Champion Fighting: Explosive Punching...Jack Dempsey 1950

[HerbM]

Champion Fighting: Explosive Punching and Aggressive Defense
by Jack Dempsey 1950.

This book is (easily) available on the Internet, and I believe it is excellent.

I would like, however, to hear the opinions of the more experienced boxers and trainers who have read it.

My study of this book is a continuation of my search for improving and perfecting the power jab, but I started this new thread to attract those who have a more broader interest (not jut the jab) and who might know something of Dempsey's book but were not involved in that previous discussion.

Contrary to what many sports enthusiasts seem to take for granted, I have always been able to learn physical skills from (really good) books and verbal descriptions, and this book seems to be one such excellent source, if the information is valid.

Jack Dempsey spent a lot of careful thought and time getting this right, and everything he says makes perfect logical sense to me -- my main concern is not if he is accurate, but rather if his tactics and techniques make sense in an overall strategy based on a modern understanding of fighting.

His explanations and analogies are amazingly clear, and his explication seems to be well ahead of his time (from my limited understanding of boxing theory.)

And finally, are the other good/better/worthwhile books by others?

What are your favorite books on boxing technique?

--
HerbM
Keep fighting -- God will tell you when you are dead.

[WayneFlint]

Boxing by E.L.Haislet has to be my favourite. a great book and you can pick it up cheap, worth its weight in gold im saving a good copy for my son when hes older if he wants to box, if your more wanting for strategy i would suggest the Ross Enamait newsletter archives you can download it from the free e-books thread, tons of infomation in that e-book thread alone, all very useful.

[HerbM]

Boxing by E.L.Haislet has to be my favourite. a great book and you can pick it up cheap, worth its weight in gold im saving a good copy for my son when hes older if he wants to box, if your more wanting for strategy i would suggest the Ross Enamait newsletter archives you can download it from the free e-books thread, tons of infomation in that e-book thread alone, all very useful.

Thanks -- I found the Haislet book as a download and I really appreciate the pointer to it and the others (many of which I also retrieved).

Haven't found the Ross Enamait stuff yet, but will.

[Truthfully, I like the punching technique info in Dempsey's book better so far, but this takes NOTHING from my appreciation for the new suggestions.]

[WayneFlint]

True the technique seems to be better in the dempsey book, but i believe the haislet book is good for pointing out each movement that can be used while boxing, aswell tells you a wide variety of counters, also it has the inside and outside tripple which are good movements to know if you ask me good movements to get used to countering with numerouse shots from 1 of your opponents attacks now that is boxing, the only way i slip a jab to the inside is if im doing an inside tripple. the Ross Enemait newsletter archive is a must my friend ask chris nagel about it i think hell have an idea, aswell jesse's boxing manual is a very good little manual of movements, but i brelieve the Ross Enemait one is the one you are craving it is less about technique as its for people who can already box its more about strategys, ive read it 3 or 4 times and im still struggling to absorb everything in there i just keep refering to parts now and then when im unsure.

[HerbM]

Again, I appreciate all of the help and suggestions.

I am having trouble finding the Ross Enamait newsletter archive (under both this spelling and the one you gave), and would really appreciate a pointer towards it if someone knows....

I can certainly understand what you say about the Haislet being the more complete book and better on putting together strategy and combinations. In the long run I may find this one far more valuable even though right now I am consciously focusing on punching technique, especially the jab.

Part of the issue for me is that I am not (yet) getting to spar since I am a still a newbie with only three months of BOXING training behind me (since about late November.)

I am going to start pushing coach for some contact time.

Truth is, I can't believe that we get hit so little in a boxing class

If more beginners knew that (of course it may be different in gyms where the coach doesn't have such concern) then perhaps more people would take up boxing.

At our gym you could likely go years without ever getting hit (if you wanted to avoid it.)

For me, it is fun to hit and even to get hit, to see how things work and don't work, and to learn from mistakes and successes.

So far I haven't pushed (much) because I wanted to make sure that I was BOXING and not just using what I already know from other martial arts and from street fighting when I was younger.

