The Theory of the Sweet Science
The Theory of the Sweet Science
I have displayed a 4 part series that was run on ESPN all about Jack Dempey's life. You can view that here along with the link to download the book.
Tall men come down to my height when I hit 'em in the body. ~ Jack Dempsey
Ranked #7 in Ring Magazine's 100 Greatest Punchers of all time and inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, The Manassa Mauler is one of few professionals fighters to document his knowledge.
One common thread in all boxing instruction is this: we invent nothing, when your heart beats you make use of electricity and pressure. When you walk, you work with gravity. When you breath in, you create a vacuum in your lungs. When you fight effectively, you use your bodyweight and as a trained fighter, you simply make proper use of what is already there in nature. Which is probably why he say’s the following:
"Remember this: You don't have to be an athlete to learn how to use your fists. And it doesn't matter whether you're short, fat or skinny, timid or brave. Regardless of your size, shape, or courage, you already have the weapons with which to protect yourself. I repeat: All you have to do is learn to use them correctly."
Even though this was published in 1950, it’s interesting† to note he suggests the current times (‘50s) as being somewhat weak due to some of the boxing knowledge of the London Prize Ring Rules era being forgotten.
He tells of witnessing the mass popularity of boxing and the unfortunate events stemming from that period when everyone from lawyers to bookies was out to make a quick buck from the sport. He blames this indirectly on his big gate takings from his major fights:
"Unfortunately, my big gates did more to commercialise fighting than anything else in pugilistic history. They transformed boxing into a big-time business. As a commercial enterprise, the fight-game began attracting people who knew little or nothing about self-defense. Hoping to make quick money, they flocked into boxing from other fields"
He further goes on to explain how trainers from this period were teaching how to ‘box smart’ instead of teaching them how to defend themselves in the street which is what, to some extent, he sees as the first priority of boxing training. Given his rough life this is understandable and for what it’s worth, it’s very much a theory I believe in myself.
"Because of this commercial, win-on-a-point-as-soon-as-possible attitude among modern instructors, the amateur and professional ranks today are cluttered with futile "club fighters" and "fancy Dans." In the professional game there are so few genuine fighters that promoters find it almost impossible to make enough attractive matches to fill their boxing dates."
So he felt the need to fill this void and write his book pointing out that no one really had a good grasp of how to pass on their knowledge:
"I talked to many fighters, trainers and instructors; and I read every book on boxing I could buy…My conversations and my reading left me utterly amazed at the hazy, incomplete and distorted conceptions of self-defense possessed by many who are supposed to be experts."
He goes on to refer to 10 major points‡ of reason as to why he believed that self-defence was being taught incorrectly.
He starts the book of with a creative analogy about a baby falling from a multi-story building and how that relates to the absolute importance of utilizing your bodyweight to power your punches. And consequently, he bases the foundation of his style on ‘the falling step’:
"It is a quick, convulsive and extremely awkward step. Yet, it's one of the most important steps of your fistic life; for that falling-forward lurch is the rough diamond out of which will be ground the beautiful, straight knockout jolt. It's the gem-movement of straight punching."
He then builds upon that concept with the power line which relates to the 3 knuckle punch and he talks about this as being crucial to good punching power:
"At least nine of every ten fellows who try to box never become good punchers because they never learn how to make their arms and fists serve efficiently as conveyors and exploders. They become "powder-puff" punchers or, at best, only fair hitters. Their punches lack body-weight, explosion and follow-through."
Another technique relating to the hand involves the ‘grabbing snap’ and is in contrast to Haislet’s instruction on turning the wrist over as you punch to add a whip like effect.
He also highlights the importance of proper hand positioning:
"You might call that pinky knuckle the exit of your power line - the muzzle of your cannon…Unless your striking knuckles are pointing in exactly the same direction that your body-weight is moving, you will not have your weight behind the punch nor will you have frozen solidity along the power line when you attempt to explode the punch."
His emphasis on the importance of the jab is obvious:
"I use the expression "left jolt" instead of "left jab" because I don't want you to confuse the type of straight left you will throw, with the futile straight left or "jab" used by most current amateur and professional boxers. Most of them couldn't knock your hat off with their left jabs. With their lefts, they tap, they slap, they flick, they paw, they "paint." Their jabs are used more to confuse than to stun."
And state’s why it’s even superior to the straight right:
"…the left hand is closer than the right to an opponent's head or body. Since it is closer, the left is harder for any opponent to avoid than the more distant right"
And that’s a common thread you will see with different fighters.
