Learning to Box

[123 MMA]

Ian Butlin said that you learn to box at an amateur gym, but develop your style at a pro gym.

I have a question.. wouldn't the instruction be better at a pro gym? Why can't you start off at a gym which has pro boxers training/ competiting there?

[steve_langford]

I thought you could learn boxing anywhere? just put a pair of gloves on and whack a bag mate.

[LouieJ]

Ian Butlin said that you learn to box at an amateur gym, but develop your style at a pro gym.

I have a question.. wouldn't the instruction be better at a pro gym? Why can't you start off at a gym which has pro boxers training/ competiting there?

The style in amateur and pro are different. None is better than the other. For example going out and trying to just look the aggresor in an international amatur contest will get you no points. Then going out looking to score just points in a pro fight will most prob get you knocked out.

What ever style you adopt will fit into mma. The stand up game in mma isnt as technical to say one style suits it better than another.

So the answer to your question is you can, start off anyway you want, amateur or pro.

[boxingbrit]

In America it is very different, you have many coaches and get a lot more one on one attention. Even amateur gyms over here it can be hard as there are so many people and they have to concentrate more on those representing the team.

The comment i made was a generalisation from my experience travelling around boxing gyms amateur and pro, in this country and also from my bro's experience travelling down the US/ Mexican west coast boxing.:)

[IranianWarMachine]

I found american boxers technique is much more crisp which is probably due to the one on one attention boxing brit was mentioning, i think amatuer boxing is very useful establishing a solid jab and a good defense, that points fighting mentality like in karate is useful in mma as being able to land first with small gloves is a huge advantage, i box less now and grapple a lot more, but there is a small club down the road where the coach gives you one on one mittwork and you get some sparring done.

[boxingbrit]

When teaching basics most amateur clubs wont teach you the 'points scoring' style first anyway. Many will teach you how to box, let you hit bags and pads. The Uk isnt brilliant at teaching the points scoring IMHO. Look at the eastern europeans and Cubans and you will see they have it mastered.

In America there is a bigger difference between amateur and pro teaching even though they are more likely to train in the same gyms since the ban over here. The cubans even train to the point of pivotting tkeep there back to a corner and not the ropes so that they can be seen by all 5 judges all the time.

IMO all the styles are still beneficial for MMA, footwork, ringcraft, angles, sharp punching, slipping etc are all well worth learning from boxing to adapt to MMA.

[IranianWarMachine]

^Agree with this, boxing imo is the biggest weakness in top flight mma, when you see a solid boxer with good defense in the ufc it makes a huge difference.

[Grizzly.]

When I started boxing I didn't want to go to a Pro gym because I thought I would look stupid at a gym that had countless british champions and an intercontinental or something I can't remember at the time, so I started at a shitty gym where they basically taught me to swing for the fences, after 2 months I got bored, bit the bullet and went down to the gym where I developed at a lightening pace and ended with an amatuer record of 21-3-2

[boxingbrit]

I agree you have to watch out for amateur gyms with no pedigree. People can open up an amateur club with just a couple of weekends courses and no boxing experience (although they have to be recommended i think still). Check em out before you start.

[rpms]

In America it is very different, you have many coaches and get a lot more one on one attention. Even amateur gyms over here it can be hard as there are so many people and they have to concentrate more on those representing the team.

The comment i made was a generalisation from my experience travelling around boxing gyms amateur and pro, in this country and also from my bro's experience travelling down the US/ Mexican west coast boxing.:)

What is Andy up to now mate,is he Boxing anymore?

[boxingbrit]

Yeah, he is fighting at Huddersfield Sports Centre ina couple of weeks. My mate Gary Sykes has a British Title shot on same bill and ther are a few other local lads on.

Andy's missus is having a baby and he has been moving etc so has not fought much this year:)

[Jay]

Yeah, he is fighting at Huddersfield Sports Centre ina couple of weeks. My mate Gary Sykes has a British Title shot on same bill and ther are a few other local lads on.

Andy's missus is having a baby and he has been moving etc so has not fought much this year:)

Gary Sykes.... I trained with him what must be about 10 years ago in Dewsbury Moor. I say trained with him, I was 11 or 12 punching some bags and what have you in Keith Tate's place whilst he was there.

He's doing well!

Do you know if any of the McIvers's (sp?) are still fighting Ian? I remember there was a few brothers doing well at the time.

[boxingbrit]

Big Mally has retired now but his bro is might still be fighting. You may have trained there same time as me then. I boxed for Keith in 1999 before i moved permanently to Rawthorpe although i trained mainly with Middy (keiths foster son).

[rpms]

Sykes v Crolla last year was a cracker,the kind of trade fight that keeps me interested in Boxing.You knew that the winner should be able to move on to big things.Is Sykes fighting Ricky Burns in a couple of weeks ?

[boxingbrit]

Yeah mate:). This is the show they are all fighting on:


http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=318575940232

[pow3r]

Sykes got tough fight if fighting burns be good if can win as burns is in line 4 shot at wbo belt.gud division in britain with sykes ,foster jnr ,cook,burns and andy morris.morris v foster jr 2 fight winner of sykes and burns would be good if could get it on now both under hatton promotions