“Hey Kevin- Did you have a specific strategy lined up for Malaipetch?
-Nopstar
“Everyone has a game plan until they get hit” A lot of people like to quote Mike Tyson on this one but it was actually the Brown Bomber, Joe Louis, who originally uttered those words. They were as true then as they are today and apply to everything in life. We all have plans, ways we want things to go, and as long as everything’s going well then it’s easy to stay on track. But, as any fighter will tell you, as soon as you take that first hard shot, game plans tend to fly out the window.
Joe Louis vs Max Baer 1935
Some fighters like to go in with a set game plan and plan of attack for their opponent, others just go in there and fight, that is their game plan. Personally I just like to go in there and fight. Depending on my opponent I may pick a few things that I want to do or know that I need to watch out for but for the most part my game plan is always the same, go forward, stay in their face, break their will, never quit. I try not to worry too much about what my opponent is going to do and focus more on what I’m going to do. I can adjust as the fight goes on if I need to. But just like anything some people will have a lot more success when they have a specific plan of attack for them to stick to, it all just depends the fighter.
I often have people say to me, “You should really take your fights off of the internet, people are going to be able to see how you fight and figure you out.” I always laugh at this for a few reasons. One, every top fighter in the world has tons of easily accessible fight footage that any opponent can study, does this make them any easier to beat, no! I hope people study old fights of me and go in there expecting that fighter. If I fight the same as I did in a previous fight than that means that I’m not improving. So please, study my fights, figure me out, and come to the fight expecting the past model of me. At the same time I want people to figure my flaws out and take advantage of them, that way I can see what I need to change. I never really look at too much footage of my opponents. There are always one or two things I’ll pick out to keep an eye on but for the most part I prefer not to even think about them. What happens if you study someone to a science and then you get in there and they fight completely different? I feel that you need to be able to adjust to whatever happens. What if you train for a specific fighter for two months and then end up having to fight someone else at the last minute, it will completely throw you off.
Rob Kaman & Samart Payakaroon
I’m not saying game plans are pointless, there are plenty of fighters that go in there and game plan someone out and easily beat them. I’m just saying for me I prefer to just focus on what I’m going to do, I can adjust as the fight goes on.
I think the main thing you need to look at is what type of fighter are you. Do you have a Bovystyle where you just go in there, take everything your opponent has and try and knock there spine out. Are you a slick ninja like Samart? I never like to tell anyone that something is wrong or right. If it works for you how can it be wrong. Look how many fighters do things ‘technically’ wrong and KO everyone. What are your thoughts, game plan or not?
December 10, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Forme, a simple game plan that plays to my strengths works well. “I’m going to use my jab. I’m going to change levels. I’m going to wear out his legs.” Et cetera.
I have had fighters pull out on me the day of the fight, so I agree that you can’t get too stuck on a particular plan for a particular fighter. That’s why a general plan that plays to my strengths more than his perceived weaknesses works.
December 10, 2010 at 5:20 pm
Great article. There’s nothing I enjoy more than reading something from a good fighter that can articulate his thoughts and processes.
“I try not to worry too much about what my opponent is going to do and focus more on what I’m going to do.” – I agree that this is the most effective approach and the approach of most of the successful fighters. Its always better to be the predator than it is to be the prey…
December 10, 2010 at 6:30 pm
I remember my first few fights and how much i tried to find out any an everything i could about my opponent and how much i stressed over what my opponent does or doesn’t do. My last few fights i finally stopped being concerned about finding anything on my opponent and just worried about me an how much i was putting into training. It has helped tremendously with my mental state while im preping for a fight.
December 10, 2010 at 8:18 pm
I enjoyed reading this article. I would have to agree with Kevin, and my friend mopey000 above me, when you worry about what your opponent it throws you off of what you want to accomplish. While I was fighting I always had the mindframe of it does not matter what my opponent does because I am going to fight my fight. I always enjoyed going into a fight knowing nothing about my opponent, I have seen some people shit the bed when they find out who they are fighting because they worry too much about what their opponent is going to do and what their opponents strengths are.
December 10, 2010 at 8:31 pm
Haha my dear trainer Pat from Thanachot gym never tells all the details from the opponent, only after the fight… Prob depends on his fighter though, he needs to know how the info affects his boys. All the fighter are different
December 10, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Congrats on another well-written article. I feel that when you watch too much film it puts your mind in a reactive state versus my more proactive aggressive walking-forward style. tBut again everyone is different.
December 10, 2010 at 9:48 pm
I agree with you ^^^^ 100%
December 11, 2010 at 2:30 am
i hate to be a jerk, but that’s joe louis vs. max schmeling….a classic
December 11, 2010 at 3:47 pm
MY gameplan goes out the window as soon as I touch gloves start mixing it up. The fight then goes into a series of smaller gameplans. Say you find out he has a weak clinch,if he does I clinch more. I dont usually pre plan any extensive plan most fighters I know rely on training based instinct and let it flow.
December 11, 2010 at 8:11 pm
no game plan. i train hard, go in and have fun.
December 14, 2010 at 3:43 am
My game plan: I’m southpaw, so i kick to ribs on the right side, If he brings his hands down to block, I aim at his arm. Weaken his arms, then i go in for the kill with punches and knees. It works for me when i fight.
However, when i spar, I work on my defense more. and i try to stick and move more in sparring.
December 16, 2010 at 6:45 pm
For some reason, I didn’t know Yodsanklai was so versed in the English language!