You are a fan of boxing, you have watched hundreds of matches. But every time watching clinching, you still don’t understand why boxers use this technique? And is it allowed in boxing?
Yes, clinching is always a controversial topic when we are in a boxing discussion. And if you are looking for the answer to the above problem, read this article right away to know “why is clinching allowed in Boxing.”
Let’s move on to the next part!
Contents
What Is Clinching?
Clinching is a technique that is frequently used in boxing. Absolutely, for fans of this sport, it is not strange. But for beginners who don’t know about clinching, here is its brief definition.
In simple words, clinching is a term that describes defensive activity in Boxing. It is used to stop your rival’s momentum and only can be used for a short time, and then the referee will cancel it.
Thanks to clinching, the boxer using can fill up energy, and the match is lengthened for a period. However, many audiences confess that this period will slow down the match’s pace and make it boring.
Therefore, this is a controversial strategy and opposed by many. However, is clinching a trick in Boxing? Or is it a defensive strategy? And can anyone who takes advantage of these strategies win a match effortlessly?
Let’s move on to the next parts to see.
What Advantages Can Clinching Bring To Boxers?
Boxers always want to keep attacking continuously throughout the game. However, all the matches are not still favorable. Knowing the defense as well as attack strategy is essential and can be applied to every game.
It is an extremely effective tactic when you are going up against an opponent who is prone to attack and has the right physical conditions. When applying clinching, boxers just wait patiently and launch this strategy at the right time.
It will cause extreme annoyance to their opponent. When they become impatient, that’s when the mistakes happen and is the moment you finish the game.
Besides, by understanding and knowing when to use it, the fighters will easily slow the match’s pace and the pace of attack of your opponent. Lennox Lewis and Guillermo Rigondeaux have become famous boxers for being masters of this technique.
As you can see, clinching can be very useful in the battle, and it can turn your opponent’s advantages to their disadvantages. When fighters use it at the exact time, it can be a lifesaver.
In addition, there are many other circumstances when boxers use the technique of clinching, that are:
- To prevent an attack before it just starts
- To refill energy if they feel tired
- After boxers took a hard attack and they need time to stabilize
- When fighters want to get out of the corner.
- As a strategy to make opponents impatient and annoyed.
What Are The Rules of Clinching?
Although boxers can deploy this technique as a defensive strategy, it is for a short period. Fighters can not clinch their opponents for more than a few seconds. Clinching can also be broken if the opponent predicts the clinching before it starts.
To ensure safety for both sides, when clinching is deployed, the referee will stop it. Then both boxers have to step back completely. This helps to prevent one side from hitting their opponent immediately. This hitting is illegal in Boxing.
As you can see, Clinching is a technique that is well defined in Boxing’s law. This means that it is accepted in this sport.
Why Is Clinching Allowed In Boxing?
What Do The Opponents Say?
When watching any Boxing match, viewers also want to enjoy a thrilling match with continuous and fierce attacks. When clinching occurs and both boxers stop fighting. Immediately, they feel annoyed and lose interest in watching matches.
Especially when the fighters are launching or about to release a series of punches when clinching occurs, it disrupts the viewers’ excited feelings.
Some people also consider clinching unsuitable because some boxers regularly use them every time they run out of energy. If clinching is used 1 or 2 times in a match with the right technique, the fans will be amazed by the boxers’ talent. But using too much makes the viewer feel that this boxer is not physically qualified for the match. And are trying in a match that they have no way to win. They just try to run away from the opponent’s attacks. As a result, the match becomes very boring with many interruptions.
What Do The Supporters Say?
Although it may make the match less attractive, Boxing is just a sport and contains tricks like other sports. Take Football as an example; when a team leads the score at the last minute, they will back up the squad towards the goal to defend.
Along with that will try to pass the ball as much as possible and try to kick the ball far away to waste time and then bring victory to their team. The same goes for basketball, where the winning team waits until the last second to throw the ball to waste as much time as possible and strain their chances of winning.
These are unpopular techniques that are acceptable in other sports to keep the score advantage.
On the other hand, if clinching was completely banned, would a first match be so short would watching such a short first match make it more appealing?
Also, overusing too much clinching would be very harmful. However, not all boxers are like that. In many cases, the boxers need to use this technique to stabilize themselves. Then they will return to the match. It increases the chances to win the match. In addition, it also lengthens the match a little so that the audience can think about the match. This makes the game more worthy of watching.
Allowing Clinching In Boxing
After assessing both views about the use of clinching, we suppose that, for those who love and gain some knowledge of this sport, clinching is not a big problem, and it is an indispensable part of Boxing.
The claim that clinching should be banned in Boxing really ignores what fighters have to go through. A match cannot consist only of consecutive hits from the beginning to the end. It contains both strategic thinking and physical strength.
After all, boxers’ goal is to win at all costs; they may be at a disadvantage physically, but employing tactical thinking, typically clinching and winning in the end. That is really Boxing and really the benefit of clinching.
Read more: Can you fake a kick in boxing?
How To Clinch In Boxing?
Clinching is not an easy technique. To succeed in making it, the boxers need to experience hard practices. To apply clinching in a real match, boxers would use one of three methods:
Take a double over hooks. That is when the boxers hug both hands of the opponent to avoid their punches.
Another way of clinching is to get an over or under hooks. Under hook is to put your hand under your opponent’s armpit to hug him. It is the opposite of under hook. When facing a taller opponent, under hook is often used while over hook is used to clinch a shorter rival. With an opponent who is the same as your height, both under and over hook are suitable to apply.
Take a headlock. This method is very effective to use when facing a shorter opponent. In this case, he can use his lead arm to lock his rival. This headlock is the favorite method of Wladimir Klitschko.
Clinching, though, is an effective method to reduce game pace. However, this could be a double-edged sword if not done properly. Your opponent can hit you with a pillow, or hit your head, or even knock you down. Therefore, in addition to defense, attack skills are health factors that need to be improved for you to win.
In A Nutshell
With this article, we hope you understand “why is clinching allowed in Boxing?”.Clinching is not simply a trick in Boxing. In fact, it is the defensive technique that is very important in this sport. To apply clinching to a real match, boxers need to practice it thousands of times seriously. When clinching is used correctly at the exact time, it could make the match more attractive.
Although this technique can sometimes be controversial, however, it shouldn’t be banned from clinching in every Boxing match.
Thank you for your time!
With a passion for combat sports and a wealth of experience, Mike Colon stands as a seasoned figure in the world of martial arts, hailing from the vibrant city of Las Vegas, Nevada. Mike has honed the skills of numerous fighters, guiding them through the intricacies of the sweet science of Boxing and the multifaceted challenges of MMA.
