THIS IS, FOR REAL

SO MUCH WAY BETTER THAN SEX

This was a fight that took place last Friday, and I have been replaying in my mind.


Teddy Atlas says how there was only one thing that Fransico Figuerora had to worry about. Randall Bailey's style isn't one that is going to lead to his 'boxing' to a victory.


When you can 'crack', you don't worry too much about other things, and the 'delivery system' (I use that term as well, along with finding the right 'platform' to punch from) is what a puncher like that is trying to find.


I am sure that people would wonder if anything like that has happened to me, and while I have been knocked down and 'stopped', I can say honestly that I haven't had to experience anything like that.


Joe Tessitore says before they show the actual knockout, that 'the punch never really goes away when you've had it right from the beginning.' That is why I don't want people trying to 'help out' if things got tight. I mean, I know people can be carrying, and I know that there are more of them than there are us.


Yet I can help but feel that every time I throw my right hand, something like this will be the result.


BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LEFT HOOK?

In a 'brawl', the big right hand is the set up punch, the way that Randal Bailey uses the jab in this sequence. The difference is, that in a street fight, that right hand is being thrown 'fast and furious', to get there and get me close.


Is it instinctive? After as much training and thought put into it, it feels that way. I mean, I know as I am launching the punch, what is likely to happen when it lands, what kind of reaction I am going to get, and how I am going to follow up.

Unlike the straight right which is used here to maximum effect (and is not to be confused with the 'right cross'), the left hook is a 'short' punch and you need to be righthere when you let it go. That is why it is a punch that everyone else sees but the person getting hit with it.



But it also requires more to it than a long right hand. In an impromptu setting, I would use an overhand right, as more than likely, the person would be 'bigger' (read: 'taller'... besides, where is the fun in hitting someone smaller than me??) than me. Because it is such a violent punch, it usually accomplishes the task of getting me close while providing me with excellent cover.



EVEN I AM SURPRISED SOMETIMES



Right now, I am having a 'Pavlov Moment', thinking about how I would go about getting after someone ... ANYONE, for anything.

Where Randal used a 'hanging jab', I would have, in a fight used a quick, 'flash jab' to get close and 'turn' the hook over right behind it, to let the cat know that I can put that hook on him whenever I felt like it, and he'd have to worry about whether or not I could 'crack' him with the hook.

Slide step to my left, and a little bob to get in a half step closer. This is the 'danger zone', for the both of us. It is where the distance is such that either one of us can be reached by a big punch, unless the cat decides to circle back and out of range.



This fight was interesting, because as they say, 'styles makes fights'. Figuerora is usually an aggressive fighter, but Bailey is CLEARLY the bigger puncher. Not only that, Figuerora DOESN'T carry too much pop in his punches. He is a 'busy bee' fighter, winning on the volume of punches.

He is also the smaller fighter ... and he isn't overly strong when compared to Bailey. Teddy Atlas in both the pre fight and again in the post fight, talked about how there was only one thing to be worried about ... a lightening bolt. After all, Randall Bailey is called 'The Knockout King' for a reason.

World class power. I think I am going to go outside and knock the sh*t out of someone for old times sake!! (oh come on ... SMILE!!)