Are Punch And Grab Fighters Ruining Boxing?
January 29th, 2009
By Manuel Perez: With MMA breathing down the neck of Boxing, I think it’s high time that clinching be disallowed in professional boxing because it’s taking away from the sport. If professional boxing is to compete with Mixed Martial Sports, boxing has to follow amateur boxing and prevent clinching tactics that are used to prevent an opponent from punching. Amateur boxing has long been smart on this subject, prohibiting clinching because they knew that it took away from the sport and kept punches from being thrown.
Without the ability to go toe to toe with the younger lions round after round, the older fighters often resort to holding in order to give them an extra edge, to slow down the fight and prevent their younger opponent from hitting them as often and wearing them down.
To me, I see this as just as bad to the sport of boxing as a fighter that uses steroids or loads up his gloves with an illegal substance in order to get an edge, because at the end of the day, clinching gives the fighter that clinches a big advantage that the other fighter doesn’t have.
It evens the playing field for the fighter who doesn’t have the power, work rate, energy or skill of the other fighter, but at the same time it drastically takes away from the sport and making it much less interesting to watch.
While watching Shane Mosley defeat Antonio Margarito last weekend, I saw how clinching can change the course of a fight, as Mosley clinched Margarito often as after throwing a shot, preventing Margarito from retaliated. It worked well but it wasn’t boxing for me. It was like a boxing being reduced to wrestling.
Referees are supposed to warn and penalize for this kind of thing, but as most people know, it’s a rule that’s often overlooked by the referees nowadays. Unfortunately, what we get is a fighter slowing the fight down so much that it’s impossible for the fighter less dependent on clinching to win. Power sluggers like Antonio Margarito adversely by this kind of tactic, because without the ability to throw punches in massive numbers or with power, they are hampered.
The person doing the clinching, in this case Mosley, gets a big advantage by being able to prevent their opponent from hitting them as often. I have no problem with older fighters being able to stick around a little longer than they normally would be otherwise, but I think it’s unfair that they should ruin the game by clinching so much.
It takes away from boxing, ruins it for potentially new fans that might be considering getting interested in the sport. I know if I was witnessing a boxing even for the first time in watching Mosley vs. Margarito last weekend, I would have been badly turned off by the sport due to all the clinching that Mosley did in the fight and I probably would go back to MMA, feeling that boxing was a boring sport, filled with grappling and stalling tactics to prevent action. I think it’s about time that professional boxing outlaw clinching, like illegal hand wraps and steroids.
Tags: 24 Responses to “Are Punch And Grab Fighters Ruining Boxing?”
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maybe not take away clinching but if thats ALL the fighter wants to do then penalty..
Mark E – Any world class boxer would only be annihilated by an MMA fighter in an MMA fight. The boxer would win the boxing match no problem.
“To me, I see this as just as bad to the sport of boxing as a fighter that uses steroids or loads up his gloves with an illegal substance in order to get an edge, because at the end of the day, clinching gives the fighter that clinches a big advantage that the other fighter doesn’t have”
this statement is ludacris, Manuel lay off the crack dude
Spot on, the way Mayweather used Hatton’s clinching against him was masterful. He made Hatton wear himself out by constantly turning him and then picked him off when he was dead on his feet.
A real fighter can escape clinches and not let it happen to him like a real slow, exhausted, and worn out fighter like Margarito did.
Clinching is part of the art of fighting. Whilst boxing is a sport, it is also about fighting and a great fighter can work the clinch to their advantage in defence, to rest and to pick shots. It may not be pretty but it’s part of the game.
While I preffer boxing to MMA any world class boxer would be annihilated by a top class MMA fighter as they are much more rounded fighters.
I am sorry but i just dont understand MMA. They spend most of the time on the floor wrestling. Boxing is so much better that mma so much better. MMa actually completely irritates me and bores the hell out of me. I agree with preventing clinching although it may be tough to police. JOe calzaghe is the greatest peace out british boxing is the best always has been always will.
norbet are you perez’s lover? mosley is a living legend and his legacy is way better than margacheato’s will ever be!!! get over it!!!
if clinching is a boxing strategy for winning fights,what a borring ass thing to do compare these exiting fights like chavez vs taylor,corrales vs castillo, de la hoya vs vargas etc.. to mosley vs forrest 2,borring! mosley vs wright borring!, calzaghe vs hopkins……borring!! im tired of seeing idiot getting rich! by clinching and not fighting.
