Floyd Mayweather JR & the Lost Art of the Jab
By Gina L. Caliboso
“The lead jab is a “feeler.” It is the basis of all other blows, a loose, easy stinger. It is a whip rather than a club. Ali’s theory is to picture hitting a fly with a swatter.” (Taken from Bruce Lee, The Tao of Jeet Kune Do).
Let me explain what I mean about my idea of the lost art of the jab.
The jab is consistently thrown to keep a boxer off balance. The jab is used as a precursor to a combination. If thrown correctly and consistently, the jab annoys and irritates. The jab can be both offensive and defensive. The boxer that throws the jab executes the punch flawlessly and constantly hits his opponent. Think Muhammad Ali. Think Vitali Klitschko. Even in MMA, think about how Georges St. Pierre worked Josh Koscheck. The jab is irritating as hell – but effective – and makes the opponent look like a punching bag.
As there has been recent criticism about how boxing has been lacking in too little KO’s and too many decisions, I’d like to take a look at the current boxers at the top of their perspective weight divisions and break down their jab to a sweet science. Or, at least offer a list of those boxers that have a potential for a good jab, but the art of the jab is now a lost art. Or, as I point out, perhaps even among the best, the jab has been lost. Please also keep in mind that my homage to those with potential for the art of the jab is by no means a “jab” (yes, bad pun here) at the boxers of the past who have excellent jabs.
Light Welterweight: Among light welterweights, I’d have to give the artistic nod to Freddie Roach’s upstart Amir “King” Khan, 24-1, 17 KO’s. To accompany his jab, Khan also has excellent footwork and a good height advantage. Khan has one of the best jabs, but still needs some belief on his part that it can be executed through the course of a 12 round bout. In his bout against Marcos Maidana, Khan used it in the opening rounds, but as the fight continued, it started to fade and he didn’t use it continuously and effectively. A good jab never goes away and if a fighter knows his jab is HIS jab, he’ll continue to use it.
Welterweight: Out of the top 4 welterweights, I’d have to argue that Floyd “Money” Mayweather, JR., 41-0, 25 KO’s, has an excellent and well-timed jab that is always the precursor to a speedy combination flurry of punches.
In his fight against Juan Manuel Marquez, Mayweather, JR., kept his jab fairly consistent and accompanied with speed, it put Marquez off balance.
Light Middleweight: In his bout with Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, 35-2, 28 KO’s, threw a jab in the opening round that stunned Pacquiao. It knocked back his head and it showed how an effective jab should be thrown as the “feeler punch” suggested by Bruce Lee. Again, Cotto has a good jab, but it was even more effective when he did manage to execute the jab in combination.
These days, the artful jab is not used as a single direct punch defensively. But even as I take note to Khan, Mayweather, and Cotto, I’d still put them under the category of a great jab in combination. I know I missed the light middleweight, the middleweight, and the super middleweight divisions, but I really don’t see the top two fighters of each division as boxers with an effective jab.
Heavyweight: Vitali “Dr. Ironfist” Klitschko, 41-2, 38 KO’s. Klitschko has an excellent jab. Even though I find his fighting style boring for a heavyweight, I have to acknowledge that how effective Klitschko executes his jab. It’s well time and he uses it both offensively and defensively. It’s all he does.
I’d also have to recognize Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola, 30-2, 25 KO’s. In his bout against Klitschko, he showed the remnant of a jab to keep him at bay, but again, it’s being able to throw the jab consistently over the course of 12 rounds. A boxer with a good jab doesn’t break down structurally or in combination when used.
Consider this definition: “Used correctly, it (jab) is the sign of the scientific fighter, who uses strategy rather than force. It requires skill and finesse as well as speed and deception (broken timing). Keep in mind that there is nothing worse than a slow jab, except one which is telegraphed.” (Bruce Lee, Tao of Jeet Kune Do)
Finally, I’d like to leave you with another way to look at the jab. I had approached this article thinking I could easily come up with current boxers that have mastered the art of the jab. And while I did a mental checklist for my favorite boxers, I honestly couldn’t come up with anyone who I would label a “jabber.”
So, there it is, a very brief discourse on the lost art of the jab in the sweet science of boxing. I know that all sports undergo an evolution, a transformation for the better. But I don’t think boxing with its current state of decisions instead of KO’s has evolved into something better. Instead, the missing link of the jab has made boxing even less technical.
Consider the definition above. Maybe it’s not the jab that has been completely lost. I’d offer perhaps it’s the modern boxer that is lost in being the “scientific” fighter that can box with the art of the jab.
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