by dacheng on Wed Feb 15, 2017 6:16 am
As I wrote, Li Jianyu and Tang Rukun did not train much sparring.
Yao Chengrong's father Yao Zongxun was the main one stressing combative/sparring training at the time when he was Wang Xiangzhai's assistant in 1940s (and then when it became possible again - from late 70s until he died). There was a big impact on his yiquan from a Japanese instructor of western boxing. As for judo, Kenichi Sawai, who was 4 dan judo at that time was challenging him before accepting to learn from him. Also one of frequent sparring partners of Yao Zongxun was Bu Enfu, a champion in shuai jiao wrestling and western boxing in 1920s/1930s in China.
Anyway, the clip doesn't show any of san shou sparring, so I don't quite understand how any conclusions related to free fighting could be drawn from watching it.