Fight Analysis: Buddy McGirt vs. Howard Davis

[Andre]

Interesting thoughts from everybody. When you play the fight the first thing you see (as Greig pointed out) was that the jab was all Howard Davis was throwing that round. Grieg yes Howard could have thrown more punches against Buddy - who as you say holds his hands low - but to do so would allow Buddy to possibly counter him. It's evident that Howard did not want Buddy McGirt countering him in any way. You see this type of thinking illustrated in the way Howard throws his jab. He commits only slightly and therefore would be impossible to counter because his body never truly leaves a defensive mode as he jabs. As result Buddy is unable to throw counter punches in this fight. The only thing Howard Davis is leading with is a jab and whats more, a jab that can't be countered. So Buddy must lead. His punching selection has necessarily been reduced to just that and only that.

This is a scenario you will see repeated in many, many fights. Fighters like Ray Robinson, Carlos Monzon, Joey Giardello, Tommy Loughran you will see employing this strategy against their opponents. It is very good at nullifying opponents because you are forced to lead and to be aggressive to be of any effectiveness. If you don't you won't be able to keep up. Since they take away your ability to counter, if they also take away your ability to land your leads, you are simply out of the fight. If you can't counter or lead what is left for you to do.


It would then appear that Buddy doesn't have many options. Howard Davis is trying hard to make sure of that. Buddy McGirt vs Howard Davis is a fight that has been being fought in boxing since the very beginning. Buddy McGirt is the swarmer. Throughout the history of boxing the swarmer's greatest ability has been to pressure his opponent and force reactions. Specifically, if his leads force his opponent into throwing a counter punch, he opens their defense and creates a window of opportunity where he can hit them.

Its hard to see in real time and especially on this youtube video so I made some screens.


Here we see Buddy throwing his left hook



Howard Davis drops his left hand to his hip to prepare what some of you may know as the "check hook" in response. Yes Floyd wasn't the one who invented that punch. Go back to your tapes and see Jimmy McLarnin and Gene Tunny throwing "check hooks"



Buddy begins his right hand as Howard begins to throw his check hook



Buddy lands the right hand inside of the hook





Chris I think you're correct when you point out that all the left hooks Buddy was throwing was leading up to something. It seems very evident that Davis was not expecting a right hand. We can see this illustrated in the final moments of the fight when Davis attempts to counter Buddy's lead left hook. Buddy had only been throwing single lead left hooks. I think if Davis knew there was the risk of a right hand coming behind the left hook he would have never attempted the check hook that ultimately left him open for a right hand.




If this scenario seems familiar its because you just saw this happen a couple months ago in Hatton/Mayweather. Only in that fight there was no right hand to counter the check hook. You can see in these screens that Hatton had triggered Floyd's check hook with his lead left hook. Thus, like Buddy McGirt, he had an open window for his right hand. You can see in the second screen that Ricky had a clear opening for his right hand which he ultimately neglected to take.

[img width=700 height=393]http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/9872/f1et2.jpg[/img]

[img width=700 height=393]http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/7616/f2pp0.jpg[/img]

[img width=700 height=393]http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/3346/f3ui0.jpg[/img]


Both scenarios in both fights are the same. This is a scenario that you yourself will encounter and more than likely already have whether you were aware of it or not. The more boxing you watch the more patterns and scenarios you will become aware of so that in your next fights you will instantly recognize them as they unfold in front you.

In that second photo look at how locked his torso is in regards to his hip and leg position (he cant move from there without doing something first) there is only way out and that is to do what he did and revolve his body around his hips before he can even take a step ,that brought his left side of his chin, right into the path and completly open to what was comming and side on!;

he was gone before it was even thrown.

Only other way out was to pull his left foot back a long way behind him but that would have put him in switch stance and gained alot of room to then react ,but not many boxers like to do that when the right time comes,they really should. The least that would happen is your moving away as the punch hits,and your back into balance with more distance to get your arms back up.

The ropes: if they are closer than they look in that shot and you feel them as you go back you can fold that left leg which takes your head down under the shot and you have to go out fast that same way.

[Sharla]

OK I think I need to take a little more time to read through everyone's posts before I can completely understand what other people have spotted. The two things I noticed the most are going to sound pretty simple in comparison but I'd like to put it out there in case anyone wants to comment.

Davis crosses his feet when he circles left. He moves the right and then the left. This is considered a HUGE no no in my gym because it upsets your balance too much which maybe TM was eluding to when he said he can't put out any power.

It also means that Buddy can slip either direction without really feeling like Davis's cross is a danger to him although I think he also has impeccable timing.

