Training hard Vs Trying hard

Watching Shane Mosley Box Manny Pacquiao this morning made me consider again the difference between a puncher and a boxer. Both defeated Shane in impressive ways, but distinctly different ways indeed. Pacquiao can punch but Floyd can box. This morning I saw a puncher, who did hurt Shane with a punch, but that was, in fact, all. When watching Mayweather face the same opponent I saw a boxer who had his man dialed in, Floyd adjusted and executed. Finlay leaving Shane destitute, nowhere to hide and no answers. Watching the great Pacquiao jump around looking for the big punch I realised what Manny can do is punch, but what he cant do, compared to Floyd is much much longer.

Boxing history is full examples of punchers waiting, following, trying to land the big punch, while the opponent works and boxes around them. As a boxer there are may ways to ruin your opponent once you realise you can get them to try. The most famous example is Mohammad Ali vs Joe Frazier particularly in thier rematches where he inslted Joe so visciously he still holds mortal annamosity to this day. Ali aggrevated Fazier to the point he was tring to kill him with every punch, despite being a high work rate pressure fighter, the worst match up for a boxer, Ali knew by geting to him this would ruin him as it took his mind of all the other things he coud of been doing instead of trying to hurt him.

The KO punch. There is no better way to win; you have the two judges right here in your left and right hands. But how does this come about? and are in fact the consequences of your desire greater than the pay offs of your intended success?

There is in fact quite enough going in on in a Boxing or MMA match for you not to be 'trying' to punch hard and 'trying' to knock your opponent out. The old saying in boxing is - never bet on a puncher when he's facing a boxer. But why is this? Any good boxing coach will tell you: Box! the KO punch will come all on its own. You can wait for this punch all nite and then find yourself in a position that you depend on it after losing up until that point. Time and time again you will see keen punchers swinging wildly at the head; these are intimidating punches to a beginner, and may even prove lethal to those who posses no defensive prowess. However to a Boxer, a professional, who has a clear mind and know his job is to manage fear, this keenness to punch represents a keenness to get punched. Slugging. Trading punches. Unless you are so confident that your power, chin, strength and stamina are so superior and that the fellow can have no chance of hurting you, this is a great way to lose, for the fans. This style also limits your effectiveness, there will ALWAYS be a time that you meet your physical match, there will ALWAYS be a time where you just can't hurt or finish someone. It is physical gambling to trade punches like this, and the name of the game for winning is: stack the odds in your favor, not play games of chance.

The time to try is in the gym, the hours, weeks and years of honing your skills and reflexes. You build the odds for yourself by being a savvy fighter, by out-thinking, out-adjusting and out-maneuvering your opponent. There are times where this goes out the window and the only way to come on top is to dig down and win. Even so if you are facing opposition who have simply made there way by 'trying' hard, opposition who haven't spent time investing in there defensive skills, adjusted to different styles, used their intelligence and all the millions of different things one has to practice for hours on end to perfect, they will in fact fall behind.

In short, the argument to simply: 'try' hard or 'try' to punch hard is thin. The benefits of trying to land a big punch and trying and training to make the punch powerful are grossly out weighed by the consequences. The opportunities you miss, the energy and speed you lose, the fact your concentration not on the subtle skills and strategies but the big hit, you will find you lose your way and quite likely find yourself in a pit, without many answers.