In my last entry, I shared an instructional boxing video that was created by Jeff Mayweather. Fortunately, Jeff isn’t the only Mayweather who is willing to share his boxing wisdom. Many years ago, Roger Mayweather also created an instructional boxing video. The old footage is certainly worth a look as you’ll learn much more than the flashy mitt routine that Roger and Floyd have popularized.

The Mayweather Mitt System

There’s no doubt that Roger Mayweather’s mitt system has become well known in recent years. The comedic video below from Kevin Hart offers a classic example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbC00T-3eS4

What many fail to realize is that there is much more to Roger Mayweather’s boxing knowledge than a flashy mitt routine. For starters, Roger had over 70 bouts as a professional fighter. He was a former world champion who racked up 59 wins over a lengthy career.

Thus, while certain trainers may scrutinize Roger’s mitt system, he’s been around long enough to know what works for his fighters. There’s also much more to his training than the flashy, choreographed segments that are typically filmed with Floyd.

Roger Mayweather – Instructional Video

Roger’s complete instructional video can be found below. Please note that the sound quality isn’t the best, but tends to improve midway through (where most of the actual instruction is found).

Real Punches vs. Mayweather Mitts

The biggest knock that you’ll see against Roger’s mitt work is that it doesn’t always consist of real punches. When he’s working with Floyd, the mitt work often resembles an extended cardiovascular routine. It also helps to keep Floyd’s reactions sharp without beating his body down. So you’ve essentially got a continuous conditioning exercise that aids (or maintains) Floyd’s reactions and defense. That’s not a bad thing, particularly for a fighter of Floyd’s caliber. Don’t forget that Floyd’s been boxing for over 30 years so doesn’t need the same type of work that a novice amateur would.

Furthermore, I’ve noticed that this type of mitt work tends to make the fighter feel better about himself. A fighter who looks sharp on the mitts will typically feel sharp as well. And while that may not seem significant, the mental aspects of this sport are often overlooked. How a fighter feels about himself will often dictate how he performs. Confidence is extremely important. Every little bit helps.

Final Thoughts

In summary, I’m not suggesting that all trainers copy the Mayweather mitt system, but I do believe that certain aspects can be included on occasion. There’s nothing wrong with mixing in some flashier reaction work in addition to the real punches and combinations.

As Bruce Lee would say,

“Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, add what is uniquely your own.”

You can’t go wrong when you apply Bruce Lee’s advice whenever you see a new or different approach to training. In other words, don’t try to copy Roger’s approach, but do study it in hopes of adding bits and pieces to your existing arsenal.

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