Eddie Alvarez and Boxing
3 posters
Page 1 of 1
Eddie Alvarez and Boxing
Eddie Alvarez is among the greatest MMA fighters on the planet regardless of weight class. However, ask a casual fan about him and you're likely to become the proud recipient of a confused blank stare.
But fans should probably start paying attention, because Alvarez (22-2) now holds the distinction, with the possible exception of Dream's Shinya Aoki, of being the best fighter in the world not currently under contract with Zuffa (owners of Strikeforce and the UFC).
The diminutive Philadelphia-based lightweight has an exciting fan friendly style punctuated by lighting fast hands laced with granite. He's among a handful of lightweights with true one-punch knockout power and is considered by many to have, by far, the best boxing in the sport's lightweight division.
To ask Alvarez, however, his boxing should be pretty good by now, he's been working on it his entire life.
"Growing up in my neighborhood fighting was very popular, and boxing was popular," Alvarez told MMA Fight Corner presented by FiveKnuckles.com. "So instead of playing stickball and hockey, everyone would have boxing gloves. I used to have two or three sets of boxing gloves and I would take them down the block and knock on my friends door and instead of saying, 'Hey you wanna play some stick ball?' I'd say, 'Hey you wanna fight?'
"So we'd go out to the middle of the street, we'd put the gloves on and people would keep rounds and we'd fight. We'd break when a car came down the block, but that's how we played. It seems weird to some people, but fighting and boxing were like our stickball and our hockey."
With his strong boxing pedigree one would imagine that Alvarez might be inclined to try his hand at the sweet science. In fact, he's been prodded to do so on a number of occasions by many, including boxing legend and future hall-of-famer Bernard Hopkins. However, Alvarez is quick to dismiss his abilities as a pure boxer, believing that he wouldn't do well in the sport as a professional.
"I don't think I'd do well," Alvarez said. "Just because in boxing it would be hard for me to make 147. And I know boxers here in Philly at that weight and I spar with them, and I get my (expletive) whooped. They're not no world champions either, but these guys are seriously good. It would be really tough for me. I'd have to develop a whole different style of boxing to be successful.
"Actually Bernard (Hopkins) thinks that I would become a world champion; he said it out of his own mouth that he's never seen an MMA fighter box the way that I box. And I felt good about him saying that, but in the back of my head I'm thinking to myself, 'Nah.' Maybe I'm not as confident in myself as some other people are, but I'm not looking to go into pro boxing any time soon."
Though somewhat bashful about his tremendous boxing skill, Alvarez pulls no punches about the status of his boxing compared with his contemporaries at lightweight in MMA.
"I definitely, 100-percent feel that I have the best hands in the lightweight division," Alvarez said. "If I watch Melvin Guillard, I definitely see a lot of holes. He's quick, he's explosive, but he gets a little wild.
"My boxing trainer is getting Bernard Hopkins ready for his next fight. I train with some real high-level boxers in Philadelphia and they kick my (expletive) two or three times a week, and they all say that I should maybe...
http://www.fiveknuckles.com/mma-news/Eddie-Alvarez-I-definitely-have-the-best-hands-in-the-lightweight-division.html
Also talks about how MMA is run.
Very good interview.
Interview starts at 1 hour, 38 minute mark.
Interview is from May 2011.
But fans should probably start paying attention, because Alvarez (22-2) now holds the distinction, with the possible exception of Dream's Shinya Aoki, of being the best fighter in the world not currently under contract with Zuffa (owners of Strikeforce and the UFC).
The diminutive Philadelphia-based lightweight has an exciting fan friendly style punctuated by lighting fast hands laced with granite. He's among a handful of lightweights with true one-punch knockout power and is considered by many to have, by far, the best boxing in the sport's lightweight division.
To ask Alvarez, however, his boxing should be pretty good by now, he's been working on it his entire life.
