Let us talk about the strategic realities that
manifested in the curious times where sport and illegal activity joined hands
across the aisle.
A time when boxing/combination-fighting was mighty
popular but also very illegal.
A time before seconds could negotiate for ring sizes,
rope tension, ring surface, dimensions of rosin boxes, “Who enters the ring
first,” “Who gets the sun in his corner,” “Let me inspect that glove,” and
the myriad details that have come to riddle the negotiations of modern era
boxing and MMA.
There was a class of fighting that existed outside the
illegal [at the time] boxing of the early fistic era. A class of fighting that
was even illegaler, to coin a clumsy word. If early “illegal” boxing was far
looser in rules and more admitting of tactics than the modern era [which it
was] this twin class of illegal activity was more so.
Where this early “illegal” boxing admitted just the
bare-fist, but… those self-same fists wielded in manners a bit less orthodox [Jack
Slack’s “Choppers” being just one case in point.] It also permitted, if not
featured, the cross-buttocks throw and various tripping tactics that would render
modern era clinching a sucker’s game.
This twin illegal class of fighting admitted all the
tools of “illegal” boxing plus a wide variety of add-ons: low-line kicking [particularly
of the lumberjack and Gaelic speachóireacht], elbows, head-butts, and,
well, all that illegal negotiations and non-negotiated “Get away withs”
would allow.
This early class of illegal fighting can be thought of
as an off-shoot of both illegal boxing and combination-fighting, and would go
under many names, the name that has always stuck with me is Boombattle, and
that is what we shall proceed with.
Here, we do not want to delve into this wide arsenal,
we do just that on the instructional series Boombattle 1.
What we want to do here is to feature the curious
reliance on constricted offense, also called restricted defense, that is part
and parcel of this violent “game.”
Boombattle
possesses little of the ring generalship that we see in boxing [early or modern
era] or even modern MMA with its 30-foot diameter octagon.
Boxing rings and octagons are dedicated fields of
play. That is, smooth unobstructed surfaces with known dimensions where even slick
spots on the canvas [water, sweat, blood] are mopped up by the referee to
protect the fighters.
Boombattle
had no set fighting field size. No known “ahead of time” uprights—boxers know
to expect ropes, turnbuckles and even approximate rope tension. MMA fighters
know cage panel position and distance between uprights.
There were no “mop ups” of sweat, blood, beer, water
in the case of barge fighting etc. [Fighting on barges adrift was common as a
tactic to evade the po-po.]
The fighters often were not even sure of the venue as these
could change at any moment. Changes were frequent to stay one step ahead of the
law. There are many bouts that would be moved mere minutes before the start,
and quite a few that were moved mid-bout as word that the law was coming would
interrupt.
Imagine fighting in a saloon basement on moldy cobblestones
with the press of whiskey barrels all around and a low-hanging beam to
negotiate. Four rounds in, you are just getting a feel for the footing and the distance,
when the look-out sings the scatter.
One hour later you are on a pitching, rolling barge
with hawsers crisscrossing the deck to snare ankles like gigantic spider’s webs
and you are asked to pick up fighting just where you left off.
The illegal nature of Boombattle itself and its
ever-changing non-regulated fighting surfaces, uprights, and hazards dictated
that tactics must change.
Fast, fleet, fluid footwork may not be optimal here.
“Getting on your bicycle” to tire the big puncher
or to clear the head is not on the table.
You can’t even rest in the clinch as the clinch was an
unregulated hazard unto itself.
The illegal nature of the game itself led to
innovations in footwork and tactical approach.
Shifting became a larger part of the game, in essence,
turning one and all into pre-Depression Marvin Haglers of ambidexterity.
Twist defense became a necessity as lateral movement
and assumed clean pivots may not be permitted in the varied terrain
encountered.
Even the kicking tactics took into account the constricted/restricted
nature of the game focusing on fibular incapacitation and “pocket kicking” to
prevent “blow-aways.”
If one thinks, “Hmm, sounds like an ideal “game”
for street-transfer” one would be 100% correct.
Boombattle
was a game of wide arsenal, unusual offensive and defensive ploys, keen on Alley
Clinch tactics, and a big utilizer of the constricted takedowns we cover in
scrupulous detail on Garrison Fighting 1.
Boombattle
was an early American blending of much mayhem.
Gorgeously well-thought-out mayhem that attempted to
correct for the unknown circumstances of a non-regulated “playing field.”
You’ve read the words.
You wanna be the Man and get to training like a
Boombattler?
See here for more information.
Mull these
further resources, Warriors!
The Black Box Training Warehouse for All Things Rough n Tumble
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