me and my friend are fresh new boxers

i had a couple quick question my friend introduced me to boxing he has been going for about 4 months now and just started sparring and im new but i tend to watch every1 spar.

when you are boxing i hear most trainers say dont try and gather punch andd that speed is power but what do you do when you are sparring and you see a clean hit, should you gather power and punch as hard as u can with the right cross or should you just quick right hand or should i just do a quick jab or what?

also many times when i watch new guys sparr 1 guy may just b jabbing or throwing 1-2's but they guy is just covering his face up and not coimng back what should you do if he just basicaly waiting to counter you or to attack 1st?

last but not least, how often should a amateur sparr a week and use the hand pads? and can you do both on same day or would u have to do either or every otherday?

any help is appreciated

Hey theezy,

Usually if you see an opening go after it. If you feel you get a hard punch in don't be afraid to do so. Say for instance you're opponent is punching, and maybe it's slow or maybe it's not, try to get a feel for what you can in. I remember when I was starting out sparring I had a bad tendency to throw my right hand with power most of the time, and consequently it look me a little longer to bring it back to guard. My opponent picked up on this and would start whipping in fast punches before I could bring it back. When I started bringing it back faster and saving my hard right for when it counted, I didn't get countered as much. I used that understanding of how I got hit to my advantage both defensively and offensively. It'll come to you with experience more from actual sparring before anything else. Have fun and see what you can get away with.

If your opponent is covered up, you have the advantage because they're committed to blocking and in the meantime you should to get into a good position and pick your spots.

Lastly, there's nothing wrong with punching the mitts and sparring in the same day. Just make sure you're not fatigued before you spar, otherwise you'll fall into bad habits.

That ought to help answer your questions. Are you going to start at that gym soon?