Stander, you never want to be flat footed. You loose power and make yourself slow with your feet. When ripping a combination you can set down on your punches while digging into the mat while ON the balls of your feet so you can pivot and push off your feet when you punch. You can’t do that when you are flat footed. You also can’t cut a quick angle to punch off either while being flat footed.

As far as burning yourself out, try not to load up on every punch and relax when you punch. Don’t be tense and breath between combinations. That is the key to staying punching power. That along with proper technique.

Click here For more boxing training footwork workouts.

In the amateurs there is no time for such defense unless you are hurt by a punch. Referees disqualify for excessive holding. Holding allows a ref to get to involved in the fight and nobody wants that.

Cutting angles allows you to control your opponent and hit them at will. Boxing in a tight circle doesn’t drain you like running around the ring would. If you are gonna stand in front of your opponent roll and ride with the punches. Roll and fire right back. Rolling doesn’t consume a lot of energy either. This is boxing defined. To hit and not be hit, to evade a punch yet be in position to counter and land a punch. Tying can zap energy. Box smart. Learn how to box in a tight circle and roll with punches. You can own center ring doing this controlling your opponent if they are indeed pressing you. Boxing isn’t running around the ring like it’s a track. It’s not holding to smother a fighter’s punches. That is a tactic.

I loved how James would step around Iran Barkley when they fought and rip into him. A true art. Now watch and learn what angles and rolling can do for you.

You don’t see 9-0 World Champions too often and you also don’t see many 2 time (should have been 3X) Olympic Gold medalist either. Guillermo Rigondeaux is just that fighter though. He demolished Rico Ramos last Friday night ripping the WBA superbantamweight title from Ramos with that impressive win.

Rigondeaux may be a stinker lulling people to sleep when he fights but the dude is damn good. He’s a fucking machine and he displayed impressive punching power in this fight. His quickness, movement, smarts, speed, along with his vast amateur experience make him an advanced world champion with only nine fights. Keep in mind Guillermo is 31.

He could improve on stopping and setting down on his punches more instead of being overly tentative at times. He has been slowly growing as a pro and it’s hard to transition from the amateurs to the pros when a fighter has over 300 fights like Guillermo does.

He does have a great trainer in Ronnie Shields. Ronnie has been working on getting Guillermo to open up more instead of picking and moving. He opened up in the 6th round knocking Ramos out. That fast accurate deadly power along with his savvy skill makes Guillermo an intriguing match up for several top fighters.

One such fighter he called out is no other than Nonito Donaire. THAT would be a great fight as Nonito is moving up. Nonito is a beast but how would he handled Guillermo’s ring savvy, speed, and skill? Guillermo seems to have what it takes to neutralize Donaire’s strengths. This fight should happen and should happen sooner than later.

We will see just how good the 2x Olympic Gold medalist and WBA super bantamweight champion is. One things for sure. Against Donaire, I highly doubt there will be a dull moment in that fight!

John Houston in the US you always hear trainers talk about the classic European _style_, when an American fights over seas. What is the biggest difference between the two, what makes up the European _style_ and what _style_ do you feel is better when matched up with one another? I know skill prevails with both _style_s but I’m curious to know advantages of one over another. Thanks, Stephen

Stephen, I think the differences in _style_ between American and European boxers are diminishing, a consequence of communication and ideas being easier to disseminate these days.

I suppose the old definition would have been that European boxers box from a more stand up straight position with a tight closed guard, while American boxers employ more fluid waist movement, often with hands held lower. The other difference from these respective stances is the punches thrown. From the straight up; close-guard more straight punches flow, while the American _style_ can favor hooks.