I’m sorry but Shane produced a magnificent performance against Margarito take NOTHING away from him he threw fast combo’s Antonio could not handle. Notice there has been no complaint from Margarito’s camp about this so call clinching ruining tactics? This smells like sour grapes to me
Clinching is ruining things for the speedier, stronger, younger boxers? Maybe some of those being clinched simply aren’t that skillful or strong. A really decent fighter should be able to keep the clinching at bay (skill, speed) or fight out of it (strength, skill).
Lets face it, Margarito was unable to cope with Mosley’s tactics and Mosley was able to cope with Margarito’s. That’s one reason why the fight went the way it. The reason for the KO was punches though, not clinches.
yes and thats exactly why most people would of given the decision to calzaghe and not hopkins,
firstly this article was only written because margarito lost. if mosley had won by decision then u may have had a point but mosley won by knockout so all credit to him, margarito just got his ass whooped simple.
however i do agree that EXCESSIVE clinging should be discouraged, its hugely frustrating for the spectator as it stops the action and can make a fight dull to watch. RICKY HATTON is the worst culprit for excessive holding
now isnt the golden rule of boxing hit not get hit well thats exactly what mosley did and won a wins a win, styles make fights and not all can be good to watch maybe the youngsters should learn how 2 defend against the clinch also if it wasnt for clinching alot of fighters would struggle going the distance as this alows them to nick a breather so maybe its not that bad for the sport and as for mma thats a completly different sport and has its own fan base just as boxing has,boxing has and always will be an inderpendant sport that will always produce an outstanding talent that everyone wants 2 watch
Your having a laugh clinching and tying people up is a skill in itself and makes the tactical side of the sport interesting no way should it be band
Wow, Manny P really loves Margarito.
Bernard Hopkins did the same many times. The best strategy win after all. The punch and grab style wont work for the boxer with great agility, for example, Floyd and Calzaghe.
Boxing isn’t just power, it is strategy. Boxer with the best strategy will win the fight.
manuel perez whenever i see an article written by you i read it just wondering what BS you will come up with next. evan by your standards this article is hilarious.
p.s wasnt the clinching that caused margo to loose, it was the lack of plaster of paris.
Oops I meant John Ruiz lol
First Margarito was weight drained, now Mosley clinched to much for Margarito to fight back!!!!
So I guess Margarito getting punched senseless by a very strong and powerful Mosley had nothing to do with his defeat?
From what I have seen of the MMA, there is a lot of rolling on the canvass and very little in the way of fists flying, hell, even knock-out kicks are a rarety, and for martial arts!!!!! Odd. Its an up and coming sport, it will develop a fan base but boxing fans will remain boxing fans.
But i do admire the extravagence of your BS, Margarito got beat because Mosley grappled and is turning the whole sport of boxing bad as a result, only you could make it up Perez
Hey Manuel Perez,maybe you should realize that the king of holdind is a Mexican Heavyweight by the name of John Ruiz who got beat by Roy Jones Jr at the Heavyweight level for god sakes.Even holding Roy like he was in love with him couldn’t get Ruiz the win.LMFAO!
I guess when the MMA fighters roll around on the floor hugging each other like its their honeymoon, that’s not holding.At least the boxers aren’t on the floor holding each other so sweetly.Manuel Perez is by far the most ignorant fk i’ve seen on this site and his articles(if that’s what you wanna call them)should be banned from this site.
i’m fairly new as a boxing fan, and learning that the amatuers emplor this rule allready but the pros dont is a massive shock. The main governing bodies need to get together because theres competition out there now from MMA, I agree holding should be banned.
Why dont you just say are boxers like Sugar Shane Mosley ruining boxing by beatin your fave boxer.
Answer a clear NO