Countering jab with body shot

[Sharla]

I was talking to a few people in the gym about this last night and heard a few different opinions.

How do you find it easiest/best to counter an opponents jab with a body shot?

I like to slip outside the jab with step to the right and throw right uppercut to the body.

[Chris Nagel]

It's simple to just counter off the slip. Sidestepping is unto itself but gives you countless other opportunities. Of course you can counter off a catch or parry it all boils down to the moment.

[Sharla]

I meant if you have one personal favourite - just yours - not neccessarily what you would tell everyone to do - how specifically would you do it?

One specific one - my team mates have a range of preferences and I'm just curious about everyone elses.

[Chris Nagel]

I'm supposed to be asleep right now but my mind is on a treadmill.

My favorite is the punch that works then and there. I guess at this point my tendency wouldbe to slip to the outside and throw a hook at the liver. Right now I guess I'd like the right hands to the body to be my favorite, because give me more choices.

Tendencies and habits can be like jealous lovers they're hard to get away from and it's a pain to get over them.

[Sharla]

Are you ususally taller or shorter than your sparring partners Chris?

I tend to like countering to the body with uppercuts because they're shorter punches and I'm always trying to get inside as a shorter person.

Thought taller people might on average prefer to counter to the body with straight more often to hold their reach advantage.

[Chris Nagel]

I'm usually a few inches shorter. You can still throw short hands that aren't hooks or uppercuts. The reach factor is only a problem if you can't find your range.

[Sharla]

In close you really think a short straight which you can't fully extend is as nice as a hook though?

One of my coaches gets me to practice short straight punches on the pads and I'm not against them but I feel on the inside they're not as powerful as a nice hook.

On the rare occaision I get to spar someone shorter i go straights all the way since it is the only time I get to spar like a tall person successfully and it feels good to have the shoe on the other foot.

[southpawed]

I know this is really off topic but..can someone show me a boxing match on youtube, where the parry is effectively used? I understand the concept, but i cant imagine using it while sparring. I just dont understand the movement..Is it sort of like a karate kid wax on wax off movement?

[greynotsoold]

A straight right to the heart is the "natural" counter to a left jab. It works wonders to "shorten" an opponent's left arm, really discouraging him from using that punch. Very simple to execute, as well, because in essence all you are doing is throwing a straight right hand: when you put your weight on the left foot (slide it forward and left a bit if you choose-how much depends on what you intend to do next) and turn your hips and shoulders it should lower your body enough to let the jab go by.
A parry is nothing at all like the Karate Kid. Based on timing- entirely on timing-it is always a minimal movement, often a flick of the wrist. Never reach out to parry- let the punch come to you. Buddy McGirt used to parry a lot and Julio Caesar Chavez used to parry a ton of right hands with his left glove. James Toney, at 168 and 175 especially, used to parry jabs over his left shoulder then bring his jab up and under while pushing forward off his right foot. He scored a knockdown in the 2nd Hembrick fight in this manner.