Problem I had in sparring tonight

I'm an orthodox fighter and tonight I sparred a southpaw fighter that gave me some problems.

Basically this guy would slap my lead hand down with his lead hand, and then jab or hook me in the face. Even when I throw my jab out, he would do the same thing - slap it down then counter over the top. I kept eating it and now I'm thinking of ways to deal with it so I will do better next week.

I tried pressing him by throwing more jabs, doubling them, tripling them. But I can only keep it up for so long because I'm not conditioned so well at the moment and my left arm is a little bit injured.

Anyway, I've thought of some possible solutions:

1. Leave the lead hand out, and when he slaps it then I can slip outside his lead arm and counter. This will probably only work a couple of times.

2. When he slaps, bob underneath his lead and counter.

3. Punch his glove to upset his rhythym. One big flaw this guy makes is he tenses up before he throws any punches, so he's not too hard to read. I'll probably tell him about it next week.

4. Thinking about it now, I shouldn't let him get into range so easily. I should throw more jabs out to disturb his rhythym, but then I need to be careful because if he catches them he'll counter. Maybe mix in some feints..I did manage to land a clean lead hook off a feint.

What do you guys think? Any other suggestions?

Number 3 works well Ive found, puts them off Balance, and gives them the wrong signals of Distance.

I also think number 3 is best if your footwork or overall ability isnt matched, maybe hes faster, if you feel he has better boxing skills, which it sounds like he may have, best to work simple with this kind of fighter and work your strengths not his, kid the left hook on catch it and send 2 (hes square for it)-3, 3-2 or 2-3-4b back 2-3-3b, see where hes exposed after shots and pick your counters accordingly, depends how you wanna catch or stop/evade it but left cut to the body is what you really want to establish seen as he's leading with his liver. jab high on the forehead when you suspect hes going to parry and return with a left hook, weave the hook then throw a straight right over top. then jab him to the chest or shoulder to mess him up even further/not to dedicate yet incase hes going to move out and follow up on it sharply because he'll be square to you, dont let him regain composure, straight rights, hooks, job lot off of the jab. dont let him predict your jab to such a level, bend knees and jab low, bend the knees and jab high, fighting is all about psychodynamics and it sounds like hes got you sussed more than you have him, feinting is priceless when your being countered. hope some of this helps just a quick post.

Tough to answer you without watching you in the ring. Did he have a reach advantage on you, was he much taller? OK, one thing I did note; You picked up on 'timing' the guy (knowling when he was going to punch). Tha's a big advantage and I have to wonder why you did not use that against him.
Some questions a trainer would answer by watching you;
1. What type guard do you use.
2. How well do you pick and parry
3. How well do you slip and move
4. Would closing in on him and going to the body have smothered his advantage?

If you can find some old videos of Mike Tyson, watch how he slips and sometimes goes down and circles his head to avoid head punches. In his day, anyone who threw a punch like you described, would find an Iron Mike glove coming in for a head or body shot.

does he always throw the same combination when you jab?

how does he react when you feint a jab?

Double or triple up on your jab. If hes tapping your lead arm out the way and coming over it, you are allowing it. Get more active.

If he likes to push your glove down you could entrap him by leaving it out at a safe distance and when he pushes it down you go with it, then fold your lead elbow over his arm and trap that side of him as you move in throwing the rear shot or come up and around with your lead into a hook if he reacts the other way. Either way your lead can remain above his.

If you were into Mma and facing a southy who likes that downward push, you can resist once so he thinks that way, then next time you release and go with him and fold onto it the same way and move in and walk your elbow straight into their breast or face in one move. If you touch their lead foot with yours on the way in it gives them another interruption thought to deal with too. Worse if you can drag their foot slightly forward with yours at he start or on the end of the move, just a touch does enough.You got a big opening coming up. Much different set of can and cant dos when someones right foot is out there right next to your left lead foot.

Faint a jab, wait for him to drop his hand attempting to knock your 'shot' down and step round and in with a left hook shot straight over his hand.

