Boxing in real life is not like boxing in movies. No fighter can go 12 rounds just throwing hands all the time. The clinch is used often for strategic purposes, to stop the momentum or interrupt the rhythm of the other fighter. It also is used to get some kind of rest when one is getting pummelled and can't find a way out.
Sometimes it's abused of course. But it is very much a part of the sport.
But then you would have knock outs happen in under a minute. That would provide less value for the people who spent money to either watch the fight or be there in person. I think it's structured in 12 rounds so that the viewers can betterbbe entertained, even though I feel like that doesn't really show who's the better fighter, rather who can hold out the longest.
Yes, clinching as well. Upvote. I just forever hear Mills Lane in my mind yelling 'No Holding! No Holding!'. Never heard it refereed to as hugging though.
In Muay Thai, when your opponent tries to throw a knee, they hold the back of your neck and pull you.
A knee to the stomach or plexus is really powerful, so you have to act fast.
The best defense in those cases is to hold the back of their neck in return, pull them closer so that they cannot strike, and try to throw a knee first.
It ends up with a play of the two opponents holding each other and trying to throw a knee while closing the distance.
And most likely ends up in the dead lock or "hugging" that we see in match.
I'm sure there are other techniques that involve this holding in MMA. Forbidding it would remove those techniques from the game.
It's called the clinch and is a huge part of the sport. There can be a lot happening in the clinch that casual observers won't necessarily see or appreciate. Some of the all-time greats were masters at working the clinch.
You seem to know your stuff, what are the rules of hugging ? What’s preventing an opponent who knows he is up in points to just do that until the end to not risk any comeback?
I know the referees pull them out of the hug but it's just not good when the fighters finally got close enough to go blow for blow then they hug and all the action dies down.
If you are talking about western boxing which I assume you are (No kicks or anything but punches). The human body simply can not go at full pace for 12 rounds like that. If you want to watch some entertainment, fast pace, less hugging check out boxing in the Olympics. They are some mad lads