"Growing up in my neighborhood fighting was very popular, and boxing was popular," Alvarez told MMA Fight Corner presented by FiveKnuckles.com. "So instead of playing stickball and hockey, everyone would have boxing gloves. I used to have two or three sets of boxing gloves and I would take them down the block and knock on my friends door and instead of saying, 'Hey you wanna play some stick ball?' I'd say, 'Hey you wanna fight?'
"So we'd go out to the middle of the street, we'd put the gloves on and people would keep rounds and we'd fight. We'd break when a car came down the block, but that's how we played. It seems weird to some people, but fighting and boxing were like our stickball and our hockey."
With his strong boxing pedigree one would imagine that Alvarez might be inclined to try his hand at the sweet science. In fact, he's been prodded to do so on a number of occasions by many, including boxing legend and future hall-of-famer Bernard Hopkins. However, Alvarez is quick to dismiss his abilities as a pure boxer, believing that he wouldn't do well in the sport as a professional.
"I don't think I'd do well," Alvarez said. "Just because in boxing it would be hard for me to make 147. And I know boxers here in Philly at that weight and I spar with them, and I get my (expletive) whooped. They're not no world champions either, but these guys are seriously good. It would be really tough for me. I'd have to develop a whole different style of boxing to be successful.
"Actually Bernard (Hopkins) thinks that I would become a world champion; he said it out of his own mouth that he's never seen an MMA fighter box the way that I box. And I felt good about him saying that, but in the back of my head I'm thinking to myself, 'Nah.' Maybe I'm not as confident in myself as some other people are, but I'm not looking to go into pro boxing any time soon."
Though somewhat bashful about his tremendous boxing skill, Alvarez pulls no punches about the status of his boxing compared with his contemporaries at lightweight in MMA.
"I definitely, 100-percent feel that I have the best hands in the lightweight division," Alvarez said. "If I watch Melvin Guillard, I definitely see a lot of holes. He's quick, he's explosive, but he gets a little wild.
"My boxing trainer is getting Bernard Hopkins ready for his next fight. I train with some real high-level boxers in Philadelphia and they kick my (expletive) two or three times a week, and they all say that I should maybe...
http://www.fiveknuckles.com/mma-news/Eddie-Alvarez-I-definitely-have-the-best-hands-in-the-lightweight-division.html
Also talks about how MMA is run.
Very good interview.
Interview starts at 1 hour, 38 minute mark.
Interview is from May 2011.
Last edited by Kid Gavilan on Thu Aug 04, 2011 1:30 pm; edited 1 time in total
Kid Gavilan- Posts : 1791
Join date : 2010-07-10
Age : 105
Location : Andromeda galaxy
Re: Eddie Alvarez and Boxing
His honest, I like that.
CanadianAssault- Gnarly
- Posts : 5456
Join date : 2010-07-05
Age : 25
Location : http://www.global-mma.com/
Re: Eddie Alvarez and Boxing
I love how Eddie basically changed B-Hop's entire stance on the sport of MMA.
WAR EDDIE ALVAREZ
WAR EDDIE ALVAREZ
Jride- Business As Usual
- Posts : 7523
Join date : 2010-07-02
Age : 32
Location : Stockton
Re: Eddie Alvarez and Boxing
Jride wrote:I love how Eddie basically changed B-Hop's entire stance on the sport of MMA.
WAR EDDIE ALVAREZ
I want my old b-hop back
CanadianAssault- Gnarly
- Posts : 5456
Join date : 2010-07-05
Age : 25
Location : http://www.global-mma.com/
Similar topics
» Nycto hl vids
» Boxing in the Hallway...My Favorite Boxing Vloggers
» [BOXING MADNESS] loads and loads of great boxing material!!!
» Boxing will ALWAYS be #1
» Matthew Hatton Vs. Saúl Álvarez
» Boxing in the Hallway...My Favorite Boxing Vloggers
» [BOXING MADNESS] loads and loads of great boxing material!!!
» Boxing will ALWAYS be #1
» Matthew Hatton Vs. Saúl Álvarez
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
|
|