"…but those between the ropes know better…The jab short-circuits an opponent’s rhythm, says Scully, repeatedly forcing him back to square one. “There’s guys you can beat with just the jab. Ali used to win rounds with 30 left jabs. Once he started stickin’ it, guys just couldn’t get started. Source"
He differs in his view of what should be learnt first out of defence and attack compared to Haislet.
Haislet writes:
"While hitting is the basis of all boxing, skill in defensive tactics makes it possible for the boxer to attack at the proper time. Defense then is the keynote of attack, and should be developed before attack. "
Dempsey writes:
"I did it (taught punching technique first) for many reasons; but the principal reason was this: The best defense in fighting is an aggressive defense. Each defensive move must be accompanied by a counter-punch or be followed immediately by a counterpunch. And you cannot counter properly if you do not know how to punch…I'm convinced that it's wrong to try to teach beginners punching moves and defensive moves at the same time."
On counter-punching, he goes on to say later in the book:
"Some fighters who never learned to hit on the slip, use delayed counters...had he delivered the body-smash on the slip, his opponent probably would have dropped the right hand instinctively to protect the body, leaving the opponent's chin wide open for a left shovel to the head."
This is something you'll see at an amateur boxing event and whilst people are sparring in the gym. The boxer will evade a punch beautifully, but fail to counter. And it’s a frustrating thing to learn, because often you will see a gap but you aren’t ‘ready’ or alert enough to take advantage.
Both Dempsey and Haislet harmonize when it comes to boxing as the prime conditioning method.
Dempsey writes:
"THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR SPARRING. You must spar regularly and often to become a well-rounded scrapper, regardless of what other exercises you may take."
Haislet writes:
"The best practice to learn how to box is boxing. During an actual round of boxing work toward some definite objective. Don’t ever box just to be boxing. Never play or “fool around.” Stop as soon as fatigue sets in."
He briefly hints that your movement can be off-putting to an opponent.
"The objects of the weave are (1) to make a moving target of your head (from side to side); (2) to make your opponent uncertain about which fist you will throw when you punch; and (3) to make your opponent uncertain about which way you will slip if he punches at you…"
He further talks about how the bob-weave is a good defense against the taller opponent and how he found it to be effective in his career. And of course one of the more well known masters of the bob-weave is no other than Mike Tyson who by all accounts is considered relatively small for a heavyweight.
Feinting can also be a great psychological strategy:
"...when you become an expert feinter, you can force an opponent into fighting your fight. You can induce him to make moves that will open him up-moves that will disclose whether he will block, parry or slip a punch; moves that will prevent his punching when he's set; moves that will prevent you from wasting punches and leaving needless openings."
As too is breaking your opponent’s rhythm:
"…But when the chips are down, rhythm is destroyed. Your opponent's feints, leads, counters and defensive moves will break your rhythm in a hurry and will force your movements, on attack or defense, to be necessities of the split-second-to be violent and broken."
And really fighting is full of broken movements, whether it’s done on the street or in the ring it can be ugly. In sparring you will quickly note how difficult it can be to get used to deflected punches, clinches etc, conditioning is key:
"...a fellow may be a perfectly conditioned athlete for some other activity-like basketball, football, baseball, rodeo, riding, acrobatics, hurdling, wrestling, etc.- but if he hasn't had sparring practice, he will be completely exhausted by two or three minutes of fast fighting. His muscles will be unaccustomed to the movements, and he will be unaccustomed to breathing while making those movements and while being hit."
His talk on hooking is tiresome and difficult to understand, but as long as you comprehend the basics of the hook and know how to throw it properly, his talk about the “sneaker hook” is well worth the time to study.
As you would expect his advice on the different aspects of sparring is very good and even points out a classical beginner’s error. I think that points to evidence of having spent time around raw beginners and it’s another reason that adds to the validity of this book for such people.
"Never close your eyes; no matter what kind of a punch is coming at you, and no matter what kind of a punch you are throwing."
Because this is designed for the absolute novice he finished the book out with very basic training information, but that’s a good thing in my view. There’s also some good information on how to watch a fight with the different things to be mindful of in sizing up fighters, fight characteristics and scoring.
†I say that’s interesting because some people in this present age speak about the current champs with the same sentiments and yet in the same breath hold those from Dempsey’s lifetime in the highest regard.
‡One of those points that I had personally run across before was in a book written by Ned Beaumont titled Championship Street Fighting – Boxing as a Martial Art in which he describes the 3 knuckle punch or what Dempsey mainly refers to as the power line.
