Do any of the old pugilistic manuals address the issue of proper fist formation for bare-knuckle use?
Author Ned Beaumont in his Championship Streetfighting and, seemingly, Carl Cestari (from what I can make out on the fuzzy video) both teach that the bare-knucklers formed the fist by (1) laying open the hand; (2) bending the fingers at the middle joints to place the tips at the top of the palm, where it meets the fingers; (3) rolling the fingers downward into the palm, simultaneously squeezing the phalanges together, laterally, to form a tight mass; and then (4) closing the thumb over the outside.
This method helps to ensure there are no gaps. Mark Hatmaker advocates a similar technique, instead with the fingers being rolled into the palm in a graduated fashion, starting with the little finger and
finishing with the index finger.
However, all of the above are modern sources. There are a fair number of old boxing texts, and I'm wondering if any of them go into detail regarding the forming of the fist for bare-knuckle combat. Dempsey's book relies upon the convulsive grab to close any gaps, and that may well be sufficient, but he doesn't really touch on the matter beyond that. Too, others, such as Haislett in his Boxing, say simply to close the fingers into the middle of the palm, which I think, clearly, lends itself to gloved boxing and not its predecessor.
When I inquired, Hatmaker told me he learned from "old school" boxing scuttlebutt and Ralph told me that Carl had actually studied boxing under some fellows who's trainers' had been bare-knucklers.
Do any of the old pugilistic manuals address the issue of proper fist formation for bare-knuckle use? Author Ned Beaumont in his Championship Streetfighting...
... Edwin Haislet, though though that's 1940. I think Sullivan does. I know that he has *illustrations* anyhow. So does Corbett. Very clear photos of how to...
Thanks, Kirk. Where can I find this Sullivan source? Yes, I have a copy of Haislett's book, and it seems what he recommends is better-suited to glove work....
... You can grab it from my personal server. http://lklawson.isa-geek.org/sync/Martial_Arts/European/Boxing/Boxing-Sullivan/pdf/jamesesulbook.pdf Peace favor...
Sorry, the order of these posts is out. Donnelly is available from your server? Andrew ... From: Kirk "Rabid Weasel" Lawson <lawson@...> Subject: Re:...
Much obliged. I thought it was John L. you were referring to. Didn't realize it was some other chap by the same surname. Andrew ... From: Kirk "Rabid Weasel"...
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