Well you touched on my counter comment in your post also. Not evryone is Ali, in that they can lay on the ropes, but then not everyone is as good as Sugar Ray in mid ring or as Charley Burley on the move. Every fighter has something different and I feel it's a good time to develop that something in the amateurs. Fighting on the ropes can prove to be as beneficial a skill as any.

Roy Jones Jr. suffered severe knockout losses. In common they had one factor. Roy was on the ropes. Trainers emphasise the importance of fighting outside and inside at an early stage, why not give a little knowledge of rope fighting too? Because it's not very well known I believe.

Wilfred Benitez was a master of this technique.
It takes a huge amount of energy to get into a heaving match with an opponent pushing you onto the ropes. I think it would be highly advantageous to allow the opponent to push your back to the ropes only to be placed in a familiar setting with a degree of command over the situation.