2nd fight - critique please

[daly5050]

Hi guys, had my 2nd fight on the weekend. I won a decision and I am the one in blue. Unfortunately the fight is separated into rounds which is a bit annoying.

Round 1:



Round 2:




Round 3:




Here are some things I noticed:

jab more, especially on way in.. I'm leading with the right hand too often

Put more pressure/punches together (I was a bit worried about gassing because I took this fight on pretty short notice.)

More head movement particularly when i'd worked out the timing of his jab

Need to sit down on my punches

[greynotsoold]

You move around pretty good, but you move much more than you need to. Which is to be expected, being new at it and all. You throw a nice jab, but you throw the right hand from way too far away and come up short, or you reach with it, especially to the body. That type of thing will get you nailed.
I think that the problems with your right hand are really a problem with understanding and judging range and distance. Putting pressure, throwing more punches, sitting down on your punches and all that are just notions and things to say until you understand distance and how to get in position to do all of those things. A good place to start is by learning to circle and jab, both to the left and to the right. Then learn to stay just out of reach so you can step in with a jab. When you don't gauge it well, you leap back too far, then can't get back in again without leaping and reaching.
Finally, the big red flag. When you punch your chin is up in the air; seems to me like you are trying to pull your head back even as you want to move in with a punch. I would devote all of my energy to correcting this problem before I gave another instant of thought to moving forward and exchanging punches because you will get clocked real hard, even by a guy just swinging, much less a guy that has an idea of what he is doing.
Not bad, all in all. You move good, most of the rest is just inexperience and not knowing yet. But keep you chin down- the head should move with the torso.

[daly5050]

You move around pretty good, but you move much more than you need to. Which is to be expected, being new at it and all. You throw a nice jab, but you throw the right hand from way too far away and come up short, or you reach with it, especially to the body. That type of thing will get you nailed.
I think that the problems with your right hand are really a problem with understanding and judging range and distance. Putting pressure, throwing more punches, sitting down on your punches and all that are just notions and things to say until you understand distance and how to get in position to do all of those things. A good place to start is by learning to circle and jab, both to the left and to the right. Then learn to stay just out of reach so you can step in with a jab. When you don't gauge it well, you leap back too far, then can't get back in again without leaping and reaching.
Finally, the big red flag. When you punch your chin is up in the air; seems to me like you are trying to pull your head back even as you want to move in with a punch. I would devote all of my energy to correcting this problem before I gave another instant of thought to moving forward and exchanging punches because you will get clocked real hard, even by a guy just swinging, much less a guy that has an idea of what he is doing.
Not bad, all in all. You move good, most of the rest is just inexperience and not knowing yet. But keep you chin down- the head should move with the torso.

Thank you for taking the time to respond Grey, your points are very helpful. Keeping my chin down is something that has been brought up before, I thought i'd fixed the problem before this fight but obviously not as the footage confirms. The problem is I don't put my chin up consciously it just seems to happen so it's hard to pick up when it's up or down because in my head I think it's down. I'll make sure I fix this problem ASAP

[StrictlySP]

Hi Liam,
First off, congratulations on a good performance!

Overall, you looked good and performed well relative to your experience level. With that said, here are some things you can incorporate/improve upon:
1. Keep your hands up and chin down more consistently for obvious reasons.
2. Incorporate random counter-clockwise circling occasionally to be more unpredictable
3. Incorporate more head movement to be a harder target to hit cleanly.
4. Incorporate more left AND right lateral movements for the same reason as #2 and to be more unpredictable.
5. Double jab more. This is a good lead in to keep your opponent on the defensive, gauge distance, and set up your other punches.
6. Incorporate more hooks and uppercuts to mix things up and give your opponent more angles to worry about besides jabbing and straight right hands.
7. Incorporate body shots to mix things up and give your opponent more to worry about. At this early stage of your career, focus only on the lead (shovel) hook to the liver. Utilize it in single shots and in two-punch combos (e.g. left hook to the body followed by a left hook to the head and left hook to the body followed by an overhand right to the head or vice-versa).
8. Stop following your opponent around like a dance partner in a hypnotic trance. Cut him off more to confuse him and control the ring. Dictate more...
9. Throw more three-punch combos.
10. When you're getting barraged, don't move straight back, circle and immediately tie him up and/or counterattack.

