Reflection On Jared Anderson

Heavyweight Jared Anderson (15-0, 14 KOs) went the distance for the first time in his professional career by former champion Charles Martin (29-4-1, 26 KOs) in their July 1 clash. It was a significant fight for Anderson (he told us so himself at the press conference) as it took place in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio. The bout taught boxing fans a lot about the kind of fighter he is and gave those watching a better idea of what stage he is at in his career. Big Fight Weekend, who were present ringside in Toledo, reflect on Jared Anderson.

Anderson’s abilities

Previous opponents of Anderson have struggled to deal with his high work rate. For example, in the first round of his stoppage win over Jerry Forrest, Anderson threw 114 punches, landing 54 of them. Anderson throws a much higher volume of punches compared to many other current heavyweights. It is how he was able to win his first 14 professional bouts by stoppage. Additionally, he is also not as big compared to many heavyweights of today. While others in his weight class weigh well above 250 lbs and are at least 6’5″ tall, Anderson is 6’4″ and tends to weigh in somewhere between 240-245 lbs. That kind of size allows him to move a lot better than other heavyweights and throw a lot more punches.

Hear Dan Rafael and T.J. Rives discuss Anderson’s flaws, despite his win, and his future on the latest “Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast” by clicking play below,

Things to work on

Despite a dominant performance against Martin, there are still things to work on. For one, his defense could use some tightening. Some of Anderson’s past opponents, including Martin, have been able to land clean against him due to defensive lapses. Although these previous opponents failed to capitalize on their moments of success, better opposition will take advantage of these lapses. Another aspect of Anderson’s that could be worked on is the ability to cut off the ring. For almost the entirety of his bout with Martin, he was on the front foot. Martin, content with keeping his distance and having his back close to the ropes, was able to prevent Anderson from landing his high volume attack. Due to Anderson’s inability to cut off the ring against Martin, he was unable to get the finish.

Important things to note

Anderson is still 23 years old. He is still a work in progress. It feels at times that boxing fans forget to consider a fighter’s age and the stage they are at in their careers while assessing them. Fights such as the one Anderson had with Martin will only help him in the long run. He received much needed rounds that allowed everyone witnessing him to gain a better idea of where he is at. That includes his coaching team and those at Top Rank Boxing. A number of people are around him to ensure that he gets the development he needs. Only time will tell if Anderson meets the lofty expectations that have been set of him.