Technically sound footwork in boxing is about moving just enough to accomplish a purpose. And two of the best at this balletic art of balance and precision were dominant welterweight champion Jose “Mantequilla” Napoles, and legendary heavyweight knockout artist Joe Louis. With the recent passing of the great Napoles, now is as good a time as any to revisit this excellent video by Lee Wylie as he demonstrates how both “Mantequilla” and “The Brown Bomber” used deliberate and precise steps to bring their lethal offensive weapons into play. Punching power starts with positioning, and it was outstanding footwork that allowed both Louis and Napoles to be exceptionally dominant champions, not to mention all-time greats. Check it out:
‘A most telling anecdote of the measure of just how “good” Napoles was comes from his 1973 title defense against Ernie Lopez. This was their second meeting and while Lopez had been good enough to last into round fifteen the first time around, in the rematch “Mantequilla” was as smooth and as deadly as he’d ever been. By round seven he was looking for the knockout and he found it after landing a pair of powerful hooks and then an uppercut that put the tough Lopez down and out. He lay on the canvas for several minutes and Lopez’s manager, Howie Steindler, whose time in boxing went back to the 1920’s, declared that he had “never [seen] power like that.”
‘Following his death, the accolades and tributes have come thick and fast for a Hall of Fame champion who is universally regarded as one of the greatest welterweights of all-time. Our own Lee Wylie declared that Napoles “is arguably the finest counter-combination puncher in boxing history. In his prime, he was just about as good as it gets. I’m talking Ray Robinson good.”’ From “Remembering Mantequilla” by Neil Crane
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