1 of my fav pad sessions of all time Joe N Enzo Calzaghe

[BarryRobinson]

There are so many different ways to hold the mitts. I love the session for so many reasons. I won't go in order...

Joe has 20 oz gloves here and his hand speed is other worldly

Enzo doesn't give defense back with the mitts, instead they're defense is footwork and offense which is the way Joe fought anyway.

Enzo got skills! Swag! I love how he catches the straight left with both hands depending on what combo they are throwing. Enzo explained to me when I was in London that there are many targets on the face (black belt ****)

Also train how you fight so even though technically you can throw every boxing manual you ever seen out the book during this session...I Love it! There is no right or wrong way just train it drills>sparring>fight

I am probably responsible for 1000 views on this video I love it!

[big paulie]

Enzo was doing most of the work there

[Ray Corso]

I wonder how much time he spent on the mitts compared to a heavy bag??
Ray.

[DIB42]

Enzo was doing most of the work there

This is kind of how it looked to me as well. But its an open workout, so its supposed to be flashy.

IMO I think Enzo is doing more hitting than catching with the mitts here.

Joe's got some speed with those 20oz though.

[mnikolovm]

He beat Roy Jones now is trying to be second him....

[TheAuthority]

I wonder how much time he spent on the mitts compared to a heavy bag??
Ray.

What's your thinking here mate?

[Ray Corso]

Hey mate; The Mitts are over used! Nice tool for putting combos together, getting a verbal system down between trainer & fighter, gaining speed and working on steps (forward, circling, stepping off) BUT I see more punches delivered in a fight now a days as if the mitts were in front rather than a heavy bag!! In an era when sitting down on punches has dwindled and the return to flashing combos instead of "punching through" not enough time is spent on power!!!
Then theres the different styles used with the Mitts, the fellow in the video is "catcher" and that promotes the punch being stopped on impact, thats exactly what you don't want from a punch!!
When the Mitts are "over used" your sunconscienely training the fighter to punch without power!!!
Now I understand that the session above was a promo and I too used to use the Mitts as a "finishing" session in the gym once we were out about 5 to 6 days from a fight because I did use the Mitts to brightened up my fighter prior to the bell! I'm just concerned that this tool is widely seen now and its use has been altered to a detriment.
The use of Mitts is one of the biggest changes in training in the last 35 years! Again its a great tool for instruction because the time that any trainer can actually spar with a fighter gets limited very quickly because of age .

I sparred 20 to 25 rounds every Sat morning from the age of 18 till I was 35 yrs old. This was the best time to instruct my younger kids with boxing fundimentals starting with the open class down to the J.O. kids!! The pads became more valuable once I wasn't efficient in the spar ring (to slow reactions gone) hahahaha!!! When I look at Floyd Mayweather and imagine this kid with more power and the beautifull mind set that it brings he could have been so much better than a step away counter guy!! Now your born with pure power but I can get alot more power out of any fighter with proper techniques being taught and the utilization of the proper gear. Then you work on the mental approach needed to apply these methods and you have a superior puncher. I've worked with some of boxing very best punchers in the heavyweight division and if I could add some power or pop (speed) to them imagine what could be done from the start!! Every tool has a purpose but at times I think the Mitts can be counter protuctive! Ray.

[BarryRobinson]

In my opinion especially as a trainer, every fighter fights different. If I'm in a mental box as a trainer and try to make everybody a killer, not sure that's too smart. "Limited trainers make limited fighters."

Mike Tyson can punch.... Mike Tyson also was mean and really wanted to hurt you. I've personally held the mitts for many Pro Athletes Boxing to MMA. A lot of guys can punch hard...A lot of guys want to knock people out. A lot of those guys are not ****ing crazy with very bad/evil thoughts like Mike Tyson. Or A lot of guys want to punch hard but few guys in the history of boxing truly committed to throwing power punches. When I say committed, I mean guys that regardless of what was coming back they were going to sit down and throw hard punches. It's a dangerous risk in professional boxing and guys that crazy come along once in a while.

In the video above I love that the mitt work you see in this video.....2 rounds of Joe's 20 year career as a fighter.... it is work that suits his style as explained in detail above. Not sure how this thread turned into a debate about whether you should hold the mitts or not.Speaking of which watch my Andre Ward Heavy Bag Training Break Down on my youtube channel...don't be selective else you only get a microcosm of the things we like to discuss regarding boxing training.

In regards to guys with punching power and killers. I agree knockouts are awesome... but I'm not a fan, I train so it's better for me to work on and discuss boxing skills. Guys get Knocked Out relying on "power" and "being a killer"

Seth Mitchell
Amir Khan
Paul Williams
Ricky Hatton
Juan Diaz
Michael Katsidis
Manny Pacquiao

too name a few.

Train Smart.

Jump Rope, Shadow Boxing, Sparring Drills-Open Sparring, Hitting Various Bags, Conditioning, Boxing Drills, Pad Work are all apart of training but I thought that would go without me saying it at the start of this thread. Unlike a lot of stubborn older trainers I learn a lot from studying all of boxing from training videos, fights, and even interviews. I learned from watching this mitt work session. I hope others did too.

[Ray Corso]

Is NOT a debate Barry, I was commenting to my Brit Trainer friend who is training his young son and he's interested in different approaches regarding Methods & Techniques!

I have held Mitts for Tyson when he was a kid and he had as much power as a man when he was 15yrs old! I agree that the hard hitters benefited from a desire to hurt people. I always point to LaMotta as an example of someone who's looking to break his opponent down by pressure and punching in bunches. He wasn't a one punch guy but his attitude ADDED to his ferocity.
Its an attitude thats certainly not common place today!! Ray.

[TheAuthority]

Hey mate; The Mitts are over used! Nice tool for putting combos together, getting a verbal system down between trainer & fighter, gaining speed and working on steps (forward, circling, stepping off) BUT I see more punches delivered in a fight now a days as if the mitts were in front rather than a heavy bag!! In an era when sitting down on punches has dwindled and the return to flashing combos instead of "punching through" not enough time is spent on power!!!
Then theres the different styles used with the Mitts, the fellow in the video is "catcher" and that promotes the punch being stopped on impact, thats exactly what you don't want from a punch!!
When the Mitts are "over used" your sunconscienely training the fighter to punch without power!!!
Now I understand that the session above was a promo and I too used to use the Mitts as a "finishing" session in the gym once we were out about 5 to 6 days from a fight because I did use the Mitts to brightened up my fighter prior to the bell! I'm just concerned that this tool is widely seen now and its use has been altered to a detriment.
The use of Mitts is one of the biggest changes in training in the last 35 years! Again its a great tool for instruction because the time that any trainer can actually spar with a fighter gets limited very quickly because of age .

I sparred 20 to 25 rounds every Sat morning from the age of 18 till I was 35 yrs old. This was the best time to instruct my younger kids with boxing fundimentals starting with the open class down to the J.O. kids!! The pads became more valuable once I wasn't efficient in the spar ring (to slow reactions gone) hahahaha!!! When I look at Floyd Mayweather and imagine this kid with more power and the beautifull mind set that it brings he could have been so much better than a step away counter guy!! Now your born with pure power but I can get alot more power out of any fighter with proper techniques being taught and the utilization of the proper gear. Then you work on the mental approach needed to apply these methods and you have a superior puncher. I've worked with some of boxing very best punchers in the heavyweight division and if I could add some power or pop (speed) to them imagine what could be done from the start!! Every tool has a purpose but at times I think the Mitts can be counter protuctive! Ray.

Thanks for the reply Ray.

I see what you are saying mate.