hugging or boxing

[greynotsoold]

Somebody should point out that Kirkland did his share of falling in as well, and, as often as not, was willing enough to be held. Ann Wolfe didn't do her job in preparing her fighter to fight a guy that holds a lot, nor did she give him anything resembling worthwhile advice during the fight.
The best thing about boxing, I've always thought, is that you control your destiny because you always have the ability to counter what your opponent does. For instance, if he is continually lunging at you with his head down and arms extended to grab you, step back a half step and time an uppercut. Jab your way in and hit the body, step around him. Molina would punch and dip to the right a large majority of the time as he lunged in. There is no reason a pro quality boxer and trainer should not have picked up on these sorts of things and capitalized on them.
That they were not smart enough or good enough to do so is their own fault and Molina just exposed that lack of ability. If I had a guy fighting Kirkland tomorrow our gameplan would be to time him coming in, tie him up, turn him an try again.

[Rantcatrat]

Somebody should point out that Kirkland did his share of falling in as well, and, as often as not, was willing enough to be held. Ann Wolfe didn't do her job in preparing her fighter to fight a guy that holds a lot, nor did she give him anything resembling worthwhile advice during the fight.
The best thing about boxing, I've always thought, is that you control your destiny because you always have the ability to counter what your opponent does. For instance, if he is continually lunging at you with his head down and arms extended to grab you, step back a half step and time an uppercut. Jab your way in and hit the body, step around him. Molina would punch and dip to the right a large majority of the time as he lunged in. There is no reason a pro quality boxer and trainer should not have picked up on these sorts of things and capitalized on them.
That they were not smart enough or good enough to do so is their own fault and Molina just exposed that lack of ability. If I had a guy fighting Kirkland tomorrow our gameplan would be to time him coming in, tie him up, turn him an try again.

Molina doesn't hold any more than other fighters do. Not compared to the likes of Ward or Berto. Watch his fight with Cintron or Lara. He didn't excessively hold then at least not to the extent that he did against Kirkland. He employed the holding strategy purposefully in the Kirkland fight to smother Kirkland to take away his power. Smothering Kirkland, fighting on the inside, stayin away from his left hand, are all good strategies--that don't require excessive clinching. The concept behind his strategy, time Kirkland and then get inside and turn him, is a great strategy, but it doesn't require clinching. Inside fighting can be a thing of beauty. Please don't get me wrong. Frankly, a good inside fighter is arguably my favorite kind of fighter, and holding happens, but excessive holding is against the rules.