Dealing with pressure (fighters)

[Don't believe what I say, as I am fairly new to boxing (4 months training) -- although I do have quite a bit more martial arts, fighting, and specifically Systema (Russian Martial Arts) experience -- but if it gives you some ideas and they prove to work FOR YOU then use them.]

This question was asked on another forum, and because I am a pressure fighter -- all things being equal I will go forward consistently and successfully even against boxers who are (somewhat at least) better than I am -- I offered this answer which met with quite a bit of approval.

The biggest mistakes people make that lets the pressure fighter continue to come forward and even overwhelm them include:

1. Leaning back as you back pedal -- you MUST keep your balance and form no matter the pressure. (I don't mean you cannot OCCASIONALLY pull back to slip a punch, but rather that you must not get back on your heels with your OWN weight and balance HELPING to pressure you backwards.
2. Going straight back -- take no more than one back step (at least at first until you get the idea) before you start to sidestep or circle -- move laterally and try to let the pressure evaporate against the place you WERE standing
3. Not throwing enough -- use your jab primarily, but use anything you can throw, don't just back up and let him keep coming -- you have to make him respect you, and primarily it is best to make him respect your jab or suffer the consequences for failing to do that.
   
   Do not let him just keep swarming into your area without getting hit and paying a price.
4. Forgetting to parry, block, slip, fade, and duck -- you MUST use your good defensive skills, especially parrying.
5. failing to Box -- use all of your boxing skills -- this one is harder, no quick fix, but it comes from doing all of those things above AND continuing to use your basics.
   
   Move, Hit, Maintain form/balance, stay relaxed, use good defense, etc.

Remember, I am no expert, but this makes applying pressure much harder for guys like me, and you want (you NEED) to stop him from doing that.

Please feel free to suggest changes, improvements, criticisms as I am trying to learn as much as possible....

For instance:

The very day after I posted this, Coach set me several problems by using restrictions in the ring. Effectively, he fixed my choices so that I (who normally go forward) was required to back up and still hold the center of the ring.

Because I had spent time thinking through the above answer (and because Coach had spent hours over the past months instilling the basics, especially of parrying, in me) it turned out that I was able to solve those problems immediately. By trying to help others, I had accidentally helped myself and done my homework EVEN BEFORE getting the assignment. That's pretty cool! :D
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HerbM

I think you've got to really vary your jabbing. Good, experienced pressure fighters will time and counter you if you just keep firing jabs to their head no matter how quick and stiff they are. Your jab is their way in so it's also a good idea to feint jabs early on to guage their reactions. Alot of guys will slip a jab to your inside looking for a left hook so if you notice them doing this its probably a good idea to circle to your left. After you've established your jab you can feint one and look to land a right uppercut. I don't know what the others will think about this but I've found that if I'm against a guy with good, quick head movement and fast feet than sometimes I'm better off looking to land a right hook to where I think his chest will be after he has slipped to the inside of my feinted jab. It doesn't matter if I miss his head with my fist because I've still got a chance that my arm will wrap around his upper body stopping him from throwing his left hook and allowing me to clinch and turn him. There's also a chance that you could unintentionally clothes hanger him and this could really give him second thoughts of bullying his way in. At the end of the day I think you want to suprise the pressure fighter with changes in your rhythm and intentions. Make him think that your going to just stick and move then all of a sudden up the intensity and land two or three bombs and push him back.

Jahmez,

Excellent. I was really hoping some folks would add to and correct my post, so thanks.

My post was really pretty naive (not necessarily in a bad way): Written by a beginner for other beginners. I think your additions really begin taking it up a level.

A couple of clarifications...

When you say

Quote:

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...sometimes I'm better off looking to land a right hook to where I think his chest will be after he has slipped to the inside of my feinted jab. It doesn't matter if I miss his head with my fist because I've still got a chance that my arm will wrap around his upper body stopping him from throwing his left hook and allowing me to clinch and turn him....

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Are you "aiming at where is chest will be" and expecting his slipping to put his head IN THAT SPOT? Or have I misunderstood this?

Quote:

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...There's also a chance that you could unintentionally clothes hanger...

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I am not sure what "clothes hanger" means here -- it makes me think of "clothes line" from football or wrestling, but I am uncertain what it means here and how to picture it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HerbM

Are you "aiming at where is chest will be" and expecting his slipping to put his head IN THAT SPOT? Or have I misunderstood this?

I am not sure what "clothes hanger" means here -- it makes me think of "clothes line" from football or wrestling, but I am uncertain what it means here and how to picture it.

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1) I started aiming for the chest of an opponent with frustrating head movement after reading one of Andre's or AdamGB's posts. It's often a futile effort trying to continously jab the head of a fighter who's spent most of his training planning to counter this. The good thing about aiming for their chest is that its the largest target and you have a chance of catching them off balance. A good example of this is the KD Holyfield scored against Tyson in their first fight. Alot of pressure fighters who favour left hook counters fight from a more squared on stance and can be caught off balance especially when they are inside and pivoting to find a new angle. Another thing about aiming for the chest is that alot of pressure fighters are shorter (especially in the heavier weight classes). Sometimes aiming for the body can take a taller opponents height advantage away and allow the pressure fighter to not have to punch upwards giving him extra power and handspeed.

2) We are thinking the same thing. Again I don't know what the others will think about this because I too am no expert but this has just worked for me.

I used to have alot of trouble dealing with pressure fighter until I realized that pressure fighters are not in control no matter how much they want to make you think they are. If you relax and think "science" you realize that most of them are essentially counter-punchers who rely on you making the most fundamental of mistakes (moving back in a straight line forgetting to set up angles, predictable constant punch output (jabbing over and over to the head), and overall panicking which leads to fatigue which is the pressure fighters' best freind). Its also important to remember that because they are constantly moving forward they can increase the power of one of your own shots.

I used to like to cover up, tight guard basically putting earmuffs on. Let my opponent waste energy hitting arms and gloves. Then hit him with clean hard counter shots to body, especially the liver and the sternum.

No better way to slow a pressure fighter down, and especially after they've just finished throwing a combination or ETC. They will soon slow up from that. And also make sure your breathing properly and you'll always relaxed.

Yes boxing and using your jab is the key, and also make sure your giving him angles. And learn to turn your opponent, when he gets you on the ropes.

And the most important thing is counters, use your opponents aggression against them. Especially when he closes the distance, and your on the inside with your opponent, as i said above body shots are the key.

And lastly make sure you tie up your opponent on the inside, not allowing him to work. A good example of this is Holyfield vs Tyson 1.