Marvelous Marvin ‘Opens Up’
Having produced an article on the technical prowess of Marvin Hagler as he ripped asunder the Middleweights of the Eighties (Marvin Hagler Boxing Style Analysis), Stumbled across this interview on You Tube (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, all hail YouTube!) The interview is short (and there is a follow up, in total both videos cover about 18 minutes), so it’s not the greatest commitment of time. Now, it’s hardly ‘Frost Versus Nixon’, but there are some clips of Hagler’s top performances, some background on Duran, Hearns and Co, along with a little snippet that’s well worth noting. Hagler considered himself versatile, able to adapt to the opponent that was put in front of him; from the horse’s mouth! It rarely mattered what a Hagler opponent brought to the ring, the fact was that they all left with less than they came (except one notable and questionable exception that is!)
…and Part 2
Cheers
Fran
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Hiting with a “wooden stick” in the abnominal area can make a boxer strong, and improve the ability to take a punch?
Not something I’d recommend Dave. Just don’t think it would offer any benefits, just welts, contusions and bruising.
Doing ok thanks Fran-Hope all is well in Merseyside-Thanks to you and Dave for your comments confirming what my coach told me.
I follow the Jeff Fenech light weight routine which follows the guidelines you mention for strength training with weights-I also do an additional exercise with a 3kg weight to protect my rotator cuff-which Im told is very easy to injure when your boxing training.
Sounds sensible Dave. I’m just as we speak putting some thought into a boxing specific weights regime, so I’ll keep you informed how this goes.
Nice post, Fran. I particularly like your comment ‘…one notable and questionable exception …’ It doesn’t matter how many times I watch the Hagler v Leonard fight (which I must admit has been a few years now) I can never see a Leonard win. I think Hagler was rightfully disgusted with that decision and interesting that he makes the comment that Sugar Ray admitted a loss.
I’m not so sure about those long socks Marvin is wearing in the interview though but I’m not gonna be the one to tell him.
If I may butt in to your exchange with Dave I above regarding heavy weight training and boxing, I think the immobility caused by bulking up was demonstrated by Frank Bruno somewhat. In another example that is lesser known, the winner of the BBC’s Last Man Standing is/was a bodybuilder and a boxer and was soundly beaten in a fight on a show that I promoted in South London a few years ago. By the third round his massive arms, laden with muscle, were too heavy to hold in a guard and were useless in a defensive blocking or parrying
role. That same person has now dropped a great deal of size and no longer looks the monster he did but is more mobile, faster and sharper and has won all his recent fights bar one unfathomable points loss.
Keep up the good work, Fran. I click on your website pretty much daily hoping for updates.
Dave, thanks for the comment mate. I must admit that on the night of Hagler v Leonard, and as a 15 year old boxing fanatic, I think I got caught up in the amazement that SRL had competed with Marvin. My initial thought was that Leonard won. It was only the next night that I sat and scored the fight that I had Marvin a clear winner, by 3 rounds! Every time I scored it after this, the same result was reached. I think boxing suffered the night that Hagler was treated in such a way…a real shame!
On the weight training thing, if you remember, even after round 2 or 3, Frank Bruno used to shake his arms off in the corner before coming out, a sure sign of lactic acid build up. What I always say is that you can build up masses of muscle, but the heart and lungs remain broadly the same size and they have to feed all of that muscle…mission impossible! I do like weights as part of a boxer’s fitness regime, but light and fast. If I were to drop one aspect of that boxer’s regime, weight training would be it (there’s no way running, groundwork, or any of the ‘hitting’ stuff would be dropped.)
Thanks Dave, as always it’s great to hear from you.
Thanks for posting that Fran-Im reading the four kings at the moment so it was a good read and watch for me cheers.
You cant help but notice the power he had-is that a result of natural ability or training?-In your experience is the best way to build up specific power for punching -heavy bag work?-One of my coaches told me not to do heavy weights for boxing as it would affect my hand speed.And in his opinion speed beats power every time.
Alright Dave, hope you are well. I’ve read that book and did enjoy it…good stuff. I particularly remember Manny Steward’s view on why the 4 of them were so good, they all learned their trade as amateurs (Duran had around 35 fights, Hagler 100+ and Tommy and Ray Leonard more again.) People often talk about the amateur game in derogatory terms when talking about Pros, but they all learned their trade there! In fact, Pacquiao to this day demonstrates many amateur traits e.g. the double attack and the classical stance. Unlikely that we’ll see anything like those 4 guys in the same era again…ahhh the good old days!
I agree with your coach; I tend to avoid ‘heavy’ weights, although that’s not to say that weight training shouldn’t play it’s part in a boxer’s regime (lighter weights, specific exercises and high reps.) Speed is where it’s at. Muscles will develop where they need to because boxing hammers those particular muscles (e.g. forearm flexors/extensors and triceps, lats, back and calves.) The heavy bag, as you correctly state, is the top piece of equipment for strength development, along with the good old fashioned ‘Ton-Up’ and it’s many variations and configurations.
Cheers Dave