Alvarez and Chavez Jnr clash in Las Vegas on May 6 : expect fireworks



When Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr clash in Nevada’s T-Mobile Arena on May 6 many factors will come into play when assessing the outcome. Will Chavez make the weight? Will he be able to re-hydrate and use the undoubted physical advantages in the ring on the night? Who will be best equipped to put their game plan into operation the most effectively?

Alvarez will be aiming to bring into play his three punch boxing combinations: left jab, feint to the body and then unleash a strong overhand right. He will be wary of Chavez’s strength on the inside and will need to avoid getting drawn into long clinches. Chavez Jnr is more basic in his approach and will adopt his standard, rudimentary two punch boxing combinations: left jab followed by a straight right hand.


Chavez Jnr’s famous father of the same name says that he is expecting his 30-year-old son to cause the upset. Famous for so many stunning one punch boxing knockouts, Chavez Senior won multiple fights at the very highest level and sees his wayward son following in those footsteps come fight night.

Five stars and their multi punch boxing combinations.


The best boxers are adept at throwing multiple punch boxing combinations and that has been the secret to their success.

Floyd Mayweather .

started off his career as an accumulation puncher with ferocious hand speed and good power. As he grew older and his hands started to hurt after fights he altered his technique and started throwing more single shots and relying on his defense, footwork and reflexes. Floyd’s movement has always been exemplary and later he adopted the shoulder roll tactic where would catch the shots and fire back with counters.


1. Feint, lead right cross

Dropping on to the back foot, feint with the left jab and when the opponent commits, slide to the side and drop in a lead right cross. Strong athletic ability is needed to pull this off.

2. A cute defensive move Floyd makes is the pull-down. Once he’s left go with the above combination if the opponent lunges and misses then Floyd grabs the back of the head and pulls it down towards his waist until the referee breaks.


***
Manny Pacquiao.

Being a southpaw Manny Pacquiao literally approaches things from a different angle. Manny sets up from the right jab and brings across the left hand straight after, often with blinding speed. Later in his career, after teaming up with respected coach Freddie Roach, Pacquiao incorporated a lead right hook into his arsenal. This was particularly effective against Erik Morales in their rematch. Manny’s technique had changed considerably from when he first arrived in America. See his American debut against Agapito Sanchez, as opposed to his more recent fights, for proof of this subtle change in style.

1. 1-1-2 (Jab, jab, left cross)

A staple of Pacquiao’s game, he circles to the left touching out the jab, dropping it harder the second time and once the opponent commits he lets go with a left cross to the head.

2. 1-1-2-1 (Jab, jab, left cross, jab)

Finishing on the jab is another Manny move. Throw the double jab then bring in the right cross (ensure your feet don’t tangle) and finish with a spearing up-jab that slams in almost vertically.

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Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez isn’t as quick on his feet as the other two fighters but the Mexican can unleash three and four punch boxing flurries when necessary. Canelo puts on the “ear muffs” by cupping his hands high around the chin and ears to absorb his opponent’s shots before hitting back with sharp counter punches. Against Amir Khan, Alvarez threw plenty of hooks to the body early on so that in the sixth round a left hook to the body quickly turned into a feint and Khan dropped his hands to block it. Canelo instead launched an overhand right to the jaw that knocked Khan out cold.

1. 1-1-1-1-1-2-3 (Jab, jab, jab, jab, jab, cross, left hook)

Simple but effective, YouTube videos show Canelo doing this on the pads, over and over again. Burning in to muscle memory the repetitive boxing combinations.

2. Same formula as above but Alvarez tucks the elbows in nice and tight, parrying the pads of his trainer to replicate parrying the punches of an opponent.

***

Adrien Broner also prefers to throw single shots rather than multiple punch boxing combinations. Whenever Broner turned professional down at super-bantamweight he was much more active in his output. Since he has gone up in weight (now he’s a welterweight) he throws less punches and his technique often suffers as a result. Against both Marcos Maidana and Shawn Porter (both fights he ended up losing on points) Broner preferred to throw a lead right hand similar to Mayweather and only single jabs rather than fast boxing combinations and paid the price as a result.

1. If you’re going to employ the shoulder roll you will need to tuck your chin up behind a sufficiently high front shoulder. Once the opponent throws the hook, roll to the side so as not to be square on and counter quickly with the right hand. James Toney used this tactic effectively in many of his fights, particularly against John Ruiz.


2. 1-1-2-3 (Jab, jab, right cross, left hook)

Boxing against the shoulder roll. Throwing consistent, accurate shots forces the “roller” on to the back foot and if they’re going back in a straight line, squares them up and makes them susceptible to the left hook at the end of the combination. Touch with the first two jabs, bring the right hand to the head or body with medium force and then let the left hook go with maximum power.

***

Gennady Golovkin has excellent technique and footwork and often uses his powerful, accurate jab to set up two or three punch boxing combinations. ‘GGG’ hits very hard to the body as well as Matthew Macklin can attest. Once he lets the jab go he throws a straight right hand, followed by a left hook and sometimes unleashes an unorthodox looping right that comes in an arc. This shot landed on the top of Marco Antonio Rubio’s head and knocked him out.


1. 1-1-2 (Jab, jab, right hand)

Ensure not to throw the arcing right hand at the end of the combination with poor technique or you could be in danger of tearing the rotator cuff of the shoulder.

2. 1-1-2-x-6 (Jab, jab, right hand, spin and uppercut)

Golovkin’s strengths lie in his excellent balance. Spread your feet a little wider to offer support to your upper body so that when you throw and miss you are still in position to block or throw again. Golovkin spins rather than leans so he can retain balance.

