Height and reach are often used in boxing as proxies for size.
These measures can help explain specific advantages or disadvantages that a
fighter may have in a given matchup. But let's remember that these tangible
measurements are just "proxies," which of course comes from the same
word family as "approximate" – an estimate, not exact. Height and
reach are only rough guides; they are not the final word for determining or in
some cases even adequately describing size.
For example, let's take a look at Saturday's matchup between Vasiliy Lomachenko
and Richard Commey. Commey had a one-inch height and five-inch reach advantage
over Lomachenko. On paper, Commey's reach advantage seemed significant. But
watching the fight play out, it became obvious that Commey's reach wasn't going
to be a factor at all. Not a committed jabber, Commey has made his living with
power shots. And even if that were not the case, I can't think of any opponent
who has controlled Lomachenko with a jab. He's just not in one place long
enough for that punch to be a factor.
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Loma (left) getting work done on the inside
Photo courtesy of Mikey Williams |
Much
of Lomachenko-Commey took place at mid-range or closer. And when there was
clinching on the inside, it was Loma, the "featherweight" or
the "junior lightweight," who was manhandling the supposedly bigger
fighter. Lomachenko scored the fight's only knockdown in the seventh when he
maneuvered himself in the clinch to create an opening and landed a huge, short
left hand.
Later
on in the round, Lomachenko had Commey trapped in a corner. Commey tried his
best to get out of that position, but Lomachenko's punching, use of distance
and physical strength wouldn't allow Commey to get to safety. Commey just
barely survived the seventh, but that round illustrated the folly of using size
proxies as gospel. Loma's core strength and how he applied it made it clear who
was the more imposing physical fighter – and it wasn't the guy who has been a
big lightweight throughout most of his career.
In a strong performance, Lomachenko won via a wide unanimous decision. This fight should be a reminder that he's far more than just hand
speed and clever angles. He was causing damage with his fists, sure, but he
also used his body to dominate his opponent. Hopefully, this will help end the
lazy narrative that Lomachenko isn't a real lightweight. He was a physical
force in the ring on Saturday, beating up a former lightweight champion. To me
it doesn't matter what division he started his professional career; what I saw
was a fighter who was beating up a strong lightweight with his body. At no
point did Lomachenko look overmatched physically in the fight. If anything, Commey had
never experienced that type of physical depletion in the ring.
***
Conor
Benn was not viewed as a serious threat to the top of the welterweight division
18 months ago. The son of a famous fighter, he had a strong surname and some
rudimentary power. He helped sell tickets and generated some casual
interest on Matchroom cards.
But
a funny thing has happened over his last four fights, he has improved
significantly. Under trainer Tony Sims' guidance, Benn has added numerous facets
to his game. He's now much more than a crude knockout artist. He puts punches
together well. He invests in body shots. His footwork has become more
functional and less ponderous. He has learned to pace himself better.
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Benn (left) knocking out Algieri in the 4th round
Photo courtesy of Mark Robinson |
Benn
knocked out former junior welterweight champ Chris Algieri on Saturday with a
perfect one-two. The final right hand landed like a missile and Algieri, who is
usually a durable fighter, was left motionless on the canvas for a few brief
moments. He wasn't in any type of position to beat the count.
As
Benn has been moved steadily up the welterweight division, the next test for
him is to see if his chin can hold up. To this point, you won't find a real
puncher on his resume, and I have to believe that's not coincidental. If he can
take a punch, he will have a chance at the top of the division. His offense can
be explosive and he has fight-ending power. But if his beard isn't up to snuff,
much of that won't matter. It's time to see what the kid has. There is no easy
way to get a belt at welterweight, and the handbrakes need to come off. Let's
see if Conor can take a punch. We know he can throw one.
***
Boxing
presents infinite opportunities for those inclined to be angry to express
themselves: subpar matchups; sanctioning body shenanigans, poor judging, the
best not fighting the best, etc. And there will always be time to return to
those areas of discontent. However, let's also not lose the forest through the
trees; boxing continues to offer sublime pleasures. On Saturday, we had another
opportunity to witness one of boxing's best treats – Nonito Donaire's left
hook.
Donaire,
still a titlist at 39, ended yet another opponent on Saturday with his
signature shot. Reymart Gaballo fought with determination and steel in the
first three rounds of their fight. It was clear that he wanted to defeat his
Filipino countryman and announce himself on the world stage. But the
problem that so many fighters encounter with Donaire is that when they throw
their right hand often, there will be an opportunity for Donaire to land his
left hook.
 |
Donaire (right) landing his signature left hook
Photo courtesy of Esther Lin |
Donaire
connected with the left to the body in the fourth. He actually left his feet to
land the shot, which connected with a sickening thud. Gaballo dropped to the
canvas. He tried getting up at "8," but the pain was too much and
went right back down.
In
my opinion Donaire's left hook and Deontay Wilder's right hand are the best two
punches in boxing today. Both fighters have losses on their resume; they have
and can be beaten. But they have the potential to knock out any single opponent
in front of them with their best shot. Donaire doesn't have the speed that he
once did. His defense is now just adequate. But he still has that crushing left
hook. It's a special punch. And it was my pleasure to watch him display his
prodigious gift one more time.
***
Flyweight
champ Sunny Edwards has great feet, among the very best in boxing. And in
addition to his considerable athleticism, he understands range very well.
Without a huge punch he knows that his best chance of winning any given fight
will be on the outside. His opponent on Saturday, Jayson Mama, understood this
as well. Mama spent the first four rounds of their fight doing exactly what he
needed to do against a much faster foe: going to the body, making the
fight rough and rugged, and using the dark arts to gain an advantage.
The
opening third of the fight was a huge gut check for Edwards. Mama rabbit
punched him a lot, went low with shots and wasn't shy about leading with his head.
By the third round Edwards had a huge cut on his hairline from a headbutt. Mama
made these rounds competitive. In addition to the fouls and grappling, he
landed some eye-catching chopping right hands.
But
then it was almost as if a switch turned on for Edwards and he said to himself:
I don't need to be in this type of fight. He spent the last seven rounds or so
of the bout in cruise control, dominating the action from the outside. By the
end of the match, Mama looked demoralized. It was even hard to remember that
Mama had success in the early-going; it had been that long ago. Edwards wound
up winning a wide unanimous decision and he demonstrated his class in being
able to make in-fight adjustments.
To
beat Edwards, an opponent is going to have to have great legs AND a big punch.
Flyweight currently isn't a deep division, but the titleholders are very good.
Fights against fellow titlists such as Junto Nakatani and Julio Cesar Martinez
would be terrific matchups.
Although
Edwards will never have the physicality to beat the best in an inside fight,
few in the entire sport have the combination of his foot speed and boxing
ability from the outside. For fans of that outside pure-boxing style (which
isn't everyone's cup of tea), Edwards should be a must-watch. And even if you
don't like watching a boxer who moves so much, it's still impressive to observe a
fighter who has mastered a particular style so comprehensively.
Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. He's a member of Ring Magazine's Ring Ratings Panel and a Board Member for the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.
