When something is essential to the basic principles of something, this is known as the foundation. Every game plan in sports has one. For Kobe Bryant and the L.A. Lakers, their high power offense is similar to what was accomplished in Chicago with Michael Jordan. Of course, I?m talking about the triangle offense, which has been constructed by former Bulls coach Phil Jackson. In football, the New York Giants won their two Super Bowls in the late ?80s and early ?90s behind an offense that was just old-school smash-mouth football. Run the ball for three or four yards and dump a small pass to pick up the first down on third down. By doing this, the Giants wore down the defense during their long trips downfield.
While there are some differences between boxing, basketball and football, boxing is a unique sport that doesn?t deal with the team setting. However, boxing also has its basics and fundamentals that both play into the styles of how fighters throw down and how they are able to utilize their natural gifts to enhance their styles. Unfortunately, the more and more I watch these supposed high-profile fights that are offered to us (the fan base) on the premium networks, I have come to the realization that the art of mastering one?s craft no longer seems to have the same value that it once did.
Sure, it sound like I have made a general statement that most likely would offend most active professional fighters who dedicate their time and- let?s face it- lives to the sport we all love to enjoy from our couches. I?m not saying they have a lack of passion to be as great as they can be or they do not have the will or dedication to go to that special place to succeed that most of us would never physically venture to. The point is, it?s normal for someone who is passionate in any venture of life to want to know every intricacy of his craft that make it unique from others. This study, along with dedication and natural talent is what makes someone with natural gifts excel to peaks that we can only dream about.
As I continue to see our sport lose some of the gatekeepers of the past due to Father Time, it seems like the much younger pupils of boxing are no longer getting the proper education necessary for them to learn the solid fundamentals of the true craft aspect. Naturally, there are trainers out there who continue the tradition of passing down their gems, demanding that anyone under their tutelage must have the basics of the craft down before continuing forward with his education.
Once again, while there are not as many fighters taking the understanding and ideal that mastering their craft will set them apart from the rest of the pack, this is the same for many of the so-called trainers. If you?ve been to any real gym (which represents the rugged aspect of this sport), you?ve probably run into the old trainer, the last of the dying breed. However, if you?ve chosen to spend most of your time at a gym that is really more of a fitness center with boxing classes, I?m sure you have run into the so-called boxing trainer who comes through the door, whips a white towel over his shoulder and loves to use his stopwatch while, barking more inspirational sayings than actual boxing instructions. Beware: these ?trainers? still exist in many regular boxing gyms as well.
With this rant off my chest, on to the purpose of what I?m writing. The sport we love continues to take a backseat to the more higher-profile sports. Our sport has begun to suffer, despite the efforts of those who have the raw knowledge of how to build not only superstars of the sport (Top Rank) the trainers who can teach the younger generation on how to not only fight but also be an ideal man of the community both inside and out of the ring.
I?ve been to far too many gyms across this great land to believe there is no talent out there that could accomplish the great things that many of the legends in the past accomplished. Our current problem is lack of available talent to teach them. Most of the few great minds that are left are off training the highest profile names in their region. It?s come to the point that the few trainers that know the ins and outs of the sport have all been locked up with the upper echelon of the sport. Can we blame them? They have to eat too, right?
So can we as fans and observers of the sport really blame the young guys (and let?s face it, in order to reach your physical prime and have it meet your abilities, you must start at a young age) for not really making the mature decisions that most of us would make if we were in the same financial situation?
It?s easy to say what we would do and how we would fight for a certain price when we are indeed not involved from this angle of the current culture that has been harbored for far too long. It?s funny that those in charge of the financial aspects of the sport (who are not jumping into the ring themselves) act so shocked when they are dealing with a 20-year-old prospect that wants a six-figure pay date or guaranteed national television dates. At the same time, these executives have to deal with that prospect?s entourage of flunkies. Guys, don?t be mad at the monster you had a part in creating.
No wonder most of the old-timers in the sport are scared for what (was once known as) the ?Sweet Science? may become in the future or, for that matter, if there is truly a future with the sport at all. Many of these characters that you will see at the fights have been involved one way or the other with the sport for the majority of their lives. They are far too tired and too old to be part of the evolution of the sport; they feel as though they already have done their part in terms of the history of the sport they love.
With all this said, I was originally going to get right into my points that dealt with the craft aspect of the sport and what are several of the essentials that any young kid who has the dream of one day being known as world champion and pound-for-pound best in the world. I mean, come on, if you have any experience with this sport, you have all seen a group of kids walk through the gym door on a Monday and by Friday, there is only one kid out of that group left. It?s that one kid that has the right attitude to start his quest towards greatness. It?s this kid that hopefully will be given the proper guidance that seems to be as dormant as the next great American heavyweight.
So while it was supposed to jump right into the key fundamentals of the sport, this article has morphed from a brief introduction into a full article. If you enjoyed this full introduction, I hope you stay tuned for my next installment which, yes, will actually go into what the key fundamentals are for that youngster (who is still in the gym on Friday) to succeed in this wild beast of a sport we call boxing.
