Switching your feet to cut of the ring more effectively.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

I should probably post this in the 'ask the trainer' board but as I don't ever frequent that side of town (as I don't box, and this is more of a theoretical question rather than for personal advice) I figured I'd test the waters here first.

From time to time, I will bring up the subject of switching stances as a means to add more facets to your style of fighting. I almost find it remarkable that it isn't done more frequently in boxing. I find it similar to being annoyed that some professional footballers that can only kick with one foot.

***** Edit *****

Something came to mind when thinking about how many fighters labour around the ring, trying to cut off the ring of a mover/ runner. Some times it amazes me that they are happy to just follow their opponent around and not bother even to attempt to cut the ring off but that's not the point.

The point is - I'm 80% sure that it would benefit a fighter (assuming bother are orthodox for now), if he switched stance as soon as a fighter pivots away from him. Doesn't that technically keep him temporarily nearer?

[Maravilla2012]

I should probably post this in the 'ask the trainer' board but as I don't ever frequent that side of town (as I don't box, and this is more of a theoretical question rather than for personal advice) I figured I'd test the waters here first.

From time to time, I will bring up the subject of switching stances as a means to add more facets to your style of fighting. I almost find it remarkable that it isn't done more frequently in boxing. I find it similar to being annoyed that some professional footballers that can only kick with one foot.

There was this guy at the gym I train ay and when we started training he was shadow boxing in the southpaw stance. My coach saw him and asked him why he was doing that and he said " I lost a couple fights and I wanted to change it up " my coach told him to never do that again and to go back to orthodox. My coach was a southpaw himself. I have no idea why hut trainers dont seem to be keen to their fighters switching I'm guessing they wouldn't be used to seeing the punches coming from the different angles and all plus they wouldn't be as fluid as they would in their natural stance.

[Abelardus]

I should probably post this in the 'ask the trainer' board but as I don't ever frequent that side of town (as I don't box, and this is more of a theoretical question rather than for personal advice) I figured I'd test the waters here first.

From time to time, I will bring up the subject of switching stances as a means to add more facets to your style of fighting. I almost find it remarkable that it isn't done more frequently in boxing. I find it similar to being annoyed that some professional footballers that can only kick with one foot.

There was this guy at the gym I train ay and when we started training he was shadow boxing in the southpaw stance. My coach saw him and asked him why he was doing that and he said " I lost a couple fights and I wanted to change it up " my coach told him to never do that again and to go back to orthodox. My coach was a southpaw himself. I have no idea why hut trainers dont seem to be keen to their fighters switching I'm guessing they wouldn't be used to seeing the punches coming from the different angles and all plus they wouldn't be as fluid as they would in their natural stance.

That is exactly why^^. You train so long in one stance that you become so natural to it. That if you switch you literally have to do everything the complete opposite then you normally would but won't and more then likely get caught. A good way to look at it is if some one fighting in the orthodox stance only faught orthodox fighters. Then let's say after over 100 fights (including sparring and training etc.) and a southpaw came in to fight him he will probably lose the fight because he is so use to punches coming at him the complete opposite then what they are now. This is the main reason floyd Sr. doesn't like jr. Fighting southpaws and why southpaws give him the difficulties they do.

[Ron Swanson]

Boxing is completely predictable situationally. A person is said to have great reflexes if they dodge punches well when in truth they have great spacial awareness. They know what's coming before it comes by stance, style and space. Everything you've trained so long to understand suddenly changes when you switch from orthodox to southpaw or vise versa. Spacially you might expect a jab and never see the hook. Everything in life once committed to muscle memory is done by the subconscious, it's simply far more efficient and effective than the conscious functions of the brain. most everything you do in the ring is subconscious after all the training. When you switch you are then operating under the inefficient conscious functions, you have to think about where to put your feet, think about what to look for, think about where you want to be etcetera. It slows your function down and frankly people just aren't as good at things done the opposite way. People are so hard wired that a lefty and a righty look in opposite directions when they make something up. If just thinking has directional properties of course the complex function of boxing will to an even greater extent.

That said I'm a fan of guys that switch from my youth watching Hagler, still the best I've seen fighting either way.

[Ron Swanson]

I should probably post this in the 'ask the trainer' board but as I don't ever frequent that side of town (as I don't box, and this is more of a theoretical question rather than for personal advice) I figured I'd test the waters here first.

From time to time, I will bring up the subject of switching stances as a means to add more facets to your style of fighting. I almost find it remarkable that it isn't done more frequently in boxing. I find it similar to being annoyed that some professional footballers that can only kick with one foot.

There was this guy at the gym I train ay and when we started training he was shadow boxing in the southpaw stance. My coach saw him and asked him why he was doing that and he said " I lost a couple fights and I wanted to change it up " my coach told him to never do that again and to go back to orthodox. My coach was a southpaw himself. I have no idea why hut trainers dont seem to be keen to their fighters switching I'm guessing they wouldn't be used to seeing the punches coming from the different angles and all plus they wouldn't be as fluid as they would in their natural stance.

