Do Fight Camps last too long?

Afternoon all

Does anyone think that modern day fight camps go on for too long? Some fighters are in camp for 3 months per fight! How long do you actually need to train for a fight - what do you think is necessary?

Most boxers live a clean (ish) life and don't blow up between fights, so not so much cardio training required - definitely not 3 months. Tactial training and sparring is probably the main focus of camps but how long to you think fighters need?

This probably contributes to boxers fighting less frequently these days in comparison to 10 years ago.

What are your thoughts?

Cheers
Daz

My instinct is a camp of that length is not really necessary except for guys like Hatton who blow up in weight and lets be honest the first few weeks of someone like his camp are a diet rather than a training camp. However think the length of the camp is just a reflection of how long fighters are out of action between fights, if they fought more frequently it would not take so long to shake off the rust and get the muscles and body responding again.

If we take Khan for example - he lives very clean, eats the right things, doesnt drink or smoke. He was in the Peterson camp for 3 months. Why would this be necessary for someone who is generally in tip top shape, particularly for someone as young as Khan.

Since he managed to enter the ring still without a clue how to fight on the inside would suggest Khan's last camp was perhaps too short.

rowley wrote:Since he managed to enter the ring still without a clue how to fight on the inside would suggest Khan's last camp was perhaps too short.

Haha! I don't think any camp is long enough for Khan to learn inside fighting. Maybe 2 months of his camp were spent on how to raise your hands in the air and get pummelled on the ropes.

It depends on the camp and what you are doing in it. I doubt in a 3 month camp they are going flat out from day one for 3 months. Its probably a slow build up in training and intensity before tailing off at the end. I imagine alot of it refers to diet and so on aswell to ensure weight is kept manageable.

I would imagine that diet would come into in a big way, as well as marketing and promotion. Just feel it is still too long, if this was reduced to 2 months - perhaps top tier fights would squeeze in 1 or 2 more fights in a year.

Daz wrote:I would imagine that diet would come into in a big way, as well as marketing and promotion. Just feel it is still too long, if this was reduced to 2 months - perhaps top tier fights would squeeze in 1 or 2 more fights in a year.

I see it as being somewhat vice/versa to that. I dont really think its fight camps that are the cause of fighters fighting less. Its a choice thing I think they could definately more often if they wanted to, but because they dont they have longer to spend on fight camps.

Fight camp is fairly vague in any event. Its not really clear what that means. No doubt its different things for different fighters. Just going down to the gym, light work outs, sparring, running etc probably encompasses being in camp but I think the real work generally starts about 5/6 weeks before the fight. You dont want to risk a fighter being burnt out by the time the fight arrives.

Daz wrote:If we take Khan for example - he lives very clean, eats the right things, doesnt drink or smoke. He was in the Peterson camp for 3 months. Why would this be necessary for someone who is generally in tip top shape, particularly for someone as young as Khan.

id argue that the longer spent in camp for someone young like khan would be beneficial.
he's still learning the game, and roach could teach him a lot if he can get through to him. as could the high quality of sparring partners and other fighters at the gym.

its not all about fitness, its about the game planplan and tactics.

Perhaps for Khan - I agree but it seems to be the same for any top tier fighter.

Maybe they are content with the money they have from fighting 2/3 fights a year. They are getting punched in the face at the end of the day.