Art of the Jab..

[donnydarkoIRL]

Richie Woodhall had a lovely jab, along with being a nice textbook boxer.

[brocktonblockbust]

I like the jab of Riddick Bowe

[brocktonblockbust]

So many ways to break this down and answer... Some initial thoughts:

Best Power Jabs:
1. Liston
2. Foreman
3. GGG
4. Ike Quartey
5. Larry Holmes

Best all around jabs:
1. Larry Holmes
2. Oscar
3. Pernell Whitaker
4. Benitez
5. Finito Lopez

Classiest jabs
1. Roger Mayweather
2. Junior Jones
3. Kennedy McKinney
4. Macho Camacho
5. Floyd Mayweather

Underachievers with beautiful jabs
1. Michael Moorer
2. Jermain Taylor
3. Virgil Hill
4. Bruce Seldon
5. Mark Breland

Sporadic users of formidable jabs
1. Floyd Mayweather
2. Roy Jones jr
3. BHop
4. Tito Trinidad
5. Gabe Ruelas

Dominant jabbers:
1. Lennox Lewis
2. Wlad
3. Barrera
4. Tommy Hearns
5. Marvin Hagler

Workman-like jabs
1. Glenn Johnson
2. Erik Morales
3. JC Superstar
4. Hasim Rahman
5. Mickey Ward

The above were in no particular order, and the following fighters with great jabs are in no particular order either:
Ali, Buster Douglas, Riddick Bowe, Herbie Hide, Kid Gavilán, Carlos Monzon, Emille Griffith, Ray Leonard, Willie Pep, Terry Norris, Winky Wright, Fernando Vargas, JMM, Raph Marquez, Izzy Vasquez, and Johnny Tapia.

WTF happened to Cassius Clay

[THE THIRD MAN]

Holmes, Ali, Liston, Wlad, Foreman, Monzon, Hearns, Whitaker, Lopez, Quartey

[greynotsoold]

You never jab just to be doing something; feint instead because you learn more and give away less.

The most important thing to do when you jab is to pay attention to what the other guy does when you jab.

When you start missing jabs on purpose to move your opponent into other punches, you have become a master.

[Master]

You never jab just to be doing something; feint instead because you learn more and give away less.

The most important thing to do when you jab is to pay attention to what the other guy does when you jab.

When you start missing jabs on purpose to move your opponent into other punches, you have become a master.

Top boxers like Mike McCallum used the jab for exactly that purpose. He varied his jab in terms of speed, purpose and intent. Everything came after it. It was a real thing of beauty.

George Groves, of the current fighters, has a beautiful jab.

[brocktonblockbust]

Master I'm going to have to watch more of the body snatcher after what you have said. Gray not-so-old has really come up with a great concept there as the expert that he is. Missing jobs on purpose to move your opponent into a different position. That is even more genius than a feint

[Yuzo]

You never jab just to be doing something; feint instead because you learn more and give away less.

why feint your jab when you can throw it just short?

[Master]

You never jab just to be doing something; feint instead because you learn more and give away less.

why feint your jab when you can throw it just short?

My guess is that you can throw quick different punches from a feint than if you have committed to a short punch.

[Yuzo]

You never jab just to be doing something; feint instead because you learn more and give away less.

why feint your jab when you can throw it just short?

My guess is that you can throw quick different punches from a feint than if you have committed to a short punch.

anything you can do with a feint you can do with a jab thrown just short.

a punch has a few different parts. when you throw a jab a guy is going to be moving and reacting on two main parts. when your jab is coming out and when your jab is coming back. those are his cues. and to really set a guy up with your jab you must be able to provide those cues.

you can pick up on what a guy is trying to do to your jab so much more by throwing your jab just short cause you can compare how he is moving and reacting to every part of your jab. not just to when its starting up.

thats why a slow and steady jab beats a fast jab.



cause the guy throwing his jab slow and steady can see and compare how the other guy is moving and reacting to every part of his jab. when every jab you throw is a bullet you cant see and compare your jab to his movements and reactions anymore. you get out of sync.

[brocktonblockbust]

If you think too much about all this stuff you won't throw a jab at all.

[Yuzo]

If you think too much about all this stuff you won't throw a jab at all.

thats not true.

[El Kabong]

If you think too much about all this stuff you won't throw a jab at all.

thats not true.

I think the guys with the best jabs had many variations of jab and they knew when and where to use them. The easiest fighter to use as an example for that is Wlad because A) He threw the jab more than everyone else B ) He set up his entire offense from the jab C) Everyone who fought him knew what was coming but for the most part they didn't know how. Wlad would get his opponent so concerned about the jab they would never see the right cross coming right behind it, or they'd wait on that right cross and either eat jabs all night or get cracked by a left hook.

Throw is short, double/triple up, feint, really drive it in, slap down on the guard, swipe across at the guard, hook off of the jab because if you also double/triple up on the jab it'll really throw their defense for a loop.

[Master]

Did you notice AJ trying to time a right hand over the jab. It caused Wlad to throws left hook at times instead of the jab.

AJ stopped Wlad after he caught him throwing a jab at the start of the 11th round.

Jabs can make you predictable which is why I think Roy Jones Jr did not throw too many.

[greynotsoold]

You never jab just to be doing something; feint instead because you learn more and give away less.

why feint your jab when you can throw it just short?

My guess is that you can throw quick different punches from a feint than if you have committed to a short punch.

anything you can do with a feint you can do with a jab thrown just short.

a punch has a few different parts. when you throw a jab a guy is going to be moving and reacting on two main parts. when your jab is coming out and when your jab is coming back. those are his cues. and to really set a guy up with your jab you must be able to provide those cues.

you can pick up on what a guy is trying to do to your jab so much more by throwing your jab just short cause you can compare how he is moving and reacting to every part of your jab. not just to when its starting up.

thats why a slow and steady jab beats a fast jab.



cause the guy throwing his jab slow and steady can see and compare how the other guy is moving and reacting to every part of his jab. when every jab you throw is a bullet you cant see and compare your jab to his movements and reactions anymore. you get out of sync.

That is a very good post. That is what I was referring to about observing the reaction when you jab. Throwing the jab short on purpose...if you are doing it on purpose and gaining insight from it then it works. At the same time the other guy is using your short jab to gain insight about you. And, if he is good, he knows he is out of range and won't react at all to a short jab.

When I referred to feinting it wasn't to feinting the jab, necessarily.