

[berry]

Eubank was legally insane in his prime ('I don't watch films, I don't watch soaps, I don't drink alcohol and I don't wear scented deodrant - I wouldn't even consider such things.'), but this was GOLDEN.

He did point out that it wasn't advice as such, only explanation of his own 'technical philosophy'.

[FacePuncher]

The more I learn about boxing and the more I train and soar, the more I am lead to believe that principles rule over techniques.

What trainer would ever tell you to box with your hands at stomach height?

Had Ali found a different trainer who moulded him into an upright, high guarding fighter, he probably would not have had as much success at such a high level.

I'm not sure who trained Eubank but I think he did a good job in bringing out his fighters strengths as opposed to trying to make him fit a simple mould.

[greynotsoold]

What tainer worth a damn would have you trying to box with your hands up in front of your face? Anybody that knows anything about boxing has known all along that it is impossible to punch from that position.

[FacePuncher]

What tainer worth a damn would have you trying to box with your hands up in front of your face? Anybody that knows anything about boxing has known all along that it is impossible to punch from that position.

I quite often (not always) have people firing their punches horizontally from head height.. I don't believe this to be terribly uncommon? Or am I misunderstanding you?

[greynotsoold]

Sometimes I am sharp in my opinions and I mean no disrespect.
With your hands 'high' (by that I mean, in front of your face), you can't punch. The motion is unnatural and just keeping your hands there requires muscular tension. You can't hook from there, throw uppercuts without dramatically dropping your hands...nothing works.

[Scrap]

Im with Greys

[BIG H]

This is intereting stuff guys.

So Grey/Scrap what would be your optimum position for the hands, i.e a mix of protection and being ready to deploy punches?

[FacePuncher]

Sometimes I am sharp in my opinions and I mean no disrespect.
With your hands 'high' (by that I mean, in front of your face), you can't punch. The motion is unnatural and just keeping your hands there requires muscular tension. You can't hook from there, throw uppercuts without dramatically dropping your hands...nothing works.

By "high" I don't mean in front of their faces, but covering their jaw line as often as possible and being ready to parry straights. I guess DLH or maybe even Arguello would be good examples of what I mean. Uppercuts of course are an exception! Impossible to throw a decent uppercut without opening up to some degree.

I don't seem to have any trouble getting people firing effective combinations from a high guard though, so long as they are moving moving their feet and hips correctly, the shoulders follow!

[Scrap]

Know where the things that moves the Fist are and should be, thats the Elbows.

[AdamGB]

I think it's all about the situation you're in.

Cus knew a thing or two about boxing and he'd have fighters who used his peak-a-bo style have a high guard - but not when they were punching or wanting to punch... it'd be once they'd worked in close to an opponent and thrown... they'd quickly retreat from a taller man with a high guard until they were out of range.

The objective during that phase of the style wasn't to punch, so it worked.

[FacePuncher]

I think it's all about the situation you're in.

Cus knew a thing or two about boxing and he'd have fighters who used his peak-a-bo style have a high guard - but not when they were punching or wanting to punch... it'd be once they'd worked in close to an opponent and thrown... they'd quickly retreat from a taller man with a high guard until they were out of range.

The objective during that phase of the style wasn't to punch, so it worked.

Spot on!

No technique works in every situation, but I think having your chin protected is quite often a good place to start.

[Youngblood]

I believe the distinction Scrap and Greynotsoold are making, is that there is a difference between a high tight guard, and your hands in front of your face.

I'm of the belief that every beginning boxer should start with a high tight guard, work only the basics. Learn them and learn them well. Then begin to develop their style and stance based upon their own personal set of skills and physical attributes.

[FacePuncher]

I believe the distinction Scrap and Greynotsoold are making, is that there is a difference between a high tight guard, and your hands in front of your face.

I'm of the belief that every beginning boxer should start with a high tight guard, work only the basics. Learn them and learn them well. Then begin to develop their style and stance based upon their own personal set of skills and physical attributes.

This is exactly what I believe and do.

Maybe us Australians simply need to update our jargon :P

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

I believe the distinction Scrap and Greynotsoold are making, is that there is a difference between a high tight guard, and your hands in front of your face.

I'm of the belief that every beginning boxer should start with a high tight guard, work only the basics. Learn them and learn them well. Then begin to develop their style and stance based upon their own personal set of skills and physical attributes.

So learn the rule book before you rip it up...?

Nice!