Styles Make Fights

By Ross Enamait - Published in 2003

An old cliché in boxing states that

Styles Make Fights

. No two boxers are thesame. Each fighter possesses his own unique style. There are boxers, punchers,and runners, just to name a few. There are tall, short, muscular, and thin fighters,each capable of utilizing a unique style towards victory. Many young boxers harpon their failure to possess the raw punching power of Mike Tyson or the speed of Roy Jones. Is this reason to give up? Of course not, rather we must moldourselves into the fighter that nature intends.I have received several inquires regarding the relationship between genetics andboxing ability. One question read:

What shall I do, I am nowhere near as tall as the other fighters in my weight class?

Boxing is not a height, weight, or strength sport. If the tallest man were alwaysvictorious, the National Basketball Association (NBA) would lose athletes toprofessional boxing. If the strongest man were always victorious, power lifterswould dominate the sport. Oscar de la Hoya recently knocked out FernandoVargas who later tested positive for steroid use. No disrespect intended, butFernando is proof that the stronger man does not always equate to the betterman.Boxing is a skill sport, first and foremost. Past champions have been short andtall, fast and slow. Just as no two boxers are identical, no two champions are thesame. Each champion possesses his own unique blend of boxing ability, speed,power, and fortitude. One common denominator however is often described as

heart

. To be successful in this game, you must be willing to fight with courageand intensity. The most naturally gifted athletes will not last without the will anddesire to win.There is no path to the top of the boxing mountain without heart. To thosefighters who are hung up on physical deficits, my advice is to focus your energyon factors within your control. Adapt a style that best suits you as an individual.Hard work and determination will often defeat the more skilled fighter who lacksthe same resilience. Regardless of styles, there is no excuse to enter the ring outof shape. Kostya Tszyu once said that he was an average kid growing up whosimply outworked the competition. He devoted himself to hard work and intensetraining. He refused to accept anything but victory. At present time, Kostya Tszyuis one of the top pound for pound fighters in the world, and a future Hall of Famer.Do not harp on some perceived lack of natural ability, instead focus on becomingthe best that you can be. Do not put limitations on your ability. Many aspiringfighters choke their potentional by assuming they lack the natural tools tosucceed. Consider Micky Ward, perhaps the most courageous warrior in boxingtoday. He does not enter the ring as the slickest or fastest boxer. He developed astyle that was successful for him. Is he the tallest boxer, with a jab that could hityou across the ring? Of course not, but he's proven his ability to succeed with thegenetic hand that he has been dealt.We cannot blame our lack of height or speed for failure. The only cause of failureis a lack of motivation and hard work. Do not impose limitations on your ability.