Friday, May 15, 2009

ENOUGH ABOUT OTHER GUYS ...

...what about YOU??

There is a lot to me and my style that resembles Mike Tyson, and for good reason. We are built on the same 'platform', and we need to do some of the same things to achieve victory. I am 5'11 (or should say 'was' ... the last physical said I'd lost an inch!!), and a little taller than 'Iron Mike'. We are about of the same nimbleness of foot, so I can get around and get the angles on taller fighters. My hands are fairly quick, and I can for sure crack.

In fact, if there was a unique talent to me, it is not only being able to hit hard, but to hit you in a spot to maximize the impact. That is something that I got from idolizing accurate punchers like Alexis Arguello and cats like Mike McCallum. James Toney, is pretty precise with his punches too.

Because I did not believe that I could afford to waste punches, I would come forward and force you to punch. I had a decent enough defense, and would slip my way within punching range. Once there, I'd start to place my shots where I know I would start breaking the cat down.

NOT JUST THE BODY

When you are known as a puncher, you create a pressure on the other fighter. That is a mental pressure, where he knows that any mistake could cost him. I would add to that by simply hitting him, in the arms and shoulders did that as well. I was not above the occasional forearm and shot to the hips. Most times, the cats were bigger than me, and I had to let them know that this wasn't a 'play date'. Not only was it going to be a fight, but a hard one as well.

If someone wanted it to be 'rough', then that was what I was talking about. All that was playing into my hands, because if you were worried about trying to 'get me back', then you weren't able to think about how you wanted to beat me up. For the big guys, it was a distraction.


Then, there is the speed. With a suddenness that most heavyweights don't have, I could bring the power to bear. In this highlight, you see what I mean. In the first knockdown, Jose Ribalta looks like a 'fish on the hook', surprised at his predicament.

As the fight continued, with Ribalta being a willing opponent, it isn't simply that Tyson hit him harder, but that he was so much faster than his foe. The right hook to the body- right uppercut to the head is a pet combination because normally the other guy doesn't see the punches as much as he feels them, when properly executed.

But the person who does it, needs to be committed and faster than the other guy. That is why the look of surprise was on the cat's face on the first knock down. He was like, 'Where the hell did THAT come from?' He also was what is called a 'live' opponent. He didn't come to lie down, and he pressed Mike for the length of the fight.

When folks would say that Mike was just a 'dumb slugger', I would try to refute that, by demonstrating what he may have been 'seeing' and some of the things that he was doing and what made him so successful. Some of his style, I combine with some of the training I have, to instruct a woman in self defense.

It is mainly about execution. The few people that I have tried to 'work with', I tell them that if they aren't committed to hurting someone, don't try it at all. It will only work if you are going to try to win the fight. As I said, I physically resemble him, and work like he does. He was a pretty accurate puncher himself, and hit people in places, much like me, on what I would call 'death star holes'. Because when you got to those places with enough power, your opponent would 'blow up'.

BACK TO REG'LAR STUFF

AKA and I had a real serious chat the other day. I reminded her of a few things that I thought were important, and that our friendship hung in the balance because of it. She asked if I was going to dump her, and I told her no I wasn't. The reason I gave her was, that if she was a danger to my well being with all the crap she pulls, I wouldn't have to dump her, she'd be dumping herself.

As far as Tee Jay goes ... I'd like to call her, but I remember the fun I had doing push ups in the sand pit full of fire ants in South Carolina! Good times!

Needless to say, I don't end up calling her.

It made me think about things ... I know that I am full of crap, which is why I tell folks that. The thing is, similar to the advice Teddy Atlas gave to Michael Moorer. I don't want to be full of crap, so don't put me in a position where I have to be full of crap!!

Y'all do know Mookie 'slipped out' a time or two (or three ... maybe four ... possibly five??). I chose not to retaliate because that wasn't what I was about. I was trying to be a possible husband to her and father to lil' Mook. Going off 'pigeon hunting' wasn't going to accomplish anything other than make me feel worse, because not only was someone getting my time, but I had regressed back to someone I had thought I'd evolved from.

That can be a tough call. But at the same time, it was a fairly easy one... and I guess that will be where I am going to go when I get back to this journal.

3 comments:

Beth said...

I couldn't help but laugh at the bit about pushups in a sand pit full of fire ants. I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time (OUCH!), but it's a perfect analogy for your remarks today! Hugs, Beth

Ken Riches said...

Love the Death Star reference.

betty said...

I always find it interesting, Mark, when you talk about boxing and the strategies involved.

I'm hopeful you and AKA can work it out to remain friends; I think we all need all the friends we can have, especially in these hard times we are living in; but of course that also means that both are willing to work on remaining good friends and not creating drama

betty