HOW TO WATCH BOXING: DON’T TAKE A PICTURE By Adam Abramowitz
W hen watching a boxing broadcast, most outlets will go into the corners between rounds. This vital part of a fight is where valuable information is transmitted from trainer to fighter. These moments are essential in giving the viewer (and the broadcasters) an understanding of what a corner wants to see executed in the next round. The content of these exchanges varies based on the state of the fight. Often a trainer will focus on one or two areas that a fighter needs to correct for the next round. One instruction that can often be heard is “don’t take a picture” or “stop admiring your work.” And although this concept may be part of the boxing vernacular for those who are immersed in the sport, what does “don’t take a picture” actually mean? The easiest explanation is to imagine a fighter who is at midrange. He or she lands a big shot, but instead of following it up or getting out of range, the fighter remains briefly motionless in the pocket. The fighter is looking at the opponent, observing the effect of the punch, seeing if the opponent is damaged. The fighter doesn’t move, throw punches or return their hands to a defensively responsible position. Like a picture, the fighter is frozen in time. In talking with International Boxing Hall of Famer James
“Buddy” McGirt, who’s had a distinguished career as both fighter and trainer, he sees this issue of taking a picture as a big problem with fighters today. And McGirt doesn’t necessarily see it as just a momentary lapse of concentration or even one of overconfidence. He believes that taking a picture
is symptomatic of modern fight styles. Not enough fighters understand how to press an advantage or are comfortable throwing in combination. McGirt believes that too many fighters have become programmed to throw just one punch at a time. The reason
why they may pause after landing a shot is that they might not have it in their arsenal to throw multi- punch combinations.
In addition, many counterpunchers don’t know how to counter in
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