Boxing Mastery: Advanced Technique, Tactics, and Strategies from the Sweet Science

Hatmaker and Werner's book Boxing Mastery is a fine manual on a few of the finer points of advanced boxing and you can't beat it for the money. Nice job tying in trad boxing techniques with modern "popular" techniques. I purchased this along with Werner's other collaboration with with Lachica and the pair make a great set. As one reads through these techniques you realize why so many mma fighters and run of the mill Taekwondo Toms constantly bad mouth the most widespread fighting art... because it can be effective against any attack. Not simple as it is often referred to (check out the total ineptitude of most ufc and mma fighters at striking in their opening rounds before they shoot in for the high school wrestling take down... they think its simple and obviously don't have a clue) and not just duking it out like some bar basement palooka either... but it is readily accessible and systematic in its effectiveness... as an aikido practitioner I will say that the two types of martial artists I think would be the most trouble to handle are the boxer and muay thai fighter, both technique systems so close in concept as to be called brothers. Buy this book... its great and you will learn real time tested concepts of fighting which should carry over into any other style. And, you can get in the ring and try them out full bore too...

I have this boxing manual for more than a year now. It's perfect if you tend to shadowbox to work your boxing skills. You get a good workout yet boxing correctly in its format. Perfect manual for novice to advanced boxer. It also goes well with Hatmaker's other manual on Savage Strikes, more of freestyle, NHB fighting. I read this boxing manual numerous times when I have time available and tend to shadowbox as a workout to work on my boxing form and getting my cardio that way. So if you have some boxing skills, whether you've been taught by your dad or mom in some cases or at a boxing gym this book is perfect to go along with your skill to improve boxing. Sweet science at its best.

I'll begin by stating that I'm not strictly a western boxer, I'm mainly practice Muay Thai kickboxing... but I figured since most of Muay Thai is western boxing from the waist up, that I should get a book on the subject of boxing. I have bought quite a few books on everything from grapling, kickboxing, kung-fu, Kali/escrima and this book is by far the best instructional resource I have ever come across. The author does a great job of explaining every technique and also includes clear pictures that do a very good job of demonstrating those techniques. Although the book seems geared to more advanced boxers, I highly suggest this book for novice and intermediate boxers as well...

Once again, Mark Hatmaker has taken a subject and not only excellently explained the "how", but also the "why" as well. "Boxing Mastery" is exactly that: both a "how to" and "why for" book. Mr. Hatmaker covers everything from the hinge principle (for generating power into every punch) to different boxer's stances and when they're most effective to upper- and lower-body mobility drills and how to cut off the ring. Make no mistake, this is a book for fighters, not a guide to "better fitness through non-contact boxing". As expected, Hatmaker covers the most basic punches, footwork, drills, and targets, and he does so in a logical, concise and easy-to-understand manner the likes of which I've never seen outside of his works. In addition, he doesn't JUST stick to the basics. Chapters like "KO's and power punching", "Pivoting and waltzing", "Ring generalship", "Beat punching", and "Defensive concepts" shed light on nearly every imaginable aspect of the in-ring side of boxing. The only *minor* complaint I have is that this book refers to a chapter out of another book of his, "NHB: Savage Strikes", when talking about the basics of punching. I own that book too, so it's no big loss to me, but it may take away from the experience a little for a begginer. Still, it's such a small complaint that it never took away from the reading and learning experience for me. For anyone who felt like something was missing from Beaumont's "Championship Streetfighting", this book fills in the gaps (footwork, defense) and then some. It can also stand alone, and I'd recomend it to anyone who wants to improve their boxing game, be they novice or experienced, as well as just anyone who wants to know how to throw a punch. I can't say enough good things about this book!

This is the best -- by far -- book for serious boxers that I have come across. Almost all the other books give you just the basics, and not even with good form. This book gives you a ton of helpful information about how to become a stronger fighter in the ring. And it does it with an emphasis on FIGHTING, not on boxercise. The only annoying thing about the book is that both of the boxers in the pictures are southpaws, so for orthodox fighters you have to visualize the situations in reverse. It's kind of ludicrous, but you get over it. If there is one book to get on boxing, this is it.