4 Elite boxers who throw multi punch boxing combinations



The greatest boxers throughout history have always trained harder than their contemporaries, combining superlative talent with a prodigious work ethic. During a career littered with title wins, Floyd Mayweather Jnr offered a wide variety of boxing punches, often throwing three punch boxing flurries one after another, to negate his opponent’s offensive capabilities.

Going for late night runs and engaging in 15-round sparring sessions, Floyd’s multiple punches workout sessions were often taken after hours of rigorous bag and pad work.


Floyd’s great rival Manny Pacquiao also took part in a strict training regime to prolong his time at the top. Pacquiao arrived in America from the Philippines as a relative unknown. He quickly signed a management contract with Murad Muhammad of M & M Sports and teamed up with top American trainer Freddie Roach. Beating well-established fighters like Miguel Cotto, Oscar De La Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales, the ‘Pac Man’ slowly but surely ascended to the pinnacle of the sport.

One of the main assets in the pound-for-pound king’s arsenal was his ferocious hand speed. In all of the aforementioned bouts Pacquiao rained his opponents with multi punch boxing combinations from all angles. Manny’s speed was too much to deal with as one-time victim David Diaz explained to HBO boxing interviewer Jim Lampley straight after their bout: “He was just too fast...fast, fast, fast. I thought at times Freddie was in there hitting me as well.”

Widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight of all time, and one of the greatest of any weight class, Muhammad Ali was fast with his insults to opponents but faster with his hands and feet.

 In his biggest fights he faced the likes of Joe Frazier, Ken Norton and of course George Foreman in the famous ‘Rumble in the Jungle’. Ali showed a fine pugilistic brain and excellent strategic thinking to defuse the hard-hitting style of Foreman with consistent two punch boxing combinations.

As Foreman leaned in with power punches and a notable physical strength advantage, Ali adopted the now-infamous rope-a-dope tactic and picked off his foe with flashy punch combos until Foreman eventually fell.


Speaking of power, nobody in modern day boxing punches harder than Gennady Golovkin.

The Kazakhstan fighter, known in most circles as GGG, went on a 23-fight knockout run that only ended when Brooklyn’s Danny Jacobs took him the distance in their recent middleweight unification bout. Boxers on the receiving end of punches workout quickly how to avoid the big shots and Golovkin’s defence is often underrated. Similarly to Ali, Golovkin would throw the classic two punch boxing combination - lead left jab with a right hand in behind.

Like all of the fighters mentioned, GGG trains hard to fight easy as the old boxing adage goes.

The Book Of Floyd Mayweather



While people try to speculate the next opponent that they think Floyd Mayweather Jr. should fight next, the five-division world champion is busy writing his book.
Mayweather's next fight is not until May 2014. Thus, he has got a lot of time in his hands to do many things, aside from bragging his richness on Instagram, that is.
Reuters

Floyd Mayweather (left) reportedly made a $5.9 million bet that the Miami Heat would defeat the Indiana Pacers in Monday's night's Game 7.
On Sunday, the unbeaten boxer posted a picture on the popular photo-sharing Web site. The picture shows Mayweather in his bed with a Mac Book on his lap. "Was up late writing my book," its caption reads. "Yes and the walls are suede," he added.
Without a doubt, the life story of Floyd Mayweather Jr. is one of a kind. He had a rough childhood growing up. His father was taken to jail when he was young. He has claimed many times before that he never had a good relationship with the elder Mayweather. He has stated in separate interviews that his father used to always beat and whip him. He claimed that his father never really liked him. He grew up with his mother, who had issues with drugs. His family was so deprived and underprivileged, so to speak.
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All the hardships that Mayweather experienced when he was younger have probably brought him to where he is at right now. He sure worked so hard to get to his position at this point in his life.
"Tough times don't last, tough people do," he tweeted on Nov. 1.
His book will surely give everyone an idea what he has been through in his life and make them understand why he acts the way he is.
Mayweather did not reveal any more details about the said book he is writing. However, we are pretty sure that he will be spilling out more details soon and we will soon find out more about it because he continues to remain active on different social media Web sites and keep his millions of followers updated with what is going on in his life.

download book here

Timothy Bradley tells us exclusively he can beat Floyd Mayweather


He's had a helluva year. Here Timothy Bradley tells us exclusively he can beat Floyd Mayweather and how things :

 "IT WAS HELL IN THERE," Tim Bradley says of the ring in which darkness and hurt took hold of him and Ruslan Provodnikov nine months ago. The fight of the year, in Boxing News and almost every other publication covering this most primal and compelling of sports, was in Carson, California. But for 48 minutes, with just a brief break on a small wooden stool between each of the 12 three-minute rounds, Bradley and Provodnikov were in a very different place to Carson.
“Hell…,” Bradley says again, almost laughing as he repeats the one word that describes everything he and Provodnikov endured on 16 March 2013. Now, after a tranquil winter morning of Californian sunshine and a visit to his daughters’ school to deliver an inspirational speech to wide-eyed children, Bradley is in the mood to reflect on a fight that almost ruined him.

