We seem to really struggle on the world stage other than a few exceptions so I was wondering why Here's some reasons that may be a factor:
1. Bring prospects on too slowly - I'll use Beijing as an example just because its easier but since the games the boxers have had these amounts of fights:
Frankie Gavin - 15 fights 87 rounds. James Degale - 15 fights 87 rounds. Tony Jeffries 10 fights 37 rounds (retired). Joe Murray - 12 fights 61 rounds. Billy Joe Saunders 16 fights 67 rounds. David Price - 16 fights - 41 rounds.
That's roughly an average of 3/4 fights a year covering around 15-20 rounds - thats pretty poor, you have some world level boxers hitting those numbers in big fights nevermind prospects going through learning fights.
Most6 of this is stemmed from promoters wanting bug money tv coverage instead of sending them out on small hall shows in between to keep them busy and learning. Some factors have come from the boxers themselves though in this case.
2. Backwards training methods, we seem to like to sap any creativity out of boxers and style them in a traditional outdated style of boxing (not all - but in the general we do), when you watch the amateurs they have tend to box a lot more freely and creative whereas at pro they get told to tuck behind a high guard (which many of them neglect anyway as they are half way between natural and nurtured) and fight like some sort of stiff robot.
3. Sparring can be shite - lots of guys hardly venture out of their area which means they spar the same guys for most fights and don't learn anything new. Also they new promoter/trainer wars hinder each others progress in regards to not working together.
4. They fight Journeymen or stiffs for too long. They all have a good part to play in the learning process but they should be matched with competive lads of their same ranking/record after 5/6 fights with maybes the journeymen/stiff thrown in every now and again until they are bonefide domestic level. You sometimes see guys on between 15/20 fights still fighting these guys, learning nothing new and sapping the confidence out of them because they are getting nowhere.
5. The British media are shit, they don't watch boxing often so just rely on promoters and trainers to give them their infoso they just get fed shit, the boxers lap it up and start believing their own hype, make mistakes, don't learn as much etc. Some of the boxing mags are better for this but even they panda a lot more these days and boxers don't even want to take constructive criticism these days.
7. Some get to used to the amateurs- can't adapt to the change, used to the protective head gear so don't sharpen their defences. Used to the fencing style so take longer to adapt to the more physical side to the pro sport. Sometimes this is because coaches tell them they need to go to the Olympics, worlds, commonwealths or win the ABAs to make money turning over - thats cool and has some merit but it is also a load of bollocks as well.
Thoughts, solutions, changes etc
1. Bring prospects on too slowly - I'll use Beijing as an example just because its easier but since the games the boxers have had these amounts of fights:
Frankie Gavin - 15 fights 87 rounds. James Degale - 15 fights 87 rounds. Tony Jeffries 10 fights 37 rounds (retired). Joe Murray - 12 fights 61 rounds. Billy Joe Saunders 16 fights 67 rounds. David Price - 16 fights - 41 rounds.
That's roughly an average of 3/4 fights a year covering around 15-20 rounds - thats pretty poor, you have some world level boxers hitting those numbers in big fights nevermind prospects going through learning fights.
Most6 of this is stemmed from promoters wanting bug money tv coverage instead of sending them out on small hall shows in between to keep them busy and learning. Some factors have come from the boxers themselves though in this case.
2. Backwards training methods, we seem to like to sap any creativity out of boxers and style them in a traditional outdated style of boxing (not all - but in the general we do), when you watch the amateurs they have tend to box a lot more freely and creative whereas at pro they get told to tuck behind a high guard (which many of them neglect anyway as they are half way between natural and nurtured) and fight like some sort of stiff robot.
3. Sparring can be shite - lots of guys hardly venture out of their area which means they spar the same guys for most fights and don't learn anything new. Also they new promoter/trainer wars hinder each others progress in regards to not working together.
4. They fight Journeymen or stiffs for too long. They all have a good part to play in the learning process but they should be matched with competive lads of their same ranking/record after 5/6 fights with maybes the journeymen/stiff thrown in every now and again until they are bonefide domestic level. You sometimes see guys on between 15/20 fights still fighting these guys, learning nothing new and sapping the confidence out of them because they are getting nowhere.
5. The British media are shit, they don't watch boxing often so just rely on promoters and trainers to give them their infoso they just get fed shit, the boxers lap it up and start believing their own hype, make mistakes, don't learn as much etc. Some of the boxing mags are better for this but even they panda a lot more these days and boxers don't even want to take constructive criticism these days.
7. Some get to used to the amateurs- can't adapt to the change, used to the protective head gear so don't sharpen their defences. Used to the fencing style so take longer to adapt to the more physical side to the pro sport. Sometimes this is because coaches tell them they need to go to the Olympics, worlds, commonwealths or win the ABAs to make money turning over - thats cool and has some merit but it is also a load of bollocks as well.
Thoughts, solutions, changes etc
