• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Now Boxing

Latest News and Opinions on Boxing

You are here: Home / Opinion Articles / Search and Destroy vs Hide and Seek: The Boxer vs the Swarmer (Ali-Frazier, Holyfield-Tyson)

Search and Destroy vs Hide and Seek: The Boxer vs the Swarmer (Ali-Frazier, Holyfield-Tyson)

April 2, 2019 By Michael Kusi Leave a Comment

This is the prototypical match-up in boxing history, the boxer vs the swarmer.

Historically they are of contrasting styles. The boxer is more deliberate and seeks to use distance as a weapon. He may be a jabber, or use movement, but to maintain distance is the prerogative of the boxer.

The boxer would prefer that the ring be like a basketball court, where movement is unrestricted For the swarmer, closing distance is paramount to him.

The swarmer must shut down all exits, and would prefer that the ring be like a closet so that he could do his dirty work. But regardless of whether the ring is like a basketball court or a closet, it is fast break all the way as both fighters seek to impose their distance on the other.

Muhammad Ali lost the first fight with Joe Frazier primarily because he could not keep distance from Frazier.

The best dancer in heavyweight history was reduced to fighting flat-footed and on the inside exchanging uppercuts. He did not have room to throw his right hand counter because Frazier was right on top of him. One of those uppercuts forced Ali to drop his hands. Which led Frazier to throw a big left hook that dropped him.

In their second fight, Muhammad Ali changed tactics. He did not try to escape from Joe Frazier, but instead held his place and held Frazier’s head down. This forced Frazier’s momentum to a standstill, although Frazier made Ali’s body a target as he came in, he was unable to advance. The referee complained that Frazier should have bent his knees to break the clinch, however, Frazier still would have been unable to advance. Ali broke up Frazier’s assaults brilliantly with the clinch, and as a result Ali won the second match.

In the first fight between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson, Holyfield disrupted Tyson’s forward momentum. He knew that Tyson’s style was made for going forward, and not for being backed up. So Holyfield muscled him out of position and Tyson’s head movement was reduced. He was also reduced to being a one at a time brawler than being a sophisticated swarmer. Holyfield threw power shots to further break up Tyson’s momentum and with the maneuvering of Tyson’s head, Tyson could not advance in his style. Tyson soon grew frustrated but could not adapt to counter Holyfield.

 

In these two cases, Ali vs Frazier and Holyfield vs Tyson, they fought the most sophisticated swarmers of the day by breaking up their forward momentum.

Ali did it with the clinch and Holyfield did it with upper-body strength. But both used their boxing techniques to get victories, even though swarmers have a stylistic advantage over boxers.

Michael Kusi
Michael Kusi

Share This Story:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Filed Under: Opinion Articles

Primary Sidebar

  • About Us
  • Writers
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Top Posts & Pages

  • Jake Paul's Win Over Chavez Jr. Means Little Until He Faces Top-Ranked Boxers
    Jake Paul's Win Over Chavez Jr. Means Little Until He Faces Top-Ranked Boxers
  • Holly Holm vs Yolanda Vega Free Boxing Livestream
    Holly Holm vs Yolanda Vega Free Boxing Livestream
  • The Canelo Alvarez vs. David Benavidez Saga: Analyzing the Claims of Ducking
    The Canelo Alvarez vs. David Benavidez Saga: Analyzing the Claims of Ducking
  • Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Free Livestream Fight Prelims
    Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Free Livestream Fight Prelims
  • Misfits Boxing 20: Darren Till vs. Anthony Taylor Free Fight Live Stream Countdown Show
    Misfits Boxing 20: Darren Till vs. Anthony Taylor Free Fight Live Stream Countdown Show
  • Watch Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Open Workout Livestream on June 25
    Watch Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Open Workout Livestream on June 25
  • Watch Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Live Fight Prelims Free Online
    Watch Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Live Fight Prelims Free Online
  • Watch Brian Viloria vs. Tyson Marquez Live Stream November 17
    Watch Brian Viloria vs. Tyson Marquez Live Stream November 17
  • Freddie Roach "[Fedor is] like Mike Tyson. A lot of guys are scared of him.You have to be fearless against him."
    Freddie Roach "[Fedor is] like Mike Tyson. A lot of guys are scared of him.You have to be fearless against him."
  • Julio Cesar Chavez: I love Manny Pacquiao because he has a big heart
    Julio Cesar Chavez: I love Manny Pacquiao because he has a big heart

Secondary Sidebar




Archives

Search

Footer

Categories

  • Announcements
  • Featured
  • Interviews
  • News
  • Opinion Articles
  • Pictures and Photos
  • Profiles
  • Submitted Articles
  • Uncategorized
  • Videos
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Copyright © 2025 Nowboxing.com

%d