Thoughts on Whittaker traning with an Elite Boxing Coach?

I think this is good for him. Even if he wants to mix it up with kicks and wrestling. He still needs to open up with jab to do so and it will leave him vulnerable. Polishing up defense and fundementals will only help him.

Additionally, a boxing coach will know exactly how to punish izzy's lean back defense, it's a big vulnerability that will catch him someday.
 
For the past 4 months or so, Whittaker has been privately training with legendary boxing trainer Jhonny Lewis for this Adesanya rematch.
Jhonny Lewis is sn Australian Boxing coach who's trained six world champions, most notably Kostya Tszyu, Jeff Fenech, Jeff Harding and Gairy St. Clair.

4 months is not a long enough time to completely revamp or improve your boxing drastically but I will say that I for one am intrigued by this. I'm curious as to what kind of things the boxing HoFer has seen in Izzy tape to implement with Bobby. I also wonder if Bobby will have a dirty boxing tactic this time around and be determined to stay in boxing range and keep Izzy there.

I'm excited and looking forward to seeing his gameplan. What do you think experts?
 
The Legendary Scarface said:
For the past 4 months or so, Whittaker has been privately training with legendary boxing trainer Jhonny Lewis for this Adesanya rematch.
Jhonny Lewis is sn Australian Boxing coach who's trained six world champions, most notably Kostya Tszyu, Jeff Fenech, Jeff Harding and Gairy St. Clair.

4 months is not a long enough time to completely revamp or improve your boxing drastically but I will say that I for one am intrigued by this. I'm curious as to what kind of things the boxing HoFer has seen in Izzy tape to implement with Bobby. I also wonder if Bobby will have a dirty boxing tactic this time around and be determined to stay in boxing range and keep Izzy there.

I'm excited and looking forward to seeing his gameplan. What do you think experts?
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I'm interested in it as well. I hope it was an active 4 months and not just a few sessions here and there. I couldn't make out too much from the countdown footage since it seemed like that was filmed maybe when he first started training with him. Didn't look like they were comfortable with the training yet from those clips and Whittaker was still adjusting to that style of boxing training.
 
Whittaker needs to mix it up, incorporate more of his wrestling, but he might not have the size or strength to do it. Israel has his number in the striking.
 
After learning from the last fight and seeing where Jan had his primary success, I would expect Whittaker to try and stick Izzy with that great jab of his, using it and feints to draw out Izzy's counters before seeking reactive takedowns. Far easier said than done but theoretically doable on his very best day.
 
ExitLUPin said:
GSP went undefeated after bringing in Freddie.
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I had put a fun fact about GSP, but moderators delete factual post these days depending which figther you mention.
Freddie is conning MMA guys since poor old Andrei to Askren (Even if Ben was in the joke. He must have a horrible opinion of MMA in general.

A good boxing coach that takes time to understand the sport, is golden, though.
 
Needs to take him down and hold him there for 3/5 rounds.
Zero percent chance judges are going to give points to Whittaker if he simply tries to outpoint Izzy (even if he is way ahead in a round).
 
mjfan23 said:
I grappled with Karlein and actually won our exchange too*.

* we grappled: shook hands and I am certain I got the last squeeze in. He tapped out (tapped me on the shoulder) and walked away
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You know how to pick 'em. You wouldn't try that shit with the GOAT, Mijaín López.
 
Did any of you guys watch the fight? Other than the knock down, Whittaker was landing a lot of his strikes on Izzy. Whittakers jab was very effective and even DC mentioned it. On the rewatch I was surprised by how often Whittaker was touching Izzy with the strikes. I didn't remember Whittaker landing this many times when watching it live the first time. Think Whittaker just needs a more patient approach with some wrestling (take down attempts) mixed in.
 
Training with a Boxing coach when your sport allows you to use all weapons possible against a fighter that was one of the best Kickboxers in the world is not sufficient imo. It's like MMA gets a hardon about Boxing coaches, if you can use kicks, elbows, spinning kicks, takedowns and knees it's best to get proficient at that instead of just punching.
 
Choco said:
You know how to pick 'em. You wouldn't try that shit with the GOAT, Mijaín López.
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I look forward to hand wrestling (handshaking) him ten or so years post his retirement too
 
ExitLUPin said:
More MMA fighters should IMO.

GSP went undefeated after bringing in Freddie.
]
Cub was on the best run of his career and in a title eliminator with Joel Diaz coaching him from 2012-2017. Went 10-3, got grapplefucked by Frankie and lost to Max and Ortega (was boxing up Brian and up on cards before he didnt protect his neck. He beat Stephens, Dustin, Charles, Pearson, Roop, Choi, Hacran, Kawajiri and Siver mostly with boxing
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Yea but in his losses he got kickboxed up like hell. Frankie definitely boxed him up when he needed to, but mixed it up ultimately to beat Cub. Max was beating him up with long range angles like it was easy for him. Alot of his wins didn't age very well either.

Boxing at a high level should be trained but even Cub said himself he spent too much time in boxing gyms and lost because of it.
 
Wrestling is the obvious strategy...

But this isnt math where 1 plus 1 equals 2..theres no guarantees...you need a way to get to the wrestling especially against a guy as elusive as Izzy .


A solid quick crispy jab could open the door for the wrestling for Whittaker , or implementing some sort of boxer/wrestle strategy alla Randy Couture dirty box style could get the job done over 5 rounds...he just needs to box well enough to take izzy's mind off the wrestling...he doesnt need to win the stand up
 
he must feel like shit being cucked by izzy while gastelum went to war and beat the shit out of izzy leaving him barely winning, styles make fights lol i doubt he'll be able to move like gastelum after training his boxing it takes years
 
I think his improved boxing would be complimented better in his wrestling. Keven has 2 inches of reach less than Rob, and he was able to touch and hurt Izzy with the takedown threat being there.
 
Not using a wrestling-heavy gameplan against Izzy after this Jan fight would be fight IQ criminal.

Izzy had nothing on the ground but hold on.
 
TankAbbott4Eva said:
I think he's always sparred with boxers, this is him and Tim Tszyu from a few camps ago

EveLfmPUcAMIvoT
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Damn does Tim
Look like Kostya
 
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