BJ's exaggerated boxing skills

[Sketch]

using sherk as an example for his upcoming fight with gsp is absolute fucking LOL

[canadian cross]

Originally Posted by tdalto

Cross, just wanted to mention a few things

First, i don't see any mention of the fact that Roach has WORKED with Penn. He isn't basing it completely off of the Sherk fight. But, i also think his fight with Sherk was a impressive performance because Sherk is actually a really good boxer. Roach has trained him, held mits, face to face examined him and his statement was mostly based off of that.

2nd, the best boxer comment was pre-Arlovski transformation. He now calls Arlovski the best boxer and Penn the best striker

"PRO MMA: Besides Andrei, who has the best boxing skills in MMA that you have seen?

ROACH: So far, Penn is the best striker. Real nice guy, I wish him luck in his fight. I know he has a tough one coming up with St. Pierre. That is one that I will watch because he is a good friend of mine. I don’t really have time to watch TV. I work twelve hours a day in my gym because I have a lot of fighters. Penn is a great striker. Andrei is the best boxer so far. As far as striking wise…Penn, he is talented."
PRO MMA EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Freddie Roach |

Third, Bas Rutten has also said that BJ penn's boxing has at times looked "like a pro boxer". Thats another, more MMA based, very respectable fight figure backing up Penns abilities

Exactly, Roach basically admits he hardly watches MMA but he has seen a lot of Penn and is good friends with Penn so obviously hes gonna be inclined to say Penn has the best hands. Like I mentioned in my original post, we dont know how much or what fights he has seen from GSP.

[Wayne Brady]

Originally Posted by Sketch

bj is going to get a wake up call trying to stand with GSP. gsp has faster and more powerful hands and a better chin going into this.

[Lakehed**]

Originally Posted by zokce

Quite good read actually.

You convinced me a bit with this. I still think Penn has the better MMA boxing, but who knows how much GSP has improved.

Take Rashad for example... compare his striking to just last year.

Good thread.

and yours was a good addition to it.

Even so, as the TS said, we don't actually know how much Freddie Roach watches MMA.

For all we know he could have seen every single Penn fight, and every GSP fight, but very few others, and so on.

Freddie might not know what he's talking about, then again, he might.

[Yojimbo.]

Originally Posted by canadian cross

I find the comment that Freddie Roach supposedly made about BJ's boxing pretty odd for a couple reasons. First of all, if you;ve listened to interviews with Roach talking about MMA it's pretty clear he doesnt follow it very closely or watch it very much. He didn't even know you were allowed to knee your opponent, he said that after Arlovskis win over Rothwell. So I find it strange that he would feel he's seen enough MMA to make the claim that Penn has by far the best boxing in MMA. I also find the comment strange because Roach has talked about how good Arlovskis boxing has become and thinks its so good that he thinks Arlovski would be ready for a title fight after only 5 pro fights. Yet, apparently he thinks Penn is even "by far" a better boxer then Arlovski? For all we know the exact comment could've been "From what ive seen, Penn has by far the best boxing in the UFC, and if they fight standing he will probably beat GSP" and for all we know that could be based on Penns fight against Sherk and GSPs fight against Serra. We dont know if he saw GSPs fight against Fitch where GSPS boxing looked very crisp and very good. Also, Howard Davis, a former olympic gold medal winner and head boxing instructor for ATT said that he was so impressed with GSP's boxing after the Fitch fight that people should be talking about GSP vs De Le Hoya instead of Silva against Roy Jones.

If Penns boxing was really that good then why did it take him 3 rounds to finish Sherk? and its not like he completely dominated those 3 rounds either, he won each round decisively but he definitely didn't dominate them. I know sherk is good boxer for MMA, but if Penn was really that amazing he shouldve been a lot more dominant in that fight especially considering the reach advantage. He also didnt dominate Pulver on the feet either in that fight.

For the people who think he's gonna jab GSP to death like he did to Sherk, this isn't going to happen. The only reason Penn was able to do that was because of the reach advantage, it's not like he used good footwork to move in and out of range, he just stood infront of Sherk and Sherks counters were barely missing by a couple inches. Against a guy who has the reach of GSP and is as good of a boxer as GSP this strategy has zero chance of being effective. Penns camp has already said that Penn needs to close the distance and pressure GSP on the feet.

