Shortening up punches in combos, good idea or bad?

My question comes from reading several boxing books about throwing punches in combinations and whether it is smart to shorten some punches to set up others.

For instance, let's take the 1-2-3 (Jab, Cross, Left Head Hook). It says to throw this combination effectively, you need to move in with a hard Jab, land a short Cross (as opposed to a regular Cross that stretched out much farther) and land a hard Left Head Hook.

Another example is 2-3-2 or 3-2-3 combinations, where it is best to shorten the middle punch to emphasize the beginning and ending punch. Like for a 3-2-3, throw a hard Left Hook, followed by a shorter Cross, then a hard Left Hook.

When I used to spar a while ago, I would throw ALL my punches with proper technique and at full length, I didn't pull or shorten my punches to set up other shots. As I recall, I did fairly well, however I couldn't land huge flurries because I didn't shorten any of my punches.

So for those of you who spar regularly, do you shorten some of your shots to set up others and how successful have you done by doing so? And is it smart to shorten up punches to land other ones?

"Another example is 2-3-2 or 3-2-3 combinations, where it is best to shorten the middle punch to emphasize the beginning and ending punch. Like for a 3-2-3, throw a hard Left Hook, followed by a shorter Cross, then a hard Left Hook."

Hello and welcome.

It sounds that you are someone who likes to work at range, nothing wrong with that. It could be that is naturally what you prefer or have been taught.

There are a few things you can try.

1.
IMO - You should be able to emphasize any punch in any combination. And by that I mean you should be able to control the speed and power.

Say you throw a triple a jab. First two fast, the third hard OR all three fast OR all three hard OR the first hard and the next two fast.

I think the only way to learn this is by doing. You could write down a load of combinations you want to work on. Just spend a round throwing one combination one way. Next round switch it up.

2. Ranges
For the hook practice it in short while leaning on the bag. From long range and from the 'text book' version that for me is mid range.

Also try changing your foor placement after every punch. e.g 1.2.3

step in with the jab, step to cross, step out and hook.

Some things work better whilst shadowboxing (like the foot placement drill) but you can simulate them on the bag with a bit of thought.

More later if you want it?

Thanks for replying, and yes, you're correct, I'm a distance fighter, aka an Outside Fighter, similar to a Larry Holmes or Muhammed Ali type except a don't move in and out of outside range to mid-range, like a true Outside Fighter.

I don't have great footwork or anything, but I like to let my opponent come to me and I unload and move out. Pot shooting you might say, waiting for them to get in range and 1-2 or 1-2-3-2 and out. If they have their head down, I shoot a Right Uppercut, Left Hook, and Cross on them.

I've also done some counterpunching where I've just moved in on my opponent and forced them to punch, parried their shots and punched back at them, but it isn't my style much.

That's why I was asking, because they are some opponents who will wait for you to strike, so you have to move in with punches, I was wondering if I needed to shorten any shots to make it more effective. It is easy to pot shot an advancing opponent, it is harder to land moving in though because of counter punches that can happen.

In all honesty bro,your going to have to learn how to do it effectively in case your against a good crowding fighter

When you think about it if the target is at one range and you shorten a shot ,its a feint isnt it.Could work too he may walk or lean right into position for your next long shot.But you need to know he will.

If the target is moving and moves further into range as in crowding you; as Tm just said then your going to have to adjust fully and get out or side step and short hook maybe, so your elbows dont end up past their head .

I think its down to their reaction on your first throw and your skill in knowing where they are heading so that you can simply shift stance slightly without over committing your shot or under committing your shot.
That is stance shifting and subtle footwork in combination with different length combinations,but all for a real reason. Not just doing them 123 323,shorteing some up and seeing what happens.

Shadow box and imagine their reactions and you correct your length to their reactions.

You know if someone moves to your centre when your in a front stance (If you dont move your feet you are square to them as they land, so you got two arms against their one (if they land in a front stance)they are at length and you can reach them with both your hands, both are shorter shots than his one lead shot.

If they move to your inside and you pull back your front foot around to the side or even the back of your rear foot (you can avoid them ,you've swithed stance your at a hell of a length from them but you have shortened the distance for your rear arm because its now out in front,if you threw it as you changed feet it has alot of power then. So you could go for anything really;2 1 3 and start short then lengthen the jab or a cross on the move and in the middle etc so you go short -long -short, as you move in on the finish. Imagination helps.

You can also simply turn your heels both one way slightly and it changes your shouders in relation to where the opponet is, ,changes your distance and whether you can reach them with one or two hands.
All the above can be used to avoid certain strikes and yet place you in the zone if you get to know them all.Good fighters can throw shots during the move ,either their move or the other guys move i front of them.

You have to imagine that stuff while shadow boxing before you can do it for real. Once something is in your mind you can take it further into practice so much easier.

I like the idea of changing the speed and length of punches because it can catch your opponent off guard.

If you think of it in baseball terms, no pitcher goes up there and just throws fastball, fastball, fastball and if a pitcher does throw nothing but fastballs they change location and type to keep the batter off balance. You cannot throw the exact same combination all the time and expect to land it....look at Campbell-Funeka. Nate could have finished Ali Funeka off had he changed up what he was throwing....feinting and throwing a left hook wouldn't have been a bad idea at all.

You have to figure your opponent no matter how dumb will eventually catch on to what you are throwing so sit down on different punches in your combinations.