Video footage of their WBO welterweight title fight again reveals the extent of punishment that both men absorbed on a night when all the glory and brutality of boxing was stripped bare. It began early in the opening round. A crunching right hand rocked Bradley and sent him spiraling down to the canvas, from where he rose unsteadily and then fell backwards again, as if he couldn’t believe that a knockdown had not been ruled by referee Pat Russell. Provodnikov tore into him and a desperate Bradley fired back.
“I came back to the corner and Joel Diaz [his trainer] slapped me because I was dazed,” Bradley recalls. "Joel was yelling, telling me to box and move. But I’d been hurt by that big right hand. I buckled and staggered and I was trying to get out of that dark place, feeling drunk, trying to regain my senses. But my balance was gone. I remember falling in an awkward position.”
Provodnikov made a mistake in staying on top of Bradley when he toppled to the canvas the first time – and so Russell called it a slip. But Bradley was so badly hurt that, “I was fighting on auto pilot. I was just throwing bombs as a way of trying to survive as much as win. His lack of experience at the very top level definitely hurt him – while my experience definitely helped me keep fighting.”

The pattern was set and the two men looked like a couple of fist-throwing figures on a computer game as their heads were rocked back and forth with sickening force. They kept up the relentless barrage in round two with Provodnikov again causing most of the pain. At ringside Bradley's wife Monica, and mother Kathy, left their seats. They could not watch the distressing violence any longer.
“It was very hard for Monica,” Bradley says. “It was upsetting. I told her before the fight that I was going in there to knock this guy out. That was the only thing on my mind and she understood this left me open to danger. She found it the worst ordeal.”

Bradley stresses that the controversy surrounding his defeat of Manny Pacquiao in June 2012, when he appeared fortunate to win a split-decision in Las Vegas, so upset him that he resorted to a “destroy or be destroyed” strategy against Provodnikov. “I was in a very bad position before the fight. I got the decision against Pacquiao but I had so much criticism it really put a halt to my career as far as the fans and media were concerned. I needed to do something to change their outlook on me as a fighter and a world champion.
“I was looking to take him out. And, in the process, I got hit with some big, big shots. He’s a real big puncher. But I withstood his onslaught. I fought back and showed what kind of a warrior and a champion I am. I showed guts. I showed determination and my will to win. Everyone definitely warmed to me, and to Provodnikov. But it was a Rocky fight. I hit you. You hit me. Over and over again.”

Provodnikov is called the ‘Siberian Rocky’ for a reason and, even though Bradley had carved out a narrow lead going into the last round, the carnage continued until the final seconds. It looked as if Bradley would succumb as he shipped yet more punishment before a withering left hook from the swollen-faced Provodnikov dropped him. There were just 11 seconds left as the referee began his count. Bradley waited until he heard Russell say “eight” and then he rose unsteadily to his feet.
“Do you want to continue?” the referee asked, gesturing Bradley towards him.
The American nodded and stepped forward. He was ready to fight on but, then, the bell rang. The war was over – even if it would be a long time before Bradley would be entirely free of the hell he had somehow survived.
Provodnikov sank to the canvas and buried his battered face in his arms as if he could hardly fathom the depth of savagery he and Bradley had just shared. Even when they both ended up in hospital together their joint ordeal continued. “I was victorious,” Bradley said, “but I got checked up in the hospital and they said I had a concussion. I still had to do a drugs test and I was pissing blood. I’ve never pissed blood in my life. But the Vada [the anti-doping agency] tester said Provodnikov had also pissed blood. It was a real tough, brutal fight.”
Bradley draws breath and then he says: “I really would not want to have another fight like that again.”
His words resound just long enough for him to follow them with another fierce statement of intent. “But if it happens again…you know what? I’m going to do whatever it takes to survive and win. I’m a fighter.”
Bradley admits that, in hospital, “I felt so tired. I just wanted to close my eyes and go to sleep. At the same time my endorphins were firing because I’d won. But my face was really swollen and I was badly banged up.”

For a long time after the fight Bradley suffered from concussion, headaches and the shakes. He does not deny that the concussion lasted for weeks. “Absolutely. With concussion, depending on the severity of it, it can last for six to nine months. So, absolutely, it was serious. It probably took a month or two before I felt normal again. But I’m not worried now. I’m 100%.”

How does Monica feel? “She was very emotional. She never wants to see me hurt or damaged. Money is great but health is the most important thing. Without health you can’t love, without health you can’t live. Money can’t buy you health like it’s a video game. So my wife worries about my health – like she should because this is a dangerous sport. It definitely has consequences later in life. So Monica wants me to take the least amount of punishment, invest my money right and get out of this game before I really get hurt.”
It’s easy to imagine Monica’s reaction when she heard that, on his first day back in the gym, Bradley was asked to spar against the ferocious Argentinean puncher Lucas Matthysse – who was then in hard training for his September bout against Danny Garcia. Surely even Bradley must have winced when his trainer told him the news. “I didn’t feel any fear,” he says. “We’re at the top level of boxing so you were always have to be prepared. Matthysse was looking for good work and I guess my trainer wanted to see if I was ready for a guy like him, roaring out of the gate. It was important to see if I could take his punches.

“I did four rounds on my first day of sparring. He landed some big shots on me – especially his left hook – and I wasn’t rattled or dazed. I took his punches really well. And from that point on I felt positive and kept getting better and better each day. I always tell my father and my trainer that as long as I’m in great shape I can beat any fighter out there.”

Juan-Manuel Marquez disagreed bitterly but, to most people who saw the fight live, and I was at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on 12 October, Bradley boxed superbly and smartly to outpoint the great Mexican. It was a split decision but this time, in contrast to the aftermath of the Pacquiao controversy, the only debate seemed to envelop Glenn Feldman’s 115-113 score in favour of Marquez.  Bradley looked on in disbelief when Marquez insisted he had been robbed. “I was very shocked,” he says now. “But when you want something so bad and it’s taken out of your hands, I guess you’re either a poor sport or you deal with it like a man. He chose to be a poor sport. It sucks but I’m not worried about it. I already told Marquez he should have retired a long time before facing me. Marquez was crying so he can say whatever he wants – none of that could take the shine off my victory.”