Historically it has to be said, the American _style_ seems to have prevailed when they are matched up. As you say, skills prevail, but all things being equal the American _style_ seems to have come out on top more often, at least in professional boxing. This is really borne out by the fact that the differences between the _style_s are diminishing mainly due to the European adoption of American _style_s. I remember being taught a “British” jab (thrown with the thumb facing up) and an American Jab (palm down) by an old trainer when I started boxing. Now it is only the palm down jab taught as routine. The hook over in the UK is in a transition period, with a lot of amateur trainers still teaching it as thrown with the palm facing down, while most pro’s over here, and an increasing number of amateurs throw it in the American _style_ of thumb facing up.

The growing amalgamation of the _style_s can be seen in the variety of _style_s Europe now exports. Our own Ricky Hatton has taken to calling himself The Manchester Mexican, to reflect his aggressive, pressure fighting _style_. I think the trend will continue as trainers are able to watch different _style_s and swap ideas more freely.

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I have Ali as the #1 best heavyweight champion that has lived thus far. Here’s my reason why.

Ali fought in the golden era of the heavyweight division. Fighting everyone from Archie Moore,Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, George Foreman, Ron Lyle, Ernie Shavers, Leon Spinks, Ali fought them all.

Ali’s true greatness may never be truly defined since he was robbed of 2.5 years of his career due to not fighting in Vietnam. Ali was the first 3 time Heavyweight Champion.

His reflexes were beyond quick. He would often make fighters angry by fighting in the pocket and then dance away out of danger before they could get off. His ring generalship is legendary. Muhammad Ali was known to admire and idolize Sugar Ray Robinson and calling him “The King” ” The Master” “His Idol” Ali often looked like a heavyweight version of Sugar Ray Robinson with the way he fought. Just like his idol, nobody did it like Ali.

Now watch the “Greatest at his best!

It came from his stance and his excellent punching technique off that stance. Rocky’s trainer Charley Goldman turned Marciano into the devastating force he was. Watch this video to learn how.

Click here For more boxing training technique workouts.

Watch this clip to learn wht the double double end bag is another great training option as well.

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Wishing you all a healthy & happy 2012! Here’s a list of fights that I would like to see made this year. These are fights that would get me to open my wallet to see in eager anticipation. Did I leave any would be big fights out? Tell me the fights you want to see happen this year.

1. Pacquiao vs. Mayweather: This fight is losing it’s block buster luster. Floyd’s sitting in jail for 90 days. Will this fight happen in June? It better or it won’t matter much after that.

2. Andre Ward vs. Lucian Bute: Both men have no other options at 168. This fight needs to be made. Bute was the best fighter not in the super six. Ward dominated that tournament while IBF champion Bute was dominating C level fighters in Montreal Canada.

3. Chris Arreola vs. Seth Mitchell: This could be dubbed would the real American Heavyweight contender please stand up! Someone would be lying down stretched out in this can’t miss brawl. Mitchell is still unproven but both would bring it hard in this fight. Chris loves to bang and Mitchell could finally arive with a thrilling win.

4. Yuriorkis Gamboa vs. Adrien Broner: Gamboa has out grown the featherweight division and this fight would pit two of the fastest fighter’s in boxing against each other. I think Gamboa would ice Broner than take his brush after dusting him!

5. Erik Morales vs. Juan Manuel Marquez: Why not? Better late than never as both of these living legends never faced off. Erik has proven he still has something left in the tank and you know both would really put out a stellar performance if this fight was held in Mexico. These two need to fight before they retire.

6. Miguel Cotto vs. Segio Martinez: Cotto down plays a Martinez fight based off of Sergio’s inability to draw. Cotto has been improving and we could see just how good Martinez really is agaist an A fighter and champion.

7. Juan Manuel Marquez vs Brandon Rios: if Marquez-Morales can’t be made this fight would be an excellent war. Would it be similiar to Marquez-Diaz? Rios is a bull but Marquez like nobody he has been in the ring with. Put this fight in Texas and let em rip!

8. James Kirkland vs. Canelo Alvarez: This is an in house promotion with Golden Boy. This fight has a great chance of being made as the pressure for Canelo to step it up now is high and there’s no hotter fight at 154 than this.

