Fight Study: Mayweather vs Marquez (9-19-09)

Just finished watching the Mayweather comeback. It's not the most exciting fight but if you want a textbook example of great boxing defense, then look no further than Mayweather. To be fair, Marquez isn't the best offensive fighter, he's actually more of a counter puncher. Unfortunately, Mayweather is a bad match up for Marquez's style. Counter punching relies on having an aggressive opponent and being faster than him, both things Marquez did not have in Mayweather. Let's recall what made Mayweather shine in the match.

A left hand that can rule the world

If you want to see how to use the jab effectively in a boxing match, watch this fight. He absolutely controls the fight and the distance with his jab and with his speed, his jab continued to land in Marquez's face. Not that Marquez's hands were particularly low, but it looked like Mayweather had an open lane to Marquez's nose the entire time. This is deceptive, it's not that Marquez was open, he was just slow to react and couldn't parry the jab the entire night. Mayweather would throw the jab offensively but more importantly he would throw it defensively to keep Marquez at bay and when Marquez did close the distance, Mayweather would make him pay with a quick right cross following his jab.

Mayweather with legs astride, steps his left foot forward to throw the jab, keeping his right foot back like an anchor. Then he snaps the jab out and steps his left back to his stance, safely out of range of retaliation. It's that rear right foot that lets him pull back without back pedaling, it's the deep forward step that lets him reach his target from out of range. Up until now I have been throwing my jab mostly from the shoulder, sure I step forward with my left but I had been doing so as a formality without truly realizing how to apply it. I need to take a deeper step w/ probing jabs.

Shoulder roll

The shoulder roll style of defense is pretty tricky to utilize but a great defense and one Mayweather essentially has mastered. His right's always up protecting his face, his left shoulder is raised to block his chin, his left arm covers his body and if need be his left elbow raises to block any incoming rights to the head. When his back would touch the ropes, which didn't happen enough to Marquez's likings, he would cover up in a more traditional ear muffs style of block w/ his elbows tucked in tight. Try as Marquez might, he had very little success of landing any meaningful punches to Mayweather's chin and body. He certainly connected but nearly all glanced off Mayweather's defense. My own defense is more of a peek-a-boo style so the shoulder roll isn't really my style but there are times when I'll slip into it after certain attacks or if I happen to drop my left after an attack and can't bring it up fast enough to block a counter. I do however have a bad habit of not keeping my elbows tucked in tight enough and could learn a thing from Mayweather.

Turning the opponent

In boxing, there's a saying that you want to turn your opponent. That when you step around your opponent, you cut an angle and make him have to turn to face you again. Often, Mayweather would land a counter right when Marquez tried to sneak in with his own left, then react fast enough to Marquez's incoming right and duck right under the punch, cut the angle, and turn around to his back. Generally you don't want to step to your opponent's right because you're in danger of stepping into his power hand. (assuming all orthodox stances) However sometimes when you're in punching range or if your opponent is coming towards you and you don't have enough time to react you have to do what you can. Being able to react and duck that right like Mayweather did and turn, that's talent. I myself like to counter punch in boxing range, which I've come to realize requires great reaction speed to point blank punches. It's something I'll have to keep practicing.

It'd be interesting to see what would happen if Pacquiao and Mayweather fought. Everybody wants it, it's just politics and money preventing the fight. The two top contenders for the pound for pound title, the king of offense versus the master of defense, it'd be a hell of a fight. Honestly I'm not sure how you can beat Mayweather, his defense and speed is phenomenal, but maybe Pacquiao's own speed and power is the answer.