On boxing style and kung fu inflections

Bruce Lee

Man imitates animal - in the fight scene . . . . To learn from the animal kingdom was - and is - Man's desperation for survival . . . for the privilege of mating partners.  Traditionally, and currently, to this day. 

He has worshipped animal.  And he pays honor to animal.  He studies, and incorporates the animal into his life.  Man stakes his very life on the success of that animal's disposition to thwart the most excruciating murder.  He has looked into the eye of the Tiger, forever unfearing even upon the relatively soft glance of Satan himself.  Respect, awe, and admiration is eternally carved in man's mind and heart for the animal, embedded into the collective unconscious of the whole.

The metaphors gave birth to pondering, even before civilization knew itself to be civilized.  And those metaphors bore the irrefutable images of animal.  Joseph Campbell taught us - not opined, but taught us - that you cannot predict man's myths just as you cannot predict the dreams man will have this evening.  And the myths are full of lions, bears, snakes, grasshoppers, and tigers.

The animistic rituals conveyed a respect - and probably fear of - the surrounding environment; too strange to the unscientific brute. 

Man himself was (and is) an animal.  He ate raw, bloody meat . . . drank dirty water . . . slept on insect-filled dirt . . . walked barefoot in grass littered with hidden and poisonous serpents . . . slept in the cave that invited prowling bears . . . killed with righteousness in a vociferous, ancient yelp at the celebratory blood thirst.  At the dark night filled only with shining stars and moon, the howling wolf reminded him that he can only be PREY until the day he dies.  And so man, identified a hobby in prize fighting, in which he no longer feared death.  A predicament he shared perfectly, and which universally mirrored daily harsh life.  NO MERCY.  And so in prize fighting, he showed no mercy.  "I will express what the animal kingdom expresses unto me" . . . no mercy.

Blood was golden.  Butchered brain was platinum.  Scalp was decoration.  Scattered skull fragments superiority's medals and ribbons.  The desperate breathing of a dying boar - or opposing tribesman - invite unto an unhesitating spear deep inside the flesh.

DIE!!!

In 1934, Jin Jing Zhong published 72 Shaolin Arts Practice Method which claims to reveal authentic Shaolin training methods.  Such regimen as well as physical and mental instruction were to produce extraordinary skills and abilities.  These included iron body techniques, jumping and wall scaling techniques, leaping dexterity training, pressure-point and nerve manipulation, and others.  Zhing claimed that these skills could be mastered between three and ten years.

Boxing may trace (a few of) its roots to the ancient Greeks and Romans.  Free men, women, aristocrats, criminals, and slaves fought, typically with leather straps.  Chinese martial arts began to emerge over 3,000 years ago, with the rising need for an evolved defensive measure (other than hitting an enemy or foe with a club, stick or large rock).

The evolution has continued throughout the centuries as fighters discover ways in the human anatomy that can be inflicted with blows with effective intent.  We explore a few boxing styles, and from the viewpoint of kung fu, explore and discover similarities to the following fight styles.

Fighting Styles

In the martial arts / prize fight world, a warrior can command one or several styles, each with a mastery of a coordinated set of skills, movement, and footwork:

1. Shaolin (long-range fighting)
   
2. Tiger (power fighting)
   
3. White Crane (four principles of hurt, evade, penetrate and intercept)
   
4. Praying Mantis (close range fighting, offensive blocking, and sudden, whip-like attacks on vital organs)
   
5. Monkey (unusual/unpredictable hopping, comical, and lethal defense)
   

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1.  Shaolin style

In the traditional sense of martial arts, you often find exaggerated low stances, and strong hand / fist utilization.  Stance training requires great effort.  In applying such elongated, physical gestures unto boxing, we can infer the usage of movement and footwork by way of extreme and conscious application of the legs.  The legs are longer than the arms, and provide a much greater range of possible angles and agility for the rest of the body.  Additionally, the use of the leg's power adds pack to the power punch.

Additionally, the body language conveys a great study of the opponent, as the opportunistic mindset wishes to strike only at favorable angles and timing.  Such approach requires, and breeds, foresight.  Knowing what your enemy will do, you defend or attack with the optimal response.

Traits:

• Foresight and ability to anticipate
• Accuracy and opportunism
• Distance
• Leveraging the leg's power to add pop to blows
• Frustrating the enemy

Examples of boxers displaying shaolin style characteristics:

(1) Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
(2) Roy Jones, Jr

                                                 Roy Jones, Jr. fight video

 2.  Tiger style

Fu Jow Pai in Chinese translates to "Tiger Claw System," is thought to have originated from Hoy Hong Temple.  Given its moniker after the powerful (and rare) animal, this fighting system mirrors the demeanor and fighting strategy of an attacking tiger.  Subtlety and insinuations in movement are weaknesses.  Boxers who have this approach clearly have a heart that wishes to "tear," "rip apart," and "annihilate" his foe, with such intent manifesting in physical form in the squared ring. 