Concerns about Bradley’s health were eased by the sight of him boxing so intelligently. And now, relaxing at home on an ordinary Wednesday afternoon, he emerges as an articulate and friendly man – as quick-witted as he is thoughtful. But, especially as Bradley himself has highlighted the long-term consequences, how much longer might he remain a professional fighter?

“I’ve got a five year plan but if we continue having babies it might take longer,” the 30 year-old chuckles because he and Monica have had two small girls of their own to join her son and daughter from a previous relationship. “But I’m not greedy. I don’t need to be super-rich. I just want to take care of my bills, send my kids to college, and be there when they get married. I’ve got three daughters and they’re going to get married – so that’s expensive! But it’s all about my health. As long as my health is good I’ll fight on.”
In the wake of his victory over Marquez it was mooted that Bradley would be Floyd Mayweather’s most credible opponent. His perfect 31-0 record provides him with credentials as strong as Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez – whom Mayweather outclassed in September. Bradley knows that a fight against Mayweather would earn him many millions of dollars but he is philosophical about the near-certainty that he will not get the chance to test himself against a master boxer. Mayweather is linked to Golden Boy Promotions while Bradley fights for Top Rank.

“Mayweather doesn’t do any business with Top Rank,” Bradley says.”So I’m pretty sure that a fight between us will never happen. It’s a shame. But there’s nothing you can do about it. It kills boxing in one way. At the same time, I see boxing starting to climb up since this separation between two promoters. I see the networks going at it, back and forth, and it’s interesting. We’ve had some good, classy fights this year. It’s been fantastic. There’ve been great fights on HBO and Showtime and I’ve watched all of them.
“Of course it’s hard for me, personally, because I believe deep in my heart that I’d beat Mayweather. They can say I’m crazy but I can match fire with fire, speed with speed. Like I showed against Marquez I’m very elusive and hard to hit when boxing right.  I can come forward and pressure as well. I can do it all. I am the only guy who can beat Floyd Mayweather.”
Does it irk him that Amir Khan is being spoken of as Mayweather’s possible next opponent? Khan has had the exact same number of fights as Bradley but he has lost three times, and been stopped twice, in an uneven career.

 “Look,” Bradley says, “Amir Khan is a very good fighter. I don’t knock anybody’s hustle. If Amir gets in the ring with Floyd it really doesn’t bother me. I don’t need to run after anyone. I’m the WBO champ of the world. But Amir is one of the fastest fighters in the game. I think he’s tremendous and really talented. And he is super fast. I’ve seen him fight and he’s faster than Mayweather. Absolutely! Do I think he beats Mayweather? Definitely not. But I think he can put up a good challenge due to his speed and reflexes. I don’t know if the fans want that kind of fight but, personally, I wouldn’t mind watching it.”

Danny Garcia, who stopped Khan so shockingly last year, receives Bradley’s most effusive praise. “Garcia’s a fantastic fighter. I don’t think people gave him enough credit going into the Matthysse fight. But I thought he could win it. He proved me right. Matthysse is one heck of an opponent but Garcia is so versatile. He can fight coming forward and going back. He’s very poised. He has impeccable timing. My God! He’s one of the greats when it comes to timing. That’s what makes Garcia – his timing and his ability to make adjustments on the fly. He has decent speed with a good jab and a good right hand. He’s a good body puncher with a solid defence and he can take a punch. You don’t often find the complete package but Danny Garcia has it.”
As another Golden Boy-promoted fighter, Garcia will also stay out of Bradley’s range. “He’s another guy I won’t get to fight,” Bradley agrees. “But I want to fight the best in the world. I want to be the number 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the game and I’m not going to stop until I reach that goal. I feel in my heart and mind that I can beat all these guys. I might not get the opportunity right now but you never know how the cards will be laid out.”

Bradley dismisses speculation that a rematch with Pacquiao, Top Rank’s richest fighter, is set for April. “I haven’t spoken to anyone at Top Rank for a while. I’m looking to come back in March but I haven’t discussed any opponents yet. So I haven’t heard any talk about a Pacquiao rematch. I’ll wait until I talk to my people and then we’ll see what’s best. We’ll do that shortly.”
It all seems a long way from May 2008 when, with his and Monica’s bank account showing a mere $11, Bradley flew to England to fight Junior Witter. He had given up his day-job in a last-ditch effort to make it as a top-tier professional fighter. “I had started washing dishes at 15,” he remembers. “I did it for a couple of years and I moved up to being a busboy and then a server [waiter].  When I went to England I was in a very bad spot, man.  I needed to do whatever it took to get out of it.

“Once I quit my job I said it’s time to make something of my career. I got tired of working at the restaurant. I was working super-hard for no reason. I said: ‘What do I do best?’ I can fight. I can box. So I’m going to go 110% and put all my marbles in one basket and go for it.’ I trained like an animal and that’s why I beat Witter. And I so appreciated the British fans. They really know boxing. They love the art of it. It’s not just about blood and guts. Everybody likes those fights but I prefer boxing where you see guys thinking. The Provodnikov fight might suggest differently but I still believe in the Sweet Science.”