That is exactly why^^. You train so long in one stance that you become so natural to it. That if you switch you literally have to do everything the complete opposite then you normally would but won't and more then likely get caught. A good way to look at it is if some one fighting in the orthodox stance only faught orthodox fighters. Then let's say after over 100 fights (including sparring and training etc.) and a southpaw came in to fight him he will probably lose the fight because he is so use to punches coming at him the complete opposite then what they are now. This is the main reason floyd Sr. doesn't like jr. Fighting southpaws and why southpaws give him the difficulties they do.

Southpaws give him trouble because the shoulder roll doesn't defend a straight left. So he fights southpaws with a high guard. But southpaws give everyone trouble because like you said punches come from directions you aren't used to. Take Pacman for instance, he fights southpaws far less than Floyd and he is one himself. Because nobody wants to fight a southpaw if they don't have to.

[beenKOed]

The majority of fighters don't switch, that should settle the question.
I will say that it's fun to see a fighter who does it well, and I have often thought that switching for a few seconds might help confuse an opponent, but again most boxers don't switch.
You see a lot of switching in MMA and it's not always done to protect the lead leg from kicks.
Standup or boxing in MMA is pretty crude and wide open compared to the more formalized professional boxing, so they can get away with it more often, but it usually leads to trouble for the switcher in the long run.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

Sorry my post was the worse post ever... I didn't even finish what I was trying to say - the actual point I was about to make. Sorry.

You'll see a big fat ***Edit*** across my OP now in respect of the actually point I was trying to make, as an example of where I think switching stances may be beneficial.

Great posts though guys. Really really appreciate the practical and insightful advice.

I guess it's something that would need to be trained into a fighter from scratch. Kid Galahad switches very effortlessly, so much so that half the time you don't even know he's done it.

[Maravilla2012]

I should probably post this in the 'ask the trainer' board but as I don't ever frequent that side of town (as I don't box, and this is more of a theoretical question rather than for personal advice) I figured I'd test the waters here first.

From time to time, I will bring up the subject of switching stances as a means to add more facets to your style of fighting. I almost find it remarkable that it isn't done more frequently in boxing. I find it similar to being annoyed that some professional footballers that can only kick with one foot.

***** Edit *****

Something came to mind when thinking about how many fighters labour around the ring, trying to cut off the ring of a mover/ runner. Some times it amazes me that they are happy to just follow their opponent around and not bother even to attempt to cut the ring off but that's not the point.

The point is - I'm 80% sure that it would benefit a fighter (assuming bother are orthodox for now), if he switched stance as soon as a fighter pivots away from him. Doesn't that technically keep him temporarily nearer?

for your edit its kinda the same answer. If he's not used to being southpaw and he switches to catch the other fighter and gets close he'd still have to switch back to throw effective fluid and accurate combinations. Yet if he learned to switch since he started boxing and did it fairly well , like Terrence Crawford, it could benefit him to switch to catch the opponent.

[Dia bando]

Watch GGG he is a master of cutting off the ring, watch his feet he expends very little energy,
just spends some time and watch his fights.

[greynotsoold]

This has been a part of fighting forever. When Fitzsimmons knocked out Corbett he slid his right foot forward to land a southpaw left to the solar plexus. The famous Tyson combo of the right hook to the body followed by a right uppercut came from a southpaw stance. The thing about it is, you have to be slick about when and how you shift your feet. You don't want to get hit with your feet crossed or together, and you can't punch at those times, either. At a certain level, good fighters are very very aware of what an opponent is doing with his feet and they'll catch you when you are vulnerable.

two guys that come to mind for being effective at switch hitting were Hagler, of course, and Chiquita Gonzalez, and they both fought one way or the other for long stretches. Really, cutting off the ring isn't the hardest thing in the world. It can be as simple as the initial line you take on an opponent, or circling to surround his movement. Most guys will follow their lead foot almost exclusively so it isn't complicated.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

[Maravilla2012]

he was orthodox in the top part then switched southpaw. I wouldn't recommend it that's how you get caught off balance.

[Master]

That diagram reminds me of when Naz got caught by Kevin Kelly trying to switch his feet and getting put down.

[cnote111]

Switching Stances to me is a situational offensive strategy, but can be counter productive defensively.

In other words:

Since Offense is active and defense is reactive, switching stances could enhance offense and inhibit defense.

[Dia bando]

Switching Stances to me is a situational offensive strategy, but can be counter productive defensively.

In other words:

Since Offense is active and defense is reactive, switching stances could enhance offense and inhibit defense.

There was a guy used to do that what was his name, I remember Marvin Hagler if I recall
he was not to bad a fighter was he.!