Monday, September 24, 2012

Going the distance?

I just got done watching a classic Boxing bout between Rocky Marciano and and Joe Walcott. Joe Walcot out weighed Joe by at 20 lbs and was the then current heavyweight champion. And believe me even in the fuzzy film you could tell that Joe wasn't carrying an ounce of fat. In the first round Joe dominated Rocky and even knocked him down for a 5 count. For several rounds Joe looked impenetrable and didn't even blink at Marciano's shots. By the 12th round Marciano lays a no nonsense knock out punch to the tired champion; who then gives up the title. This begs the question how much attention should be paid to endurance? Karate has historically trained for the "one step" the instant knock out split second street fight in order to end a situation as quickly as possible. While kung fu was typically more of a marathon style. I don't know if there is a right answer and I am open to suggestion. Because on the street you might not want the variable of a long altercation. Yet perhaps the instant knock out is out of your grasp against a certain opponent.