Bradley is now keen to wage another kind of war. He has become one of the most outspoken advocates against doping in boxing. “The most important thing is that fans need to realize that hard work, dedication and self-belief is the only way to success. I want to show my fans I don’t believe in drugs. I don’t believe in steroids. I am a clean fighter. And that’s why I’m signed up voluntarily to Vada – the best anti-drug agency in the world. That shows what kind of person I am. I want all my opponents to do the same because there’s so much drug abuse in all sport. It could be down to the pressure. If you don’t do well you lose your job and that’s where the steroids come in. I’m different. My success is down to hard work and God-given talent and putting in the time and effort.”

Does Bradley believe that boxing has a serious doping problem – even more than other professional sports? “Boxing is definitely the biggest problem. In other sports there are national bodies to oversee testing. They have it in baseball and in cycling they even have a biological passport. That’s very important because, as sportsmen, we’re regarded as elite role models by many kids. You should be clean.  And most of these guys are not. That’s a big problem for me.

“You know, I was so bothered by Lance Armstrong. I was a huge fan. I loved his story – beating cancer, coming back, winning the Tour. I thought this guy was super-human. ‘Oh my goodness,’ I said, ‘this is unbelievable. It’s remarkable. It’s incredible.’ And then to find out that he’s dirty. I wanted to throw my books away, and my bike. It was terrible. I believed in Lance. I even used some of his training techniques.  He denied it and denied it. And I said, ‘man, this guy beat cancer! Why is everyone making these allegations?’ I couldn’t believe it. And then we learnt the truth about Lance Armstrong. That’s why I’m so passionate in wanting to fight these cheats.”

 Does he believe that there are leading fighters in boxing who, like Armstrong, have doped their way to victory? “If you’re not taking the tests I honestly do think that. We know these guys are doing it in their off-time. People can accuse me too but they can come test me any time, any day of the week. If you have that mindset towards random testing you’re clean. You have to be. But if you’re denying it and you’re running and you don’t have the same approach as me I’ll call you dirty.”
How many times has he been tested since joining Vada?  “I’ve been tested 12 times. And I joined them right before the Provodnikov fight in March.”

Bradley might have been to hell and back, as the Vada testers discovered when they saw his and Provodnikov’s blood-red urine, but at the end of a memorable year he can almost relish the experience. “I’ve watched the fight a lot, especially when preparing for Marquez, and I see my mistakes. But we gave the fans a classic they can watch over and over again. Lots of people say it was the best fight they’ve seen in years. So I’m very happy that Ruslan Provodnikov and I put on an unforgettable show. But I deserve at least five more fights where I can box in a strategic way, like against Marquez. Me and Provodnikov fought a classic. But I never want to go back there again.”

Floyd Mayweather Gym Playlist

Get ready to rumble with this playlist by legendary boxer Floyd Mayweather.  Mayweather trains hard and uses this mix of songs to get ready for his fights.  

Some of the artists features are older artists such as James Brown, Otis Redding and Phil Collins while some of the newer artists are Snoop, Akon and Rihanna.


Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s secret to his success? Nobody works harder


LAS VEGAS – Floyd Mayweather was on his back on the mat in his gym, ready to move on to another exercise several hours after he began, and four days short of two months from his bout against Canelo Alvarez on Sept. 14 at the MGM Grand Garden.

Rafael Garcia, the wise sage of The Money Team, is 84 years old and perfectly willing to tell the boss when enough is enough. Garcia has spent more than 60 years of his life in boxing and understands the toll a hard training camp can take on a fighter's body.
Mayweather frequently pushes himself beyond normal limits, as if he were an 18-year-old hoping to catch the eye of the local promoter and not the biggest star in boxing on the homestretch of his career.
"One of the things that amazes me all the time about Floyd is that he works and trains like he's never made a dime in boxing," said Leonard Ellerbe, the fighter's close confidant and the CEO of Mayweather Promotions. "It's incredible to see a man who has made a couple of hundred million dollars in this business pushing himself the way he does. He's a perfectionist.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. lays out requirements for Manny Pacquiao fight
"An off day for him is when someone might catch him with a jab. And if they do, he's angry, and he's got to figure out why and fix it. He's so hard on himself."
Mayweather said when he compares himself against the greatest fighters who ever lived, he believes his advantage is conditioning. Someone mentioned Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns, and Mayweather quickly interrupted.
There is, he said, a big difference between himself and those all-time greats.

"I've seen all those fighters get fatigued," Mayweather said. "All those fighters got fatigued [at one point in their careers]. They're all legends, and I take my hat off to them. They paved the way for me to be where I am.
"But one thing about me, of course I'm a 15-round fighter. I've shown I got a granite chin; I've never hit the canvas. I've been in there with the best of my era, and I made A- and B-level fighters look like D-level fighters."
Garcia has worked for Mayweather for 13 years, and knows that someone needs to tell him that he's done enough work for one day and that it's time to call it quits. This is just the fourth day of Mayweather's training camp, but he weighs just 147 pounds.
Garcia leans in and whispers something to Mayweather, who nods and quickly heads off to the locker room.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. trains at a different level than other fighters. (Getty Images)
Across the ring, former world champion Cornelius Boza-Edwards, who runs the gym, sidles up to a familiar face. He watched the last few minutes of Mayweather's workout with an almost stunned look on his face. "Did you see that?" Edwards said. "I've been around boxing for many, many years, and I've never seen anything like it. I'm totally serious when I say this, but he's ready to fight tomorrow.
"He started on Monday, and it was like he'd been here for six weeks already. I honestly can say that in all my years in boxing, I haven't seen a thing like it."
A short while later, Mayweather is seated on a bench in his locker room, happily talking about the sport and his career, when Boza-Edwards brings him a pair of boxing gloves to autograph.
As he signs the gloves, a thought occurs to him and, without knowing it, he may have revealed the secret for his success.