9. Marcos Maidana vs Ortiz-Berto winner: Marcos has a tough fight against Devon Alexander in Febuary. But if Marcos wins putting him in with either Victor or Andre is a can’t miss classic. If Marcos wins this fight should happen.

10. Tavoris Cloud vs. Jean Pascal: Cloud needs to fight a name fighter and Pascal wants another big fight so this fight should happen. Pascal is more dynamic but Cloud is a better puncher and strong with his come forward style. Seems like a can’t miss action fight.

Besides that thought I was looking for a few good excercises I can do that could help me get going on the pull up bar again. I imagine too just getting in better shape and loosing some wieght will aslo help. Rob

Rob, Different muscle groups is why. Your triceps/shoulders are strong enough to help you dip, pull ups are hard, your lats,traps, and biceps may be too weak to pull up. Use a jump stretch band to help assist you with pull ups, choke the band around the pull up bar and placee one knee in the open end. The band will assist you up in the concentric portion of the exercise. How much help depends on the size of the band you use.They work great! Start with a strong one and wean yourself off to lighter and lighter ones till you can do bodyweight pull ups. Then you can start to externaly load yourself with resistance like weight vests. Yes losing weight will help, getting stonger with the help of the jump stretch band will help more so.

Click here For more boxing strength training workouts.

AC
1) Ward
2) Martinez
4) Pacquiao

Rob
1) Ward
2) Marquez (not many gave him a chance going in, many thought he won coming out)
3) Vatali Klitschko
4) Donaire

Fighter of the year pound for pound

AC
1) Ward
2) Pacquiao
I’m not rating Floyd for one 4 round shit fight. I know he’s good but based on this years performance he’s out.

Rob
1) Ward
2) Wladamir Klitschko
3) Pacquiao

Fight of the year

AC
1) Wolak – Rodriguez 1
2) Berto-Ortiz
3) Kirkland-Angulo
4) Marquez-Concepcion
5) Lee – McEwan
6) Maidana – Morales

Damn – some good fights this year!!

Rob
1) Wolak-Rodriguez 1
2) Berto-Ortiz
3) Kirkland-Angulo
4) Marquez-Concepcion
5) Julio Cesar Chavez-Sebastian Zbik

Upset of the year

AC

1) Peterson – Khan
2) Ishida-Kirkland
3) Marquez-Pacquiao (unofficial upset but people sat up and took notice)
4) Viloria – Segora
5) Kirkland-Angulo

Rob

1) Peterson-Khan
2) Ishida-Kirkland
3) Salido-Lopez
4) Kirkland-Angulo
5) Viloria-Segora

Comeback of the year
Not too many nominations this year.

1) Antonio Tarver

Rob

1) Agreed

Round of the year

1) Kirkland-Angulo Round one
2) Berto-Ortiz round 6

Rob
Agreed with both

KO of the year ( I mean the devastating type of ko – not just a meaningful win)

1) Donaire – Montiel
2) Rios – Antillon

Rob
Agreed with both.

Trainer of the Year

1) Virgil Hunter
2) Freddie Roach
3) Robert Garcia

Honorable mention: Barry Hunter.

Rob
Areed but my honarable mention is Emmanuel Steward with his work with Klitschko and Cotto and Bundrage.

Event of the year

1) Kiltschko-Haye
2) Mayweather – Ortiz

Rob
Agreed

Referee of the year

AC
Can’t think of one who had an outstanding year.

Rob
Kenny Bayless and Steve Smoger are always solid.

Referees who sucked this year:
1) Joe Cortez
2) Russel Mora

Rob

Agreed, those guys were horable, Joe is year in and year out.

Guy Rob hates award

1) Roy Jones (Now the three-time Defending Champ)
2) Floyd Mayweather

Rob

Sign the contract Floyd and I have mad love.

Guy who hates Rob award

1) Enzo Calzaghe

Rob

Enzo is a two time defeding champion!