How important is quality sparring?

Do you feel the level of sparring the prospects have in the Uk determine to a certain extent how far they go?

I mean there is obviosuly exceptions like Calzaghe who didnt really spar anyone other than the lads in his gym, but just thinking about a few boxers and maybe what has hindered there career is the amount of hard quality sparring. Look at Khan now moving to La to do his camps will benefit him as he will be sparring quality fighters over here with Oliver Harrison he was sparring the likes of Micheal Gomez. I think more of our younger fighters like Brook should get out to the States and get some world class sparring in rather than sparring the likes of Thaxton and co.

I think you can see the benefits Cleverly has had from sparring hundreds and hundreds of rounds as a young kid with Calzaghe and he looks alot more than a 16 fight fighter and most likey the experience he has had sparring alot of rounds with a world class fighter.

I was reading a piece prior to the Cotto-Jennings fight and Jennings saying he felt he was in tip top shape and ready to beat Cotto because of the hard sparring he had had with Matthew Hall and Thomas Mcdonagh?? I mean how the hell does sparring two domestic fighters who are world apart in terms of abilty to Cotto get you prepared for a fight of this importance?

Im suprised the promoters like Warren dont get involved more in terms of organising them quality sparring and locations to spar becasue at the end of the day these fighters are his investment. I was shocked when Enzo Mac said after the Afolabi fight said he had no sparring and Warren didnt no anything about it, surely promoters keep regular tabs on there fighters prior to a big fight.

What do you reckon?

It's an interesting question...

Personally, I wouldn't fancy doing my learning once the first bell goes. I'd want to feel half way there in terms of understanding my opponent. That said, an almost infinite amount of fighters will train hard, get good sparring in, watch vidoes etc.......and then step into the ring on fight night and just flail away. We've all seen it, so what was the point in all those rounds tweaking and honing the tactics?

I guess on those occasions it comes down to discipline, fear, adrenaline, wanting to impress and so on.

I think it's the Ingles who advocate body sparring. I can understand the principle of not wanting fighters to get miles on the clock but at the same time I can't see the point of it either. Then again, they've had some genuine world champs out of the Wincobank, so what do I know.

Like everything else it depends on the fighter, Roy Jones Jr also went really far, and often didn't have the best sparring partners.

natural talent, hard work and a good trainer will of course take you far but put it another way, what would you choose? Quality sparring or not? ;)

Without doubt it must be a huge benefit.. especially confidence wise if you can hold your own in higher company (unless you are getting slaughtered of course ;D)

Ask Hatton;D

It's also a matter of the depth of the talent pool.

I think quality sparring is number 1. We look at Riddick Bowe I think he wouldn't have been champion unless Tyrell Biggs didn't beat the shit out of him everyday. I feel he probably wouldn't have done anything as a heavyweight.

Early on Nigel Benn did not spar but after his first defeat he learnt that sparring was essential for timing, tactics and working on combo's.

sparring is very very important, it does not matter how much natural talent you have without sparring you are in trouble.

It is one thing to be able to move and adjust but another when actuual punches are coming at you,

EG- Southpaws

Orthodox Fighters have trouble with southpaws due to the fact everything is coming at them in different angles then used to, they also have trouble in learning to keepo their lead foot in the right place, jabs are not the key to fighting southpaws lead rights are but if you are not used to throwing lead rights you are going to have trouble all night

practice it with a moving target that is throwing back at you then that is a different experience all together

anyone who thinks sparring is not important is not someone I would listen to

Ali said he practiced his defence technique sparring and having Holmes sparring with him to get in condition must have helped against Foreman.

The Maccarinelli/Afolabi fight is a perfect example. People wrote Ola off as a tomato-can before he got in the ring, ignoring that he has sparred with the Klitschko's, James Toney & Tomasz Adamek. This makes someone a better fighter, pretty much all the best fighters in the post-war era have had themselves quality sparring partners. I do think Warren is acknowledgin this though, as he has been trying to get DeGale in with the likes of Mayweather & Jermain Taylor

Call me old school but I think that to have a chance to beat the best, you must have practiced against the toughest available to be ready to sustain the discharge. Of course, it doesn't guarantee the victory but it is definitely like having an Ace in your hand instead of a Jacks.

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Originally Posted by DaxxKahn

EG- Southpaws

Orthodox Fighters have trouble with southpaws due to the fact everything is coming at them in different angles then used to, they also have trouble in learning to keepo their lead foot in the right place, jabs are not the key to fighting southpaws lead rights are but if you are not used to throwing lead rights you are going to have trouble all night

practice it with a moving target that is throwing back at you then that is a different experience all together

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Sparring with southpaws is the best preparation for fighting southpaws bar none.

I am going to go against the grain and I will say doing padwork with somebody who knows what they are doing is the most key. Padwork IMO works you the hardest, sharpens everything, and with an intelligent trainer you pick up exactly how to handle certain situations. Roach, The Mayweathers' all have great padwork skills and I think that is key. It teaches you the basics.

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Originally Posted by Taeth

I am going to go against the grain and I will say doing padwork with somebody who knows what they are doing is the most key. Padwork IMO works you the hardest, sharpens everything, and with an intelligent trainer you pick up exactly how to handle certain situations. Roach, The Mayweathers' all have great padwork skills and I think that is key. It teaches you the basics.

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Except all those guys all have tough sparring, Pacquiao gets guys who will get a grand if they can knock him down so they're trying to take his head off. Mayweather meanwhile has five sparring partners & basically does a 15 round fight, with a new guy coming in every 3 rounds. Padwork is great, but you get guys who're great on pads but struggle in sparring you see that in any gym

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Originally Posted by JazMerkin

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Originally Posted by Taeth

I am going to go against the grain and I will say doing padwork with somebody who knows what they are doing is the most key. Padwork IMO works you the hardest, sharpens everything, and with an intelligent trainer you pick up exactly how to handle certain situations. Roach, The Mayweathers' all have great padwork skills and I think that is key. It teaches you the basics.

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Except all those guys all have tough sparring, Pacquiao gets guys who will get a grand if they can knock him down so they're trying to take his head off. Mayweather meanwhile has five sparring partners & basically does a 15 round fight, with a new guy coming in every 3 rounds. Padwork is great, but you get guys who're great on pads but struggle in sparring you see that in any gym

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That's the thing. Pad work is great. So is shadow boxing, and many forms of training, but it is only part of the process. Those techniques from the pads, shadow boxing get taken to the next level, sparring, to get honed and perfected, practiced and engrained. Again and again.To get built into our wiring; our muscle memory, our neurons. Become reflex rather then thought.

Then the next step is the ring for the real deal. And if done properly, the process of development, a person won't be thinking so much when in there about the many combos and situations they'll encounter. They will simply be doing, as all the thought put into those moves is now little more then practiced fluid motion and reflex. Scenarios playing that are already mapped out in our body and brain.