The "Southpaw Jab"

(ya guys sick of southpaw threads yet? haha ::**)

I've often heard the southpaws jab referred to alot by people as "The Southpaw Jab".. As if its some whole new punch with its own mechanics and uses. I've always wondered why its differentiated and labeled as such, since wouldnt an orthodox jab against a southpaw be the same thing? Also, lately i've been trying to think of ways to improve my jabbing game. So what are some things i should begin to consider so that i can have an effective "southpaw jab" against a righty?

Now i know that since both ortho and southies have their lead hands on the same side. Its kind of hard to pop off and land clean jabs since they're in each others paths. So im guessing at that point, the jab game changes drastically between an orthodox and a southpaw fighter. It leaves less opportunities for an offensive jolting jab and has you rely more on a more probing, fast, feinty jab.

I've noticed from my own experiences, that i landed a majority of my flush, solid jabs from just out of range, when me and my opponent are circling and he leaves his guard a little low or circles too close into my range. Then i lash out and pop him with a good quick one. But when it comes to a battle of the jabs, it becomes alot more complicated to land a flush jab with his lead blocking my path (Which i see is the natural obstacle with ortho vs southie). So i guess at this point is where i have to learn how to change up my game to effectively use my "southpaw jab", since it isnt possible to be trying to blast him with stiff jabs all the time.

The reason i wonder also is because, i see the battle of jabs between an southy and an orthy to be an important medium in the match (not that its not important between an orthodox vs orthodox also).. But since both fighters jabs are technically cancel each other out, Whoevers jab is more learned in battle should control the tide of the fight. But as i said, since both guys can easily negate each others power jabs, it becomes more a chess game. So thats why im asking you guys how to improve my "southpaw jab" and broaden my game a little bit. Fundamentals. Variables i should consider, all that good stuff.

Besides, the discussion would benefit not only a southpaw fighters jab game, but an orthodoxes jab game against a southpaw also. Its somewhat symbiotic. The information would be beneficial for both. Catch my drift?

Well your a thinker and I recon you covered alot of it.
For me I used to go for relaxed low rising snappy speed jabs on the move ;jabs combined with slight foot shifts so that angles are created to get around the stale mate.

Its good to watch fencing moves closely, they have the same difficulties.

enjoying your reads Andre.. excellent posts . 8)

I find the primary difficulty is a you've said the stalemate created by each fighters jabbing arm being on the same side. The advantage enjoyed by southpaws in this respect is based upon expierience. They have faced a lot more conventional fighters than the orthodox guy has faced southpaws. In short they've been hgere before and know what to do.

So get as much southpaw expierience as you can early.
For me I find the jab is a great weapon against the southpaw If you can get the southpaw circling left (perhaps away from your right?) and then get your foot outside his right you will find various ways to attack....the jab outside a shift of the feet and a jab inside....a low jab...an uppercut.

It'll all come with expierience.

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Originally Posted by Lords Gym

enjoying your reads Andre.. excellent posts . 8)

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Thankyou,
You too bro .

I can't remember who said it, but what they said was; "A jabbing, stepping southpaw is a @#$$%$#$#@@$% to fight."

I sparrd last night. I confirmed my suspiscions The southpaw jab isn't pleasent, but it's one of the positions in which a southpaw is most vulnerable to counters

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

I sparrd last night. I confirmed my suspiscions The southpaw jab isn't pleasent, but it's one of the positions in which a southpaw is most vulnerable to counters

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for the sake of reference. What did you find most unpleasant about the southpaw jab? How was it bothering you? How did you counter it? (If you did counter it)

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Originally Posted by Walker Smith Jr.

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

I sparrd last night. I confirmed my suspiscions The southpaw jab isn't pleasent, but it's one of the positions in which a southpaw is most vulnerable to counters

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for the sake of reference. What did you find most unpleasant about the southpaw jab? How was it bothering you? How did you counter it? (If you did counter it)

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As his footing is so different (a southpaw that is not "square on") It may unconciously draw you to mbe too square on in an attempt to land. However, this will allow him to simply circle right and jab away and often land with frequency.
To counter this I merely move to my left cutting off his movement before resetting positions.

The southpaw jab vs the orthodox jab is a very large part of fighting between southpaw/orthodox but I think ultimately southpaw/orthodox is won and lost on the Southpaw left straight and the Orthodox straight right. By that I mean everything revolves around the control of this. Either in the form of stopping/avoiding it or setting up counters off of it. Its kind of at the center of southpaw/orthodox and I think the fight is won and lost on how well a fighter handles it.

For example the natural counter for the southpaw jab is the straight right and vice versa either to the body or head (interestingly the southpaw is the one at a disadvantage because his liver is in front of his body, underneath his right arm, and therefore underneath his jab). But anyway this counter is only viable if your opponent is committing enough into his jab to allow you to counter it. So one part of the "jab war" between orthodox and southpaw is in seeing who can counter who's jab with this punch. If a fighter, in trying to win the jab war, commits too heavily into his jab, he puts himself in danger of walking face first into this counter.

Also the two other most effective counters when fighting with a southpaw (speaking as an orthodox fighter) is the right uppercut after slipping under their straight left and the left hook after blocking the straight left on your right arm. These are deadly counters.

Anyway my point is that in southpaw/orthodox everything ultimately comes back to how the left or straight right is handled and that plans should be developed around how to land them and how counter them. The jab is ultimately a means to that end.

CC Thomas