I really do want to box well in a technical sense, not just as a brawler, mauler, or slugger.

You -- and all the folks here -- are being a great help.
--
HerbM

[Chris Nagel]

Hi Herb,

Here's the download link for the Enamait newsletters-ebook: Inside the Ring
I think you'll really enjoy it! It has a lot good advice that you'll be able to put to use right away. It even goes over how you can improve your jab, and plenty of little tips that can only come from practical experience. I highly recommend it.

There are a few books that have a reserved spot on my book shelf. Haislet's Boxing, I stand by it as the most comprehensive how-to book on boxing. I refer to it often, and often refer others to it. A few weeks ago, I was exchanging emails with an ex-pro boxer (now trainer), who fought in the late 50's to early sixties, and he told me that he couldn't believe it-- if he were to write a treatise on boxing, the publishers would accuse him of plagiarism.

Now there's another book that has an uncanny resemblance to the Haislet book, and that'd be 1943 US Navel Aviation's Boxing. Much of the content is verbatim from Haislet's book, although there was no accreditation to him. It does go over some subjects more in depth, such as feinting/drawing and footwork. I own a copy of both books, both are worthwhile.

By the way, if you've downloaded the Edwin Haislet book from my ebook thread, I recommend downloading the completed book from Kirk Lawson's Lulu.com storefront instead: Kirk Lawson's Storefront - Lulu.com Originally I scanned the book just for my own personal reference, and it botched job at that. After it's been floating around the web for sometime, someone brought it to Mr. Lawson's attention and retranscribed it. I noticed that there was a missing page that corresponded with that scans that I made, so I contacted Kirk and now we have a completed copy that you can download. It's looks a lot better, and the text is searchable. Anyway, if you're interested in buying a copy on Lulu.com, I can send you 15% off discount when it's made available (usually every month or holiday occasion.) I recommend getting a paperback, especially if you might want to write notes inside.

I also recommend books written by fighters. The Complete Book of Boxing, by former WBA welterweight champion, Curtis Cokes is another gem. His perspective on boxing along with his advice on training and technique make the book a must have. The last that I checked, Amazon.com had it for a good price. I think I got mine for about $7/$8.

There's How to be Ass-Whipping Boxer. Despite the tongue-in-cheek title, and how the author often comes across like a carnival barker, it's content is very good. The author, J.C. Thomas advocated a stance akin to George Benton or more recently, Floyd Mayweather. A lot of its content is very good, although I wouldn't recommend that a beginner jump into it right away.

All the best

[HerbM]

Good stuff, thanks Chris. I think I have everything you've mentioned (here and in the books thread) available on the web now, including both Haislet versions.

Tonight was a pretty good night, coach let me do some half-shadow sparring -- jabs and catches only but at least we were moving our feet and throwing random (not 4 throw with 4 catches or slips.)

I worked a double class, staying through the first class and right into the second class and had no trouble with my conditioning. I don't jump rope (due to my knee arthritis) but ride the bike during those portions, so I ended up doing 4 x 10 minutes on the bike tonight due to the double class.

Was making the mistake of leaning over a bit (towards the right/back hand) when double/tripling my jab on the bag -- but got focused and back vertical so that I could turn better.

One of the guys paid me a nice (accidental) complement -- he has been training for years by not around much in the last few months since I started so we hadn't met before. Young guy of course (I am the oldest in the gym by quite a bit).

We worked the heavy bag as partners during the second class and he was hitting pretty fast and hard. So after the first round on the bag he looks at me and says, "You used to box, right?".

Just shows that 3 months of steady, careful training can go a long way -- and a little help from my friends here.

All and all, doubling the class was just about the right workout. No heroics, but it made me work.

--
Herb
Keep Fighting -- God will tell you when you are dead.

Felt good.

[Chris Nagel]

Haha, you're a boxing veteran now.

By the way, I just started scanning in the book, How to be an Ass-whipping Boxer. I should have it uploaded sometime later today.