Proper Form/pros and cons

[Blue Wave Gym]

did you ever notice that alot of the stuff you learn(both hands up ,returning the hands to guard position after punching etc.) isn't done either by pros or even amatures, many pros fight with their led hand down, only rely on head movment for defense and throw a flicking jab with it.People(pros and amatures) throw barrages of combonation punches with little regard for bringing their hands back.The same is true for other kinds of ring fighting you train with one type of form i.e. kick, punch, or stand a certain way, but when it's fight time all of that stuff goes out the window, I know adaptibility is a good asset but if you have to abandon some of the basic foundfations then why learn them at all and don't give me that absord what is useful and discard the rest jazz either.Either bring your hands back /a tight guard is useful or it's not. What do you guys think?

[peopleschamp]

I think part of it is ego, sloppiness due to natural talents and advantage working hand in hand. For instance someone with a lot of power expects his opponent to respect his power enough that he can advance and throw shots in what would ordinarily be percieved as a sloppy manner - a lot of good closers get that way. They've hit someone with a dizzying shot, now they just get cocky and mozee (phonetic spelling) along striking like someone who never took up boxing in their life. I too think it's stupid to say use what works discard what doesn't in that instance because it's a foundation skill - keep your hands up, bring em back after a strike, etc. That philosophy is more for particular techniques rather than something as basic as keeping your hands up. Look at someone like Winky Wright, he isn't known for his power and so you'll see him doing things a bit more like a true boxer. I'm rambling, but partly it's also that boxer/fighter distinction too.

Then again sometimes it's as simple as being outperformed, if someone is catching you with hooks all day you might start to keep your hands up high and then leave your body or other side of the face open - pain mixed with frustration can completely take the basics from you.

[Tom Yum]

If you have great timing, footwork, head movement - you can probably afford to be more lax with your hands. I'm thinking of fighters like Roy Jones Jr. and Ali.

If you watch Tyson in the mid 80's, his fundamentals were flawless. He kept his guard high and tight (of course tight doesn't mean tense).