Taking up boxing

walshb wrote:

To me it's two guys going hell for leather in a street fight. I see it every week in Temple bar. It's barbaric and tends not to last very long because anything goes.

Way off. See me for DVD's

Barabaric? That's a bit subjective. Some might say that about rugby, your beloved boxing, or even soccer at its worst.
I think calling it barbaric shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the sport. Sure, it's not as pretty as boxing, but once you understand the skills required to operate in the "unnattractive" ranges, you can appreciate it as a sport far better.

I agree that it takes guts, courage and a certain level of stupidity, but as regards the fitness end of thing, it's not remotely close to 12rds of Pro boxing

All sports take a certain level of each of these. Boxing, of which you are so fond, is based on a desire for competitiveness that bypasses your better senses. Who would want to get in a ring for 12 rounds and be hit? Far easier to sit back and watch someone else.
The fitness levels required are far different. For the amount of grappling and wrestling that takes place in an MMA ring, you require a different type of fitnes, more akin to a wrestlers workout. This may also account for the appearance of some (very few) of the fighters involved.

HI WalshB :-)

What about the like o Pro Kickboxing which in the original form PKA Professional Karate Assoc which was massive in the USA and Canada in I980s, massive TV coverage , sponsorship, Pro fighters. or Full contact Karate as it wa called then.

Bill superoot Wallace, Benny Urquidez, Jow Lewis, Brad Hefton. Don Wilson. Jean Yves Theriault from Ottawa Canada who was a teacher of mine in 1994 for 1 year and the world middle professional champion for years. he fought Rick Roufus (who when K1) when Jean Yves was in his 40s, I was ring side that night in Montreal.

These guys fought Pro for a living to packed arenas on TV etc.

Now not only did these guys box 12 rounds or sometime more, they were also kicking too. In kickboxing you have to do a min of 8 kicks or more depending on assoc , per round. WHy is that. Because it is less tireing to box than to kick. otherwise youd just end up boxing al night. so conclusion boxing and kicking together is much more exhausting than boxing alone, and most kickboxers onhere will back me up. remember thai guys might be prone to kicking more and boxing a little less re how fights are scored.

So I think pro kickboxing is tougher than boxing, especially i you add in leg kicks. Thai guys would take boxers down in 1 round with full on leg kicks.

Of course boxing is tough. I know some guys (brothers the 3 o them) now in their 40s who boxed for ireland, boxed professional (one knocked Bruno out) , and now are 2 are senior council barristers and 1 a top specialist doc in the USA. and I disucssed this subject before with one, and more open guys you could not meet.

Its best respect all styles. No need to be so elite re what we practice. no one learns that way/

Personally for toughest I still back up the MMA SBG guys. they brawling in all ranges. I am only back from training in thai in bangkok with a good cage guy Riccico from south of france. Kickboxing rules I would last there no probs, but get into clinch and MMA, no way man, unless I could use an Uzi! ha ha
still he near wet his pants when I took him down to Patpong! LOL HAHA :-)
Peacr dudes

Was it "It's a Knockout"?

this has been a very interesting discussion.
Whilst I agree with a lot of what Walshb says and I acknowledge his in-dept knowledge of boxing in Ireland I also think that our boxing clubs are perhaps losing something if his argument is correct.
Recreational boxing training has proved a valuable source of revenue for many boxing clubs in the states ( i know this first-hand from living in N.Y) and probably other countries too. Instead of relying solely on grant aid many boxing clubs could tap into another source of revenue which could improve their competitive members lot.
Whilst real fighters might lampoon so called "white collar boxing" ,gyms such as Gleasons in N.Y now secure a sizeable source of their income from people pursuing such training and who are willing pay for it.
Most boxing clubs only train on specific nights so it would'nt be necessary to have non-competitive people using the facilities at the same times.
Having more people involved in other areas of boxing might also generate increased interest in the sport which if tapped into could result in larger attendances at amatuer boxing contests and thus raise the profile ( and income) of the sport, another benefit for the comeptitive member. I looked at the recent 4 nations boxing on RTE and was somewhat surprised to see the number of empty seats at this prestigious event.
Wrestling used to be a huge sport in ireland years ago but is now virtually extinct beacuse they did'nt move with the times and realise the changing nature of sport particiaption in ireland.