Also bare in mind that whatever he can do to you... you can do to him... seeing as his stance basically mirrors yours... slap his jab down and fire straight over the top.... and try a few straight rights... leads or counters... southpaws usually don't cope well with them.

As he jabs at you slip to the outside whilst shifting forwards and throwing a right under his jab. one movement - a defense and a counter all at once... sets you up for a left to the ribs/chin too

Keep your left hand low and circle to your right, away from his right hand. Move into his left and make him throw it. I'll bet you that he's not a natural southpaw; I've never met one that didn't wing that left. This guy doing so much right handed- slapping your left, then jabbing or hooking- tells me that he, like Michael Moorer, is naturally right handed. By moving to your left you are playing into his strength.
Circle right, keep behind your left shoulder, make him punch across himself with his right hand. When he throws his left hand, throw your left hook. (See Yori Boy vs Marquez...Raul Marquez) Or get under it and bring the right hand uppercut to his body or chin.
Test his left hand; make him throw it. I'll bet you it ain't his strong one, and a southpaw with a weak left hand is a victim.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by greynotsoold

Keep your left hand low and circle to your right, away from his right hand. Move into his left and make him throw it. I'll bet you that he's not a natural southpaw; I've never met one that didn't wing that left. This guy doing so much right handed- slapping your left, then jabbing or hooking- tells me that he, like Michael Moorer, is naturally right handed. By moving to your left you are playing into his strength.
Circle right, keep behind your left shoulder, make him punch across himself with his right hand. When he throws his left hand, throw your left hook. (See Yori Boy vs Marquez...Raul Marquez) Or get under it and bring the right hand uppercut to his body or chin.
Test his left hand; make him throw it. I'll bet you it ain't his strong one, and a southpaw with a weak left hand is a victim.

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Brilliant.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Lion

Tough to answer you without watching you in the ring. Did he have a reach advantage on you, was he much taller? OK, one thing I did note; You picked up on 'timing' the guy (knowling when he was going to punch). Tha's a big advantage and I have to wonder why you did not use that against him.
Some questions a trainer would answer by watching you;
1. What type guard do you use.
2. How well do you pick and parry
3. How well do you slip and move
4. Would closing in on him and going to the body have smothered his advantage?

If you can find some old videos of Mike Tyson, watch how he slips and sometimes goes down and circles his head to avoid head punches. In his day, anyone who threw a punch like you described, would find an Iron Mike glove coming in for a head or body shot.

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1. I've recently switched to a palms facing outward guard with my rear hand in front of my face to catch jabs easier. Kinda like the stance that Sugar Ray Robinson used but I keep my hands up high. The merits of the stance made sense to me, so I thought I'd give it a try and so far I've had a bit of success with it, although my experience is still very limited.

2. I'm still very much a beginner, so I don't pick and parry all that well. I've been coached on how to do it correctly, but I need practice.

3. Same as above.

4. I did try to move in to cutoff his range and go to the body, and there was a bit of success there too. Unfortunately we don't have access to a proper ring yet, so when we reach the edges of the mat we stop and move back to the centre. If we had ropes then it'd be a whole different ballgame cos I'd be able to keep the pressure on him.

I've received heaps of great replies to this thread so I'll keep these things in mind next time I'm sparring and let you know how it goes. Unfortunately my arm is slightly injured so it may take a while, but hopefully it won't be too long before I can get back in there :)

def throw alot of feints, these are magical but very many boxers fail to use them, guys like maywaether ad hopkins do this great, aswell as jones in his prime, and you might wanna record yourself as you might be telegraphing your punches a bit, a problem i had to fix in my early days cuz i just had enough of gettin timed and clcoked

If you like to jab to the head, which can be a problem against south paws, watch your lead hand position. If you position it outside his he can't knock it down. Some fighters hold their leads higher and farther forward against south paws.

Another strategy is to move slightly to your right, keep your weight back and fire between his gloves. Some of the Eastern Bloc fighters have that jab.

Mirrored fighters don't like lead upper cuts. Michael Spinks had a great lead upper.

nice stuff,.