A lot of people are still using the first fight as a reason why they think Penn will outstrike GSP which is foolish. GSP was clearly poked in the eye about a minute in to that round, I don;t know why so many people seem disregard this or dont believe it. Right after the fight there was a video on here with GSP talking to sherdog saying he saw two Bj Penns in the first round and didnt get his vision back till his corner was able to rinse out his eye. Secondly, GSP's boxing training has improve a lot since then. He know trains under Howard Grant and spars with world champion boxers and kick boxers, boxers with just as much or more hand speed and power as BJ, Im sure GSP will be much more prepared for BJs boxing this time.

I think a lot of people are going to be surprised this saturday when GSP either outboxes or holds his own against BJ's boxing and wins the overall standup convincingly with his kickboxing.

1.) What does Freddie not knowing you can knee in MMA have anything to do with his critique of Penn's boxing?

2.) Penn did not overcommit to anything in the Sherk fight, and it wasn't because he was gunshy. He used his quick jab to maintain the distance he wanted and to set up combinations, as well as using superior footwork and head movement. BJ's head movement is overlooked by many fans that don't know much about technical boxing. He does a fantastic job of slipping punches.

Also about the Pulver fight, in my opinion Pulver's boxing is probably better than Penn's, even still.

3.) Penn did in fact use good footwork. There's nothing I can say to convince you otherwise, you just need to learn to box.

4.) GSP took a knuckle in his eye, not the thumb. Watch it several times, BJ's thumb crosses underneath Georges's eye, never touched it. It's a legal strike. I don't deny that it affected Georges's vision, and I certainly don't deny that Georges's is a great striker that can be competitive with Penn on the feet.

It's gonna be a great fight. I'M SO PSYCHED!!!

[The Pain Zone]

Do any of you really think GSP is going to stand there and trade boxing skills with BJ with all the weapons he has worked on since the BJ-GSP 1st fight.

Boxing skill wise- BJ would still smash GSP. I don't care who he has been training with.

As for the fight itself, i think GSP is going to step in Kick, then jab, then more Kicks then move back out. If he has learned anything from the first fight. BJ's power and speed is for real. St Pierre won the fight, but took a beating to the head for it.

Looking forward to the fight living up to the hype.

[MajinFajita]

Originally Posted by Sketch

using sherk as an example for his upcoming fight with gsp is absolute fucking LOL

I would actually use Sherk as an example of why GSP will win...
BJ didn't check a single one of Sherk's leg kicks and if BJ tries to Rampage his way through GSP's leg kicks he'll be in bad shape shortly.

I'm a GSP and a Penn fan so it's win-win for me

[Yojimbo.]

Originally Posted by canadian cross

This is what I dont understand, the huge exaggeration so many people make of how good BJS boxing was in this fight. Tell me specifically what was so amazing about his boxing in this fight. He used a very quick and accurate jab all night which was very good, but he basically just stood infront of Sherk taking advantage of his big reach advantage. Watch that fight again and see how close Alot of sherks counters are, to hitting BJ, if he wouldve had just 3 or 4 inch longer arms Bj would not have been able to do win that fight using that strategy.

You seem to be under the impression that Penn didn't realize the range in which Sherk was in. That sense of range is a huge part of boxing. It's not just about throwing punches. If Sherk's arms were 3 or 4 inches longer, Penn would've moved his head 3 or 4 inches farther back.

[tdalto]

Originally Posted by canadian cross

Exactly, Roach basically admits he hardly watches MMA but he has seen a lot of Penn and is good friends with Penn so obviously hes gonna be inclined to say Penn has the best hands. Like I mentioned in my original post, we dont know how much or what fights he has seen from GSP.

umm... i don't know if you fully read what i wrote. I'm not agreeing with you.

what i'm saying is that Roach TRAINED bj Penn. I understand how that makes him kind of inclined to mention him but roach is also THE BEST BOXING TRAINER IN THE WORLD. That kind of trumps the whole favoritism bit

[egyptking52BE]

seriously im tired of all these GSP nuthugging BJ bashing threads. Cant we just be fans of the sport?? why is there all of this division. In MMA having a fighter that you cannot see lose simply set you up for heatbreak because anyone can lose on any given night.



gulps except Fedor.