I don't think Sinister will feel very flattered with the comparison, but when he mentioned fencing, Machda immediately came to my mind. Not because of Rogan's bullshit, but when Lyoto sprung to the scene I ran across /at least/ two blog posts by fencing pros being mesmerized at how close the footwork, stance and tag game were close to what they did.
It's no coincidence, either. These things ultimately spring from armed fighting, which was the best real life laboratory for many centuries. Chinese Xingyiquan is, whatever you may think of it, is a very interesting side example of this phenomenom, because it's their "boxing" but sprung out of lance fighting instead of sword fighting.
The footwork and movements of Lyoto are very much like modern fencing. Sinister is fond of comparing good boxing with the old school Spanish school of rapier fencing, which is a little different from the modern foil and epee stuff, although those bear a few more similarities to the Italian school of swordplay.
The Spanish fencing masters, rather than springing in and out, really focused on finding angles from which to attack effectively and, most importantly, safely. Probably a reaction to the deadliness of rapier fighting, which very often killed or seriously wounded both combatants. So the emphasis on angles and footwork arose from the need to constantly threaten and yet remain safe from the threat of your opponent. Leaping in and relying on speed and surprise (like the Machidas do) wouldn't work well for a lethal fight with rapiers, because you might be leaping on to your opponent's blade. Like so:
One of the most interesting similarities between boxers like Joe Louis and old school fencers, both Spanish and Italian, is the idea of threat. In fencing, you create a threat for your opponent by adopting any number of wards. In German longsword the typical wards are Ochs (the ox), which is a ward that threatens from above; Pflug (the plow), which threatens from beneath. Vom Tag (from the roof), which also threatens from above, albeit with a strike rather than a point; and Alber (the fool), in which the blade is held low, both creating a virtual threat from beneath and a false opening for your opponent.
In rapier, you can see some of the wards or guards in these illustration. I'm afraid I'm not as familiar with rapier terminology as I am with longsword and sword and buckler, but the concepts are the same.
A rapier and dagger equivalent of Pflug, on the left, versus the equivalent of Alber, on the right. An upwards threat versus another upwards threat, albeit a less ready one that presents a false opening to the opponent. You can even see in the fighters stances the similarity to a boxers crouch or, especially in terms of foot placement, with the stance of Chinzo in my other post up there.
A rapier and dagger equivalent of Langort on the left, a guard from sword and buckler meaning "long point" that creates a constant, reaching threat, opposing the rapier and dagger equivalent of Ochs.
These rapier wards can be compared to boxers like Joe Louis because of the various threats that they seek to offer their opponents. Unlike swordsmen, Joe's threats were virtual: a short overhand right that threatened from above, and a sneaky jab that threatened from beneath. The hands aren't held out like blades, but the threat is there all the same, and boxers have the advantage of being able to offer multiple threats at once, as well as create false openings to capitalize on their positioning.
And finally, here's an awesome, gruesome riposte from Capo Ferro which is the grisly equivalent of the slip and jab to the body as a counter to the jab, and the reason why getting in a fist fight is so much nicer than going up against a fellow with a sword.