"It makes me feel good when a guy like him tells me, 'Floyd, you are a very, very hard worker,' " Mayweather said, nodding in Boza-Edwards' direction. "Of course, anybody on my team, everybody who is in this room, I want to impress them. Every day I want to impress them. I want to get better. That's the truth: I want to impress everybody around me.
"It's self-preservation: I want to impress myself, first. But I really want to impress everybody around me."
The truly great ones have an ego, and Mayweather certainly has one. But taking care of his ego doesn't require him telling everybody how great he is, though he does plenty of that when he's in fighting mode. Rather, his ego drives him to try to find perfection, to ensure he's never embarrassed in the ring.
Al Mitchell, his coach on the 1996 Olympic team, sat in the gym watching Mayweather push himself through a blistering workout without so much as breathing hard.
At the end of those Olympics, Mitchell had little doubt that Mayweather would become a world champion not long after his entry into the pro ranks.
But Mitchell conceded that Mayweather has greatly exceeded his expectations.
"What he's doing now, dominating this era, it's kind of like Sugar Ray Robinson, and what he did in his era," Mitchell said. "The big guys, they all have their time. Sugar Ray had his time. Muhammad Ali, Ray Leonard, they had theirs. Roy Jones, of course, but Roy wasn't skilled like Floyd. He was just so fast, and we knew that when the speed went, well, you know. But Floyd, he was a very coachable guy and he always wanted to be good. What people don't realize about him is how competitive he is.
"He's always worked so hard on the smallest things. He learned very early in his boxing life that the small things mean a lot. And now, you'll see him do moves in there that are, to tell you the truth, extremely hard, but he makes 'em look easy. That's because he's drilled them so many times to get them perfect. He's successful because he's never satisfied, and he wants everything to be perfect."
Things couldn't be much better for Mayweather. He's fighting the fight that his critics said he wouldn't take. He's building an incredible undercard.
He has blips he has to deal with, and he quickly says, "I'm not perfect. I know that."
He's been forced to deal with a minor bit of controversy recently. Mayweather is the man who introduced Olympic style drug testing to boxing in 2010, and yet several Mayweather Promotions fighters have failed their drug tests.
It's not a subject that pleases him, and he had particularly harsh words for J'Leon Love, who tested positive for a diuretic after his May 4 win over Gabriel Rosado.
Love pleaded with the Nevada Athletic Commission for leniency, pointing out that his brother was murdered during his camp and that forced him several times to break training. The end result is that he struggled to make weight.
Mayweather understood, but said he told Love in a face-to-face meeting it still wasn't right.
"He was going through a lot, and I come from the same background he's come from," Mayweather said. "J'Leon Love comes from a rough background. He didn't have shoes. He had to beat up a guy to take his shoes so he'd have shoes. He comes from a very, very rough background.
"What I told J'Leon Love [after learning of his positive test] is, 'Wrong is wrong and you're wrong. You're wrong, and that's not right. But I can't be your friend on Tuesday and not be your friend on Wednesday. If I'm your friend, I'm your friend through your good days and your bad days.'"

Mayweather is rarely hit and never shows signs of fatigue. (AP Photo)
He's the boss, and everyone in the place knew it, but he engenders tremendous loyalty among his team members.
Garcia said those who work for Mayweather realize they are, in a way, living history.
"All of my years in boxing, so many, many years, and I have never seen anyone like him," Garcia said. "If they called him this minute and said, 'Hey Floyd, the fight is tomorrow,' he'd be ready. You just don't see this in guys, even the best ones

"Because he's in the shape he is in, he can keep going and he spends more time actually trying to get better. He's been fighting for a long time, and he still wants to get better."
And that is why, in a nutshell, he'll be handed a $40 million paycheck Sept. 14 to fight Canelo Alvarez. He once did it for free, for nothing other than trophies and medals.
Now, he's the richest athlete in the world, with homes in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Miami and enough cars to carry a couple of football teams. Yet, it's never enough.
"People say that he's got a gift, and yes, he has great talent," Ellerbe said. "But nobody has ever worked harder to try to make the most of that talent. Nobody."

Miguel Cotto vs Canelo Alvarez















FightSaga recently announced Miguel Cotto vs Sergio Martinez is likely for June 7.

Miguel Cotto (38-4, 31 KO) refused a lucrative offer from Golden Boy Promotions to fight Canelo Alvarez in order to face RING Magazine/ WBC Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez (51-2-2, 28 KO) for 'Maravilla's' title.

A Cotto victory would make him the first Puerto Rican four division champion.

Many
were hoping Cotto would face Mexican superstar Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KO), the former WBC Jr Middleweight Champion, in March. And while that bout won't happen in the next ten months, Cotto vs Canelo is still in play for late 2014 or some time in 2015 according to Gaby Peñagarícano, Cotto's adviser.

"It's an interesting fight, and Miguel said yesterday to the press that Canelo is young and if he keeps winning it could be an interesting matchup down the road....maybe at the end of next year or during the next [in 2015]," Peñagarícano told 


"Miguel has been very, very clear, that the middleweight championship is very attractive to him. A fourth title in his fourth division is very attractive to him. And Martinez is a big fight as well," Peñagarícano said.

What would it take to make Cotto vs Canelo?
For
Cotto vs Canelo to take place as a PPV superfight, Canelo win must continue to win while Cotto must at least hold his own against Martinez.