When he gets hit with the punch that drops him he has just done this. He has put his own power into the punch that drops him.

[ThomasTabin]

The type of footwork you're talking about is necessary when circling. I don't understand how else you could move.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EdAw_Wo9B3E

[Trainer Monkey]

Sharla,here,get up on your toes,even though you wont want to ,stay there and try and throw a punch,now do it again with your feet firmly planted
Feel the instant difference in power?
Davis never throws a commited enough punch to make McGirt want to consider what he wants to do,all he has to do in the entire fight is stalk and come

[Chris Nagel]

Thomas, you think that perhaps Davis would have done things differently if he had a rematch. Anyways, considering what you said before, it's safer to counter when you're opponent is overcommiting to his leads. Using a style like yours provokes an opponent to lunge, and to overextend themselves. I can see how feinting, and drawing can play into this because I believe that much of countering depends on getting your opponent to lead, but what are some additional ways that you can increase your countering opportunities without putting yourself into harms way?

[Scrap]

Davis was a Lightweight on his way out Mcgirt was bigger and rising. A good peice of matchmaking for Mcgirt, from the Bell Davis Bottled it he was in to deep. I dont think he had to many after that.

[Sharla]

The type of footwork you're talking about is necessary when circling. I don't understand how else you could move.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EdAw_Wo9B3E

Why not move or circle to the left by moving your left foot first and then bringing the right back to your normal stance rather than moving the right making your stance narrow. I'd be told off sooooo badly in my gym for doing that!

I've always been told to step first with the right when moving right, left when moving left, the front foot when moving forwards and the rear foot when moving back.

[Scrap]

Sharla, Its the right foot that moves you left, and the left moves you right. The front foot moves you back and the back foot moves you forward.

[Scrap]

It is the simpleist way to beat gravity and theirs no stress and puts the head where it should be for Oral perception. One point that is touched on is feet raised heel or flat footed, it all depends where the knees are in relation to the big toe for balance and muscle perception to feel. Flat footed isnt the posture for movement or speed response or biomechanical memory patterns.

[Sharla]

Sharla, Its the right foot that moves you left, and the left moves you right. The front foot moves you back and the back foot moves you forward.

So if your right foot moves you to the left then while you lift the left the right is pushing off? Do I understand correctly? If I do does that mean stepping with the left foot first while the right pushes off does make sense or am I completely befuddled .........

I guess it kinda looks to me like sometimes he moves his rear (right foot) a little too far to the right. Pivoting on the front foot so he's changing his angle probably makes it work for him a lot of the time. Only thing is if he doesn't pivot enough on that foot he just ends up flat footed on his rear foot. Flat footed so he can't push off properly for the next step.


I think it looks most awkward to me when his front foot is grounded - perhaps because he wants to make his jabs harder and he's commiting to them more - maybe then he can't pivot the way he otherwise would - which then causes him to be flat footed on his right as well?

I guess I can see that his opponent is very powerful and good at cutting the ring and he doesn't have enough space to move the way he'd like to. Perhaps that's why he chooses to rely on the pivot so much to circle/move left but I think if you're front foot is flat maybe you're better off pushing of the rear foot and repositioning your front foot rather than trying to move the rear foot with the front foot flat?

OK do I sound like a complete nutter now or what

[Scrap]

Who you talking about Sharla.

[Sharla]

Who you talking about Sharla.

When sounding like a nutter - me! If you mean I sound like you I'll take that as a compliment though coz maybe that might mean something I wrote made sense maybe kinda sorta?

If you mean which fighter am I talking about on the vid then I'm obviously waaaaaay off and I need to watch it again! I mean the guy in the black shorts but if foget which is which - Davis I think (yes my knowledge of famous boxers is appauling!)

[Sharla]

So am I completely clueless or what Scrap? I have a feeling there haven't been many comments on this because other people do not have a resounding feeling I'm right!

I can handle being wrong though - so am I? If people were to look at footwork alone with this vid what would they comment on?

[Scrap]

Sharla, no youre not, You have the idea based on what youve been taught. Youve got the Brains to turn it round plus the comitment, youre looking at is a good peice of matchmaking. Davis didnt want to be there, the money changed his mind until the bell rang.

[Sharla]

Thanks Scrap You give me hope of one day understanding it fully

For now Thanks for putting up the thread Thomas and having patience for the nagging Qs Scrap

I look foreward to the next one Thomas

I tried to give you some more rep for he encouragement Scrap but the board wouldn't let me - says I have to spread it around more first! I spend most of my time on this board looking closesly at about half the threads so I have a feeling I might run into this problem a lot .......