Traits:

• Power
• Lightning fast strikes
• Intensity
• Snap and pop
• Viciousness

Examples of boxers displaying tiger style characteristics:

(1) Mike Tyson
(2) Manny Pacquiao

If an opponent gets caught in the frontal attack, those "claws" (power punches) can spell doom.  It is best to stay away from range, to use footwork, and to have impeccable timing at vital organs against this style.  It is possible to use superior movement to drain energy out of the tiger, and to avoid its range.  You cannot out-power or out-muscle a tiger.  You can only outsmart it.

During the Second Punic War, when the ancient Romans fought against the multi-regional Carthaginian force of the brilliant Hannibal, large losses forced the Romans to alter its strategy.  Instead of frontal, predictable attacks against Hannibal, which resulted in repeated disasters, they attacked when the Carthaginians least expected it:  when the Hannibal's forces foraged for food in small units, when they fetched water, when they went on scouting missions.  The Romans ambushed and won almost every time.

When you cannot beat someone who is more vicious and more vigorous than you, outbox him.  Ask Evander Holyfield . . .

                                              Mike Tyson fight video

3.  White Crane style

What we find is an emphasis on high steps and sweeping diversions of attacks - pretend, and make the enemy think a certain way.  The fighter executes with high kicks and strikes.  Obviously, the leg attacks here do not apply to boxing.  Right?

While most attacks are conducted by way of the puncher's gloves, elbows, head-butts, and the use of legs can all help to defeat the foe.  Knees can be placed, and pierced into, tender places of the inner thigh, as well as, sensitive areas around the knee, and at certain angles - when the ref is not looking.  Historically, the white crane style emphasizes intricate hand movements, to include close-range fighting.  In boxing, clenching and holding can translate to less damage and recovery time for a boxer, as he buys time and waits for the bell.

Fighting with height can work in boxing, where there is often a lot of discussion on weight differences.  Using height changes the dynamic of the fight, and can make retaliatory head shots more difficult.  Combined with effective jabs, incremental damage can be done while keeping one's foe (relatively) at bay.

Traits:

• Hurt
• Evade
• Penetrate
• Intercept

Examples of boxers displaying white crane style characteristics:

• Vladimir Klitschko
• Sugar Ray Leonard

4.  Praying Mantis style

As expected, the masters have attempted to imitate the offensive and defensive movements of the preying mantis.  The little insect's disposition is that of aggressiveness, inspiring men to adopt its formulaic nuances. 

It is long, narrow, heavily armored, and predatory.  It cannot withstand perpendicular forces. So it will search for vital organs with whip-like and circular motions.  It has to deflect direct attacks.

Boxers such as these study the human anatomy: where the vulnerable jaw muscles, the kidney, the liver, the soft spots of the rib cage - that shot to the bottom of the lungs that simulates a hand grenade exploding in your chest.  BOOM.  You will find the "blocking to create a gap" and adding rapid attack to stun, stagger, or simply beat down like a rabies-infected mutt.

Traits:

• Whip-like, circular attacks
• Targetting the vital organs
• The occasional attempt at physical injury
• Shock hits

Examples of boxers displaying preying mantis style characteristics:

• Ricky Hatton
  
• Evander Holyfield
  

5.  Monkey style

Here, we connect to our ancestral subconscious of dreams that imitate these mammals in the jungle fighting.  A more acrobatic and exaggerated style, the movements execute - and feign - falling, jumping, dancing, grabbing, frustrating, tumbling.  Certain training is concentrated on upper body, forearms, fists, low stances, and complete body coordination.

The crowd laughs.  Amused.  Are they laughing at you?  Are you acting like a fool in the boxing ring?  Your response becomes predictable.  The flamboyance and comedy reflect the monkey style.  You will find numerous differing interpretations.  This is boxing.  You'll know when you see it, because they are rare. 

Traits:

• Unpredictable and unconventional
• Infuriating and comical
• Difficult to train and prepare for
• Mysterious and away from familiar elements
• Surprising blows

Examples of boxers displaying monkey style characteristics:

• Prince Naseem Hamed
  
• Pernell "Sweat Pea" Whitaker

                                  Prince Naseem Hamed fight video

More boxing articles: Michael Marley, New York Boxing Examiner

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