If Cotto loses but isn't completely dominated, his team could salvage their fighter's stock by insisting the 5'7" Puerto Rican was too small to compete at middleweight, and jr middleweight is a more of a natural fit for him at this stage of his career.

Canelo Alvarez's 2014 finale is slated for November 22. Will Cotto vs Canelo happen then?

Next Fight For Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are not expected to meet in a ring in the United States, with both fighters haggling over terms of the fight and drug testing for the past four years.
Yet, in the holiday season, Mayweather, who has won titles in five divisions, has Pacquiao - an eight-division champion - on his mind. "Money" Mayweather took the time to send Pacquiao a “Christmas Card” on Twitter, alerting the fact to his 4.57 million followers.
British former world champion Amir Khan said last week that he is optmistic that Mayweather will complete terms with him early next year for a contest on May 3, but yesterday Pacquiao said he would put an April fight on hold to meet Mayweather on that May date.

Pacquiao told the Manila Bulletin that May 3 "would be the perfect date" for him to fight next year, as he looks to switch from a proposed April date for his next fight, which clashes with his wife Jinkee due to give birth to their fifth child.

"That would be a great fight [with Mayweather], a great match up," said Pacquiao yesterday.
Conversely, Mayweather retorted this week that he "would never work with Bob Arum", who is Pacquiao's promoter. But when did that ever stop the richest fight in history taking place?
Mayweather has other irons in the fire for May 3, believed to include potential match-ups with Khan, Marcos Maidana - who pulled off a shock defeat over Adrien Broner 10 days ago - and Danny Garcia.

Khan, though, believes he is in pole position. "It's the fight I've always been after and we're very close now, not too far away. Hopefully something is going to be announced within the next couple of weeks," he said.
Khan will not have fought for 13 months by the time a projected fight with Mayweather takes place, having pulled out of a deal to fight the then world welterweight champion Devon Alexander in November in order to pursue his dream bout.

16 Fast Boxing Combinations

16 Fast Boxing Combinations


Throwing a fast and powerful combination is exhilarating and satisfying, and it is always good to have new combinations to work with when shadowboxing or doing bag work.
This post is going to teach you 16 different easy and fast combinations that can be used in many different ways.

Before reading further, we assume that you already have
  • An understanding of punch numbering
  • An understanding of basic boxing combination principles

What You Should Learn From Combinations

Boxing combinations are NOT rigid rules/patterns that must be memorized and always executed the same way.It is critical to understand that these combinations, and any other combinations you see online, are IDEAS.
Boxing Combinations
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As you grow as a boxer, you will learn to form your own combinations in the spur of the moment based on your balance and your opponent. HOWEVER, practicing and studying different combinations can help you by giving you experience feeling what combinations work well for you, and what punches flow well after one another
The goal is to become intimately familiar with the mechanics of the flow of punches so that you can throw combinations on the fly without thinking.
Additionally, there are several things that these combinations do not incorporate:
  • distinction between high and low punches
  • throwing subsequent punches with the same hand
  • leading without a jab
  • unique punches such as shovel punches or overhand rights

16 Different 4-Punch Combinations


* Note that these are listed for orthodox (right-handed) fighters. If you are a southpaw, reverse the directions.

1. 1-2-3-2 (Jab, cross, left hook, cross)
Make sure to keep the left hook tight and close to your body. A long looping hook will ruin the following cross.

2. 1-2-3-4 (Jab, cross, left hook, right hook)
Do not over-rotate or throw your momentum around when you throw two successive hooks.

3. 1-2-3-6 (Jab, cross, left hook, right uppercut)
The uppercut should sneak up on your opponent, so avoid a “windup” but still bring it up quickly and with power.

4. 1-2-5-2 (Jab, cross, left uppercut, cross)
Throw the uppercut like a light punch, not a power punch, and save the power for your cross.

5. 1-2-5-6 (Jab, cross, left uppercut, right uppercut)
The danger here is to make sure your alternate hand remains up in a guard when you are throwing two uppercuts

6. 1-4-1-2 (Jab, right hook, jab, cross)
Don’t give your right hook away with a big windup.

7. 1-4-1-6 (Jab, right hook, jab, right uppercut)
Put all your power into your uppercut without making it obvious that it is coming.

8. 1-4-3-2 (Jab, right hook, left hook, cross)
Again, with two successive hooks, make sure not to over-rotate.

9. 1-4-3-6 (Jab, right hook, left hook, right uppercut)
Same as before, be wary of over-rotating.

10. 1-4-5-2 (Jab, right hook, left uppercut, cross)
Keep your uppercut tight and high. Don’t dip to low to throw it.

11. 1-6-1-2 (Jab, right uppercut, jab, cross)
The jab-uppercut works best if you close the distance between you and your opponent with the jab.

12. 1-6-1-4 (Jab, right uppercut, jab, right hook)
If you catch your opponent off-guard with the uppercut, the hook coming can be devastating.

13. 1-6-3-2 (Jab, right uppercut, left hook, cross)
One of my favorites, the 6, 3, and 2 all have the power to do serious damage in this combination.

14. 1-6-3-4 (Jab, right uppercut, left hook, right hook)
Keep your balance when throwing the last hook so you are ready to defend yourself.

15. 1-6-3-6 (Jab, right uppercut, left hook, right uppercut)
Right after they recover from one uppercut, you come in with the next one.

16. 1-6-5-2 (Jab, right uppercut, left uppercut, cross)
Throw the uppercuts fast and keep your alternate hand up during them.

