Science of Fights

A knockout punch can end all contests decisively. It can finish fights without dispute and can save your life in grave circumstances. A fighting sports athlete needs it when he is awfully down on points; an up and comer wants to have a lot of wins through knockouts to boost confidence and create an intimidating image. Some people just want that knockout punch to end things in their favor and end things fast. True, the knockout punch is a tool that every fighter should have in their repertoire. It can be used as intimidation and insurance. But before we get into the details on what makes a knockout punch, we must first understand the anatomy of the knockout.

The welterweight standout, Joshua Clottey , is just one of Ghana ’s prominent boxing figures of today. Just like his fellow boxer and countryman, Ike “Bazooka” Quartey, Clottey seems to have the essential tools to become the top dog in the sport of boxing, yet, still falls short by losing to quality opponents rather non-convincingly. Fortunately for Joshua Clottey, he still has plenty of fights left in him and he will have the biggest chance of his life to surpass Quartey’s underachievement by beating the pound for pound kingpin Manny Pacquiao. Let’s take a closer look at the Ghanaian fighter they call “Grandmaster”.

The Roundhouse Kick. No, it is not as fancy as it may sound but it’s one hell of an offensive weapon in fighting. There are lots of Chuck Norris Roundhouse Kick jokes going around especially on the web and many would get a kick out it (pun intended). Yet, I am pretty sure many think of the roundhouse kick as a fancy type of spinning kick. Surprisingly, even people who have been following martial arts and MMA matches would still confuse a roundhouse kick with something else. Let’s get everything straight, talk all about the roundhouse kick and how it’s done.

Are you one of those people who scour the web looking for fights? No, I don’t mean someone who picks fights in forums or comment spaces, not that kind of keyboard warrior but the type who searches YouTube for a Kimbo Street Fight, MMA matches, or compilations of knockouts and fight highlights. If that’s your thing, you are what I call a fight fan . You have the thirst for primal human action and also have the acumen for fight science. Discrimination is not in your vocabulary eventhough you may favor one type of martial art or prefer a particular fighting sport. You enjoy watching and understanding fights. Whether it’s MMA, Boxing, Karate point fighting, Muay Thai, backyard brawl, or a Kimbo Street fight – your interest is genuine and profound. There are different kinds of fight fans. Here’s a short list:

Once again, Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. has proven his slickness not only inside the ring but also outside of it as well. What did Mayweather accomplish last Saturday? Well for starters, he did what he was supposed to do and that was to beat a smaller aging fighter that he cherry-picked for his so-called comeback fight. Sure, it was a dominating win and many might marvel at the technical brilliance of Floyd’s defensive boxing. Personally, however, I have done that a long time ago and in his last fight dubbed as, “Number One vs Numero Uno”, I expected a blowout, a knockout even.

Will Juan Manuel Marquez defy odds and come out victorious against former pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr.? Mexico’s “dinamita” just turned 36 this August 23. For most boxers, this is already considered as a retiring age. However, for the Mexican people’s champion, age has only made him more crafty and intelligent inside the ring. His recent battles had also proven that his body can still hang with the young and the best.

Everybody likes the heavy bag. You can hit it with all your might and as much as you want and with every hit, it gives you a feeling satisfaction. Since it is made to absorb enormous amount of impact, it will develop your power. There are speed bags, double-end bags, banana bags, kick pads, power shields… They all have a place in fight training. These equipments, when used properly, improve accuracy, speed, and power. Each gear trains a specific area in your game. Example, double-end bags will develop accuracy and timing; power shields will enhance kicking power; speed bags will build shoulder endurance. Each one provides a different objective but they all have one thing in common…. You have a tangible target. You have something to hit.