Yeah with most sparring partners I've had I've been significantly lighter so being in a clinch = me squashed. I'd grab and turn on the ropes occasionally but only very briefly.

Plus I think clinching might take a while to become proficient at because it's kind of unnatural isn't it? I mean if someone was attacking you the last thing you'd want to do would be to hold them. You'd never assume they couldn't knife you or grab you hair or throat or bash your head against a wall etc etc

Also I guess you have to feel confident at using angles inside for longer instead of instinctively wanting to get far away after a series of exchanges. Not something I ever mastered I'm afraid!

Annoying - I wanted to get to a point where I could do everything in boxing to a basic degree. Just be basically proficient at everything I might use - even though I never expected to be spectacular. Never got there!