Shortening The Combinations

If you want to make these combinations shorter, remember that you can always remove a punch from the end or beginning.
A 1-4-5-2 can simply be a 1-4-5 or a 4-5-2.

Adding Variation

Since you are not meant to stick to a mundane set of combinations all the time, you need to know how to add variation to your boxing combinations. By adding variation you make it easier to catch your opponent off-guard.

Repeating Jabs

All of these combinations leads with jabs. But they don’t have to. Alternatively, they don’t have to just lead with a single jab. Jabs are always good is groups, and it is a good practice to vary how many jabs you throw to keep your opponent’s off balance.

Repeating Hooks

Another way to catch opponent’s off guard is by throwing a hook twice. This is hard to do in terms of your torque and momentum, but you typically throw the first hook lighter than the second hook.
This turns 1-2-3-2 into 1-2-3-3-2.

Alternating High and Low Punches

By alternating your punches thrown to the head and body, you introduce even more confusion for your opponent.
An example is throwing is throwing 1-2-low3-2.
This also works well in conjunction with repeated jabs or hooks:
low1-high1-2-3-2 or for hooks 1-2-low3-high3-2

Alternating Your Rhythm

Your rhythm can both refer to the pattern of power in your punches, such as light-light-heavy-heavier, or to the timing of your punches. Both of these can be varied to further mix up your opponent.
For example, throw 3 punches, pause for a split second, and than throw your last punch.

Combining Combinations

You can take two of the above combinations and combine parts of them to make longer combinations.
For example combine 1-6-3-2 with (1)-2-5-2 with the ending 2 of the first combination being the first 2 in the second combination. The result: 1-6-3-2-5-2.

Practice Makes Perfect

Shadowbox, shadowbox, shadowbox.
Throw these combinations a half-dozen times each. As you do so, start to improvise on them and learn new ways to change them.

SEE MORE :


Punching Combinations List

It’s not about what punches you throw, it’s how you throw the punches. A basic 1-2 punch combination becomes very deadly when you mix in some variations differing in speed, angle, footwork, timing, and power.

 

 

Punch Legend

Each number below represents a punch. (Combinations are for orthodox fighters. There is a small section for southpaws below.)
Punches
1 = jab
2 = right hand
3 = left hook
4 = right hook (or overhand right)
5 = left uppercut
6 = right uppercut
b = body (example: 1b = jab to the body)
Defense
[] = blocking
() = rolling
{} = rolling under
// = slipping or lean away from
<> = pivot away from

Movement
p/pccw = almost all pivots are on the front foot (“p” means pivot clockwise on the frontfoot, pccw means pivot counter-clockwise on the front foot)
bp = backfoot pivot. very rarely used (bpccw means pivot counter-clockwise off your backfoot)
ls/rs = leftstep and rightstep. self-explanatory
bs = backstep (example: 1bs means you backstep as you throw the jab, 1-bs means you backstep AFTER you throw the jab)
f = fake (example: 1f-3 means to fake a jab to the head, and then throw a left hook right after)
t = tap (example: 1t-2 means to throw a light tap jab, followed by a right cross)
sl/sr = slip left, slip right (example: 1-sl-3 means jab, then slip left, then left hook.   1sr-2 means jab as you slip to the right and throw a right hand after)
To use the punching combinations listed below, simply chain the combos in this order:
starter > ender        OR     starter > combo > ender
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Common Punching Combinations

Most commonly used punching combinations inside the boxing ring. (These combinations are complete as is, no need to pick a starter or ender for these.)
1-1
1-1-2
1-2
1-2-1
1-2-1-2
1-2-3-2
1-6-3-2

Starters

These sequences are commonly used to start off your combinations. You are also welcome to start off a combination with a counter-punch. To look up counter-punches, please look up this guide: xxxx
1
1-2
1-6b
2-1

Advanced Combinations

Highly advanced punching combinations that require advanced movement and highly coordinated punching skills.
1-bs-1
1-bs-1-2

In-Fighting

Punching combinations for use up close or when in the clinch.
6-5-2-1p
6-3
6-3p
4b-3b-2-1-2
rs-5
1-2-3b-pivot-4b-4-1
1-4b-3b-6-1

Tricky Starters

Used these combinations to open up highly defensive opponents as you confuse and penetrate their defenses.
1-3-2
1b-2
1-2b
1-2b-3
4-1b
4b-6-3-2 (works best in close range)
bs-2
1f-3
6-2
2-2
1t-2
1t-2t-3

Power Enders

End your punching combinations with these punches to do the most damage to your opponent. Ending with these punch combinations may leave you vulnerable to a counter-punch so beware!
1p-2

Evasive Enders

End your punching combinations with these punch series to get you out of harms way safely.
1p
1b-bs
4bpccw (pivot ccw off the backfoot as you throw a right hook)
3p
2-p-2

Punch Combos for Orthodox Against Southpaws (left-handers):

2-2-1bs
1-2b
2-rs-2-1-2b
2-1-2b
1-1-2b-3

Punch Combos for Southpaws Against Orthodox Boxers

1-2
2-2
2-3-2
2-3-2b
1-1-2b-3
6-1-2
6b-6-2-1
2-1-1-6-1

Evasive Combos


1-2-/1/-2
1-2-/1/-2-3-2
1-2-{3}-2
1-2-{3}-/2/-3-2
1-2-{3}-3-2-3
1-2-3-{2}-3-2
1-/1/-2-1-1
1-/1/-2-3-2

SEE MORE :  4 ELITE BOXERS WHO THROW MULTI PUNCH BOXING COMBINATIONS