By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Just a small but powerful thought, of how important the uppercut is in professional boxing for the ring technicians who know how to win rounds on points, who also know how to use the left uppercut and right uppercut effectively. You do not hear much about the uppercut anymore. The uppercut is a most scientific punch, and is best used when backed up with great power as a finishing blow.
Some of boxing’s best uppercut specialists include Rocky Marciano, Randall Bailey, Gerry Cooney, Ike Ibeabuchi, Iron Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe, Juan Manuel Marquez, Sonny Liston, Roy Jones Jr., Antonio Margarito, Sugar Ray Leonard, Erik Morales, Prince Naseem Hamed, Manny Pacquiao, Vic Darcinyan, Nonito Donaire, Kirk Johnson, Bernard Hopkins, Oleg Maskaev, Earnie Shavers, Michael Spinks, George Foreman, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Jersey Joe Walcott, Lennox Lewis, and James Buster Douglas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSc52Zi2HjY
While trolling YouTube recently, I found this unique 40 minute compilation video highlighting the effectiveness of the uppercut. The color footage is of fair quality. More so, the compilation video showcases the importance of how the uppercut can be used to great success by the ring technicians who win rounds, who also know how to close the show with the uppercut as a payoff punch. When used with supreme power, and properly placed, the left uppercut and right uppercut make a dangerous, brutal and often lethal statement.
The 40 minute compilation video features clips from many of Iron Mike Tyson’s early bouts, an indicator that his ex-trainer Kevin Rooney knew what he was doing when he instructed Mike where and how to place the uppercut as a scientific punch, rather than just swinging haphazardly. Other seen in video highlights include Larry Holmes (against Mike Weaver I.), Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. (against the late Scott Walker), Roberto Duran, Prince Naseem Hamed, Roy Jones Jr. in his prime with his magical looping uppercut, Kelly Pavlik (against Jermaine Taylor), George Foreman (against Gerry Cooney and Smokin’ Joe Frazier), Matthew Saad Muhammad (against Lottie Mwale), David Tua (against John Ruiz), Buster Douglas (Kayo of Mike Tyson), Earnie Shavers (against Jimmy Ellis), black and white archival footage of Kid Gavilan, Gerry Cooney (against Ken Norton), Jersey Joe Walcott’s uppercut knockout of Ezzard Charles, and Rocky Marciano’s uppercut knockout which retired Joe Louis.
A more modern treatment of the uppercut being used to lethal effectiveness can be seen in Randall Bailey’s welterweight world title winning uppercut knockout of Mike Jones at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_5_c8UGlkM
One of the last bouts called by the late Emmanuel Steward, who explains the punch, an uppercut underneath the jab. Mike Jones never fought again after this devastating loss.
Riddick Bowe, Kid Gavilan and Sugar Ray Leonard are featured in this brief YouTube uppercut highlight video of the five best of all-time. Davilan demonstrates his technique later life in the highlight. Worth a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyFrfNGPIHc
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