why is pernell whitaker sounding punch drunk when he was a good defensive fighter?

[thealfa]

I had a bad feeling about headgears, because in high school when I tried out for the football team, the football headgear I wore gave me the worst headache I've ever head without even being tackled. It was so heavy that it felt as if my head's weight was disproportionate to my entire body. Something was wrong there so I had to quit. I think getting hit in the head with those helmet/headgear on does more damage than the actual blow. No wonder the NFL has a bigger brain damage/concussion issues than boxing really does. People need to look into this. I think the problem becomes more internal rather than something you could see, external. Just because you didn't bleed people think you're OK.

As for sparring in the gym with boxing headgear and crotch protector, it does make it hard to move to avoid punches. The so called "cushion" is nothing more than padding, it does not make heavy blows less damaging.

I've seen lots of people spar and they appeared to be out of it, I don't get why they do it. Why couldn't they just work on defense and let the real fighting where they actually get paid do the talking? I do not get why boxers spar as if doing well in sparring will determine how they'll do in an actual fight without headgear. It doesn't determine it. James Toney do well in sparring according to some but in the ring not so much as the damage had been done while sparring.

Not sure if it was this forum I had asked about it but someone responded that one needs to spar to determine where their skill level and chin (if they can take a punch) stand? Can they take a punch? Why would anyone have to find out in sparring when it can be found out during the real fight? And if one is able to take a punch during sparring, it's because of the headgear and sparring gloves, and the reason why they are able to be punched to create the illusion that they can take a punch is because the peripheral vision isn't quite there that they are able to be hit, and those little punches that one can "take" adds to the damage. I was always anti sparring but usually the clueless trainers would want to see how you do.

[Don Pichardo]

******* is a helluva drug

Greent. Lol

Also Trinidad did a number on him. Broke his jaw even if I remember correctly.

[Boxfan83]

pernell whitaker sounds a lot like meldrick taylor now. it's mind boggling because pernell had superiro defenseive skills and never got hit flush often. what happened? where did it go wrong for him?

One thing I think people forget when it comes to topics like this is Whittaker had an extended amateur career which means he just didnt start taking blows to the head in the pros, you also have to take into consideration the amount of sparring fighters do and sometimes gym wars can be more wearing believe it or not. If I am not mistaken Whittaker used to spar grown men as a young teen which now that you say hes sounding punch drunk, proves a lot.

[kilojay505]

I had a bad feeling about headgears, because in high school when I tried out for the football team, the football headgear I wore gave me the worst headache I've ever head without even being tackled. It was so heavy that it felt as if my head's weight was disproportionate to my entire body. Something was wrong there so I had to quit. I think getting hit in the head with those helmet/headgear on does more damage than the actual blow. No wonder the NFL has a bigger brain damage/concussion issues than boxing really does. People need to look into this. I think the problem becomes more internal rather than something you could see, external. Just because you didn't bleed people think you're OK.

As for sparring in the gym with boxing headgear and crotch protector, it does make it hard to move to avoid punches. The so called "cushion" is nothing more than padding, it does not make heavy blows less damaging.

I've seen lots of people spar and they appeared to be out of it, I don't get why they do it. Why couldn't they just work on defense and let the real fighting where they actually get paid do the talking? I do not get why boxers spar as if doing well in sparring will determine how they'll do in an actual fight without headgear. It doesn't determine it. James Toney do well in sparring according to some but in the ring not so much as the damage had been done while sparring.

Not sure if it was this forum I had asked about it but someone responded that one needs to spar to determine where their skill level and chin (if they can take a punch) stand? Can they take a punch? Why would anyone have to find out in sparring when it can be found out during the real fight? And if one is able to take a punch during sparring, it's because of the headgear and sparring gloves, and the reason why they are able to be punched to create the illusion that they can take a punch is because the peripheral vision isn't quite there that they are able to be hit, and those little punches that one can "take" adds to the damage. I was always anti sparring but usually the clueless trainers would want to see how you do.

Head gear is for one thing and one thing only preventing cuts. Anyone who says other wise is full of it. I dont know where people get this idea that headgear "softens" the blow. Im not sure what type of gym people ate training at where they get this misinformation. It surprises me to hear others say that it gives people a false sense on protection because if you have ever used headgear you would know the punches you the same. EVERY decent gym ive been to tells their students headgear is for preventing cuts.