Timothy Bradley Jr.: What Jake Paul needs to improve on to win the rematch against Tommy Fury
In his first fight against a “real boxer”, Jake Paul failed to come out victorious, losing a split decision to Tommy Fury on February 26 in Saudi Arabia. After taking his record to 6-0 with victories over another YouTuber, a former NBA player and three former UFC fighters, critics wanted to see Paul, who had claimed he could become a boxing champion before this fight, against another boxer. .
“As long as I stay inspired and continue to love the sport and its rigor, I can be a world champion,” Paul told Sportzshala.
If he is serious about fighting for the championship, now, after the defeat, Paul needs to make an effort. Paul’s loss to Fury wasn’t just due to his lack of skills, experience, or know-how. Being gifted with exceptional punching power is both a blessing and a curse. Paul suffered from what I call “punchercidis”, having the ability to throw punches but relying too heavily on it, abandoning boxing principles and fundamentals.
Paul tried his best to knock Fury out, and you can’t do that in boxing. try to knock out an opponent, because the more you try, the more your punches become telegraphic and readable. A skilled puncher adjusts to the flow of the fight before making his move, naturally adjusting his strength. Paul spent tons of energy looking for the knockout and became predictable. A boxer with Fury’s experience quickly recognized the pattern of attack as Paul moved into the middle distance after the jab, changing level slightly while shuffling with his head down and then his famous overhand right. It got to the point that Fury started noticing the difference in level and tried to time Paul with his right uppercut.
But not only this haunted Paul. Fury’s lateral movement created problems for Paul, whose understanding of distance is not a strong point. Cornering a fast-footed boxer requires basic tactical and technical knowledge of how to cut the ring. Paul lacked the tactical skills to maneuver and corner Fury. Everything tactical in boxing doesn’t necessarily involve punching. Positioning and being in the right place at the right time can support an enforcer. It can also help the fighter work less to gain an advantage.
Fury and his team should be recognized for doing their homework. The defeat was not only Paul’s fault; it also had a lot to do with what Fury was doing. Fury quickly started right out of the gate, jumping on Paul before he even had a chance to warm up. This tactic immediately infuriated Paul, causing him to take his usual high guard and try to tie him up. Fury’s quick combo allowed him to score points. Paul’s reaction (binding) allowed Fury to dodge any counterattacks and put him in a safe position.
With all said and done, plus eight rounds of experience under his belt, can Paul win the rematch? Here are a few things he needs to do, from improving the way he throws punches to adding new ones and learning how to use the ring to his advantage.
How can Jake win the rematch?
Straighten the right cross: Paul can start with a straight right cross instead of looping. He can also throw it more into the body. Paul paid too much attention to Fury’s head and not enough to Fury’s body. Shortening his right cross can be effective, especially in this scenario. It’s all about the legs and requires precise timing of Fury’s attacks. Paul must use Fury’s aggression against him by setting a trap. He can do this by anticipating Fury’s punches with a quick backward step, distributing his weight on his back foot and releasing his right hand as Fury steps forward.
Jab, jab, jab: Paul was able to knock down with a hard inside punch in the 8th round. He needs to apply more of that as he moves forward. Just because a fighter is taller and can have more reach like Fury doesn’t mean you can’t win a jab battle. As Paul saw, jabbing from different slots is a valuable tool. He has to vary the speed of his jab by changing the level and use it to get the space between him and Fury. The jab will also help control Fury’s rhythm, break his timing, and help set up Paul’s powerful punches.
Add an uppercut to your repertoire: The uppercut is one of the most effective punches in boxing. Perfectly timed and directed inward, it is difficult for the opponent to see this shot. Fury isn’t the best player to fight inside, but he prefers to grab and hold, and when he reaches out, there’s a gap between his guards. While I’m at it, I’ll give Paul one more inside wrestling tip: Instead of reaching out to grab and tie himself, he should bring his elbows and arms together, pulling them closer to his center line so that his arms are free from being tied or tied. captured. This will allow him to freely land short strikes in the near zone, including an uppercut.
Cut off the ring: Paul needs to be the leader, not the follower, by cutting the ring. There are different ways to make the square circle appear smaller to the opponent.
Paul needs to get a crash course on how to cut off the ring and corner Fury more than ever. When hitting in place, Paul should be ahead of Fury as he moves right or left until he is cornered or against the ropes. Taking away Fury’s advantage, the movement of his legs, is crucial if Paul is to avenge his defeat.
Implement miss counters: Sliding counters provide cover when the fighter uses hits from the opponent against them. The lighting provided is only momentary, but learning how to dodge and then counterattack will enhance a fighter’s offense. Remember, a fighter with an aggressive defense usually has a productive, dominant offense. Paul must learn to catch, dodge and parry the most basic blows. He has to work on dodging the jab and then on the individual combination for his counterattacks. He will be doing two things at the same time, defense and offense, and will no longer depend on his standard high defense defense.
Vary combinations: To Paul’s credit, he landed some good combinations such as a 2-1 (right cross, jab) and an occasional inside miss followed by a left hook. But he will have to change that in the rematch if he is going to win. He must be creative and learn that every blow thrown does not have to be a hard blow. One-shots, combinations, and throwing set-ups can make Paul less predictable and more effective.
Stop moving backward in a straight line: Paul tends to move backwards in a straight line, allowing Fury to follow him as he steps back. Paul must learn the “two steps back” technique. Usually it’s one step, and sometimes two steps back, but Paul is a beginner, so two steps is quite feasible. He should practice taking two steps back and then rolling under the hook or turning behind the line to put himself in a favorable position for a safe shot. Fury made him pay for that mistake.
Is gender still relevant after defeat?
Yes, more than ever, because the fight was spectacular. Fury and Paul needed each other. Many doubted both and wondered if they were real fighters. Their rematch will be even more exciting and expected by the masses. A lot of people don’t like Paul, but people will still pay to see him struggle… or fail. However, some will pay to see him rise again. Either way, people are watching.
What we learned after the fight
I don’t know what the sport has learned, but I know what I have learned. Everything in life develops. People, business, relationships and even the sport that I love, boxing – for good or for evil. That Sunday, one of my daughters was at the local bowling alley with her soccer team in San Diego. And, of course, it was just before the Paul-Fury fight. The bowling alley was full of families. Music blared and food and drink passed my eyes from where I sat as I stared at my phone, anticipating the main event. But so were the people around me when the fight started.
Adult men and women, as well as several passers-by, were jubilant and full of emotion during the announcement of the ring. As the rounds went on, a crowd of people began to form behind me, and between rounds they discussed who had won the previous round. One lady asked me, “How many points does Tommy have?” Another asked me how someone judges a round.
Most of the viewers weren’t even boxing fans. I would say not even casual fans. This fight showed me that everyone is a boxing fan by nature and if you have the right storylines and two perfect dance partners that demand attention like Jake Paul and Tommy Fury where one plays the villain and the other becomes the hero again . , people will pay every time to see the fall of the villain.
Source: www.espn.com
