Thread: Any advantages or disadvantages to being both orthodox and southpaw?

I am a new boxer, I have my stance down and I am comfortable. The thing is, I can throw nice straights and crosses and feel comfortable with both stances. I do think my right hand is more powerful, but only slightly, my hooks and uppercuts need a lot of work, does it make sense for a beginner to train in both stances if he feels comfortable? The guy training me says he wouldn't but it is up to me, as long as I feel comfortable and don't develop bad habits. I'm looking for alternative opinions. Is it worth doing? Or completely pointless other than for style points, does it offer more openings?

I would just nail the basics man rather than learning how to switch hit at this point of your training. Once you get a bit more experienced then you might want to explore that but I fear you might develop some bad habits if you start now. So for now i'd stay in the orthodox stance and work on the basics. Jab's, footwork, technique, defence etc.
Easier to get fights if you're orthodox as well (if you were going down that route)

Not for beginners.
I think switch hitting is dangerous even if your a pro ,if you do it in front of someone ,cause you leave a gap to fire up when you go through the transition and your not thinking about it if you do that stupid move if they move in on you on your timing.You turn and walk into their power if they catch you.


On the other hand I think it can be masterful and you can do it safley in some rare occasions as a set up either going around someones arm away from his other free arm so that you switch into saftey, or so that you bodily go from the inside of someones arms to the outside of one of his arms and with a power shot that lands as you switch stance.
I cAnt think of one modern fighter who does it like that.

Naz comes to mind as the best switch hitter of this era. Its primary aim is to stop the other fighter being unable to get range if he cant work angles. I always felt he did his best work orthadox with the right foot at the back, when he switched and the other guy didnt lead he had problems.

Originally Posted by Scrap

Naz comes to mind as the best switch hitter of this era. Its primary aim is to stop the other fighter being unable to get range if he cant work angles. I always felt he did his best work orthadox with the right foot at the back, when he switched and the other guy didnt lead he had problems.

I loved watching Naz get away with some stuff from those weird low angles,some of the wildest ko shots came out from some unseen areas, very exciting to watch new angles and limits.
Like Sam Soliman though he swithces out of balance alot but has the legs and footwork to correct himself and gain a new angle.

I was thinking about a couple of the old fighters like Wille Pepp and some of his nemisis who used to go from fighting square shouldered nose to nose hitting equally with both hands;switching into either stance and ending up on the outside of either one of their opponents arms in either stance ,they sometimes used combos and the oppositions arm reaction or body lean to help get out there at exactly the right time.

I think Dokes the heavy weight used to go around the outside of a long jab using his footwork but never landed in the opposite stance to use it any further, he just switched as he went around then recorrected his feet and continued on.

I love looking at that old stuff they were more reactive naturally and experimental ,you get find some stuff that works a treat, but it only works in the exact situations.

Originally Posted by ProdigalSon2007

I am a new boxer, I have my stance down and I am comfortable. The thing is, I can throw nice straights and crosses and feel comfortable with both stances. I do think my right hand is more powerful, but only slightly, my hooks and uppercuts need a lot of work, does it make sense for a beginner to train in both stances if he feels comfortable? The guy training me says he wouldn't but it is up to me, as long as I feel comfortable and don't develop bad habits. I'm looking for alternative opinions. Is it worth doing? Or completely pointless other than for style points, does it offer more openings?

Depends on the person and the reflex... I seen many a boxer sparked getting too cute before they had the basics down , getting caught right on the switch only kissing canvas for the effort.

Naz did it often.. important to remember Naz had that God given natural talent and reflex. . most don’t have it . I would stress good solid fundamental base first.. when you nail that, then want to branch off trying different things , by all means but don’t fuck about ruining all aspects of your game by rushing everything ! Be patient , listen to your coach ! Best of luck, God Bless

Cool Click #3

Interestingly Bhop switches alot,and uses very similar low angles against Tarver

Some are of the opinion that southpaws should be drowned at birth.......
All boxers "switch" from time to time, especially if you know how to side step and punch off the move. But that's a momentary, flow-of-action thing. Switching, as a matter of style, is more often a last resort than an effective strategy, assuming that the opponent is overmatched from the gate.

Originally Posted by greynotsoold

Some are of the opinion that southpaws should be drowned at birth.......
All boxers "switch" from time to time, especially if you know how to side step and punch off the move. But that's a momentary, flow-of-action thing. Switching, as a matter of style, is more often a last resort than an effective strategy, assuming that the opponent is overmatched from the gate.

Be nice grey,my top boxer's a southpaw

I knew that CC

Originally Posted by greynotsoold

I knew that CC

cc back smart arse

Oh yeah grey,how's the club coming along?

Slow. Low attendance. I'm only there a couple days a week while I try and sort out this mess with my driver's license and my work schedule. Right now, though, there's more of us standing around waiting to teach than there are kids waiting to be taught.