Expert: Jack Rose - 7/9/2008

Question
Hi Jackson,
I have been sparring a guy in a 13 by 13 ring, thats soft and hard to move in, i don't mind banging anyway. My question is how do you fight a guy who applys constant pressure to body and head. I've tried boxing but him being on the aggressive front gets off first. i've also tried banging first ant more but get hit more than I usually do. His stamina is high and I beat him first 2 rds but after that he starts catching me. I thought about softer quicker shots mixed with hard. What can you tell me. I've had over 60 fights but having hard one with this one

Answer
Jim,

You have to shut down what he does best, which is come forward and bulldog. You can always box a guy like this but you have to have a plan. Douglas did it against Tyson, Holyfield did it against Tyson and Lewis did it against Tyson. Roy Jones did it against Ruiz. The key is throwing combos off your lateral movement. Never move straight back and you have to stay high and tight with your gloves Winky Wright style. Shaking and baking against a guy like this will get your clock cleaned if he's any good. Stick to the basics, gloves nice and tight. When your not punching you are smothering his gloves up close. But your only in there for 3 seconds and then you slide out to the side, never straight back. Your now back into lateral movement, lots of stiff jabs and combos from the outside...then again, your back inside smothering, if any punches are thrown inside it's on your way in but immediately afterwards your all over him smothering, then slide out. You are dictating the action and controlling the fight. You say when there's going to be blows and when there's not. You throw then smother. When he comes forward, you come forward. He wants you to move back, he expects you to move back. You block, you slip and let him move into you, then you smother again and go back into your routine.
If you don't know this strategy it takes to time to learn so don't get frustrated. Work on it in the ring by yourself. Go through the routine just like there is a guy in there. If you get this style down, you will be very hard to beat.
Remember, A masterful boxer cannot be beat by any other style of fighting. It is an unbeatable style if perfected. But it reauires much discipline and terrific conditioning.
Let me know how things progress.

good luck,

Jackson