Boxing: Sport Entertainment or Entertainment Sport (Part Two)
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 16 May 2025
In the previous article on the subject, we discussed the three basic fighting styles (the KO puncher, the boxer-puncher, and the master boxer) and also a fourth special type of fighter—the ultimate performer—that makes boxing a sport entertainment or entertainment sport.
In this write-up, we will discuss three more distinct types of fighters that endear them to boxing fans.
The Wily or Dangerous Lefties or Southpaws.
Left-handed fighters, otherwise known as lefties or southpaws, have been a fascination for boxing fans and an enigma, a difficult and sometimes dangerous puzzle to solve for many orthodox fighters. The difficulty stems from the fact that lefties or southpaws lead with their right hands from a front right foot position, which clashes directly with the orthodox fighting stance of a left-hand lead from a front left foot. In boxing, whoever establishes their jab and front foot vis-à-vis the opponent has the positional advantage, apart from the morale boost it provides.
It has been reported that countries like Cuba prefer lefties in their amateur boxing teams due to these perceived advantages.
The difficulty in dealing with left-handed fighters is even compounded by their fighting styles, whether they are essentially knockout punchers, versatile boxer-punchers, or crowd-pleasing master boxers.
Prominent lefties included Joe Frazier, Hector Camacho, Tito Trinidad, Pernell Whitaker, David Tua, Tommy Morrison, Manny Pacquiao, and Nonito Donaire Jr.
What made Joe Frazier more dangerous was that, aside from being a southpaw, he was first and foremost a knockout-seeking hard puncher. Only the big George Foreman and the masterful Muhammad Ali were able to beat him.
Whitaker's generally highly successful career and longevity are attributed to his being a lefty, a master defensive boxer at that. It took a prime Oscar De La Hoya, himself a lefty converted to orthodox, to unravel "Sweet Pea," wresting his WBC welterweight title in 1997.
Trinidad, another lefty, also defeated Whitaker on points.
The "Happy Hooker"
No, we are not talking of the 1975 sleazy movie starring Xavier Hollander.
Rather, we are talking of fighters whose specialty is employing the hook to send their opponents to dreamland.
Joe Frazier earned his nickname "Smokin'" as he was like a train chugging forward, bobbing and weaving, waiting for the opportunity to throw and land his famed left hook against his many and various opponents, Muhammad Ali included.
Manny Pacquiao knocked out many of his illustrious opponents, including Chatchai Sasakul, Lehlo Ledwaba, Marco Antonio Barrera, David Diaz, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto, on the way to recording eight world division world championships using his sledgehammer left hook. That was the same main weapon he used in taming the tough likes of Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya, and Antonio Margarito.
Who would forget the left hook Nonito Donaire exploded in the faces of Vic Darchinyan and Fernando Montiel that put him indelibly in the annals of boxing?
Then there was the huge right hook landed by Lennox Lewis that felled Donovan "Razor" Ruddock, which won him the WBC heavyweight title in 1992, the same punch that put him down against Oliver McCall in their first fight in 1994.
Be it the right or left hook, Mike Tyson was capable of ending a fight. As destructive was Mexican great Julio Cesar Chavez, whose hook to the liver was devastating.
The Switch Hitter
Many fighters since Sugar Ray Robinson have attempted to be ambidextrous—equally capable and effective in using both hands—but very few succeeded.
The short list included Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Oscar De La Hoya in the past, and Terence Crawford today.
Not many knew that Hagler and De La Hoya were actually left-handed but had grown to like and develop themselves fighting as right-handers. In their respective primes, their ability to switch-hit enabled both Hagler and De La Hoya to prevail in most of their difficult and trying fights.
Thus far, Terence Crawford's ability to switch-hit against formidable foes such as Yuri Gamboa at lightweight, Viktor Postol at super lightweight, Egidijus Kavaliauskas and Errol Spence at welterweight, and Israil Madrimov at super welterweight has served him well in keeping his unbeaten record and winning world titles in four weight divisions, twice as undisputed.
However, this ability will be put to its sternest test when he meets Saul "Canelo" Alvarez for his undisputed world super middleweight title, two divisions above.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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