Well, those are a few suggestions. Now, keep in mind, "Rome wasn't built in a day." It'll take time and effort (i.e. lots of training and experience) to master and seamlessly incorporate into your skill set. Anyway, hope this helps...

Congrats again on a fine performance. Good luck with your next bout. Keep us posted.

Take Care,
Lito

[daly5050]

Hi Liam,
First off, congratulations on a good performance!

Overall, you looked good and performed well relative to your experience level. With that said, here are some things you can incorporate/improve upon:
1. Keep your hands up and chin down more consistently for obvious reasons.
2. Incorporate random counter-clockwise circling occasionally to be more unpredictable
3. Incorporate more head movement to be a harder target to hit cleanly.
4. Incorporate more left AND right lateral movements for the same reason as #2 and to be more unpredictable.
5. Double jab more. This is a good lead in to keep your opponent on the defensive, gauge distance, and set up your other punches.
6. Incorporate more hooks and uppercuts to mix things up and give your opponent more angles to worry about besides jabbing and straight right hands.
7. Incorporate body shots to mix things up and give your opponent more to worry about. At this early stage of your career, focus only on the lead (shovel) hook to the liver. Utilize it in single shots and in two-punch combos (e.g. left hook to the body followed by a left hook to the head and left hook to the body followed by an overhand right to the head or vice-versa).
8. Stop following your opponent around like a dance partner in a hypnotic trance. Cut him off more to confuse him and control the ring. Dictate more...
9. Throw more three-punch combos.
10. When you're getting barraged, don't move straight back, circle and immediately tie him up and/or counterattack.

Well, those are a few suggestions. Now, keep in mind, "Rome wasn't built in a day." It'll take time and effort (i.e. lots of training and experience) to master and seamlessly incorporate into your skill set. Anyway, hope this helps...

Congrats again on a fine performance. Good luck with your next bout. Keep us posted.

Take Care,
Lito

Hi Lito, thank you for your response! It was very clear and easy to understand. I'll work on the things you mentioned!

[cnote111]

Lots of great stuff above... I will provide just a couple key things to think about.

1. Your jab has a fade to the left which tells me you jab because your supposed to instead of with a particular intention. Jabs serve the greatest purpose in boxing. You have to be able to jab in all directions and with some intent. The intent could be just to keep your opponent from setting up power punches, or the intent could be to set up your own power punches... Lots of options. Jab with intentions my man.

2. The "chin up" situation is pretty much the same as blinking rapidly or closing your eyes during exchanges. Its instinctive and very difficult to overcome. Just telling yourself not to do it will not change anything. Takes a lot of practice and discipline in the gym during sparring and shadow boxing to remove those troublesome habits. Recognize it as a number one priority.

Best of luck man.

[daly5050]

Lots of great stuff above... I will provide just a couple key things to think about.

1. Your jab has a fade to the left which tells me you jab because your supposed to instead of with a particular intention. Jabs serve the greatest purpose in boxing. You have to be able to jab in all directions and with some intent. The intent could be just to keep your opponent from setting up power punches, or the intent could be to set up your own power punches... Lots of options. Jab with intentions my man.

2. The "chin up" situation is pretty much the same as blinking rapidly or closing your eyes during exchanges. Its instinctive and very difficult to overcome. Just telling yourself not to do it will not change anything. Takes a lot of practice and discipline in the gym during sparring and shadow boxing to remove those troublesome habits. Recognize it as a number one priority.

Best of luck man.

Thanks for your post. Yeah you are right about the fade to the left, it's something I hadn't noticed or even considered but now that you point it out I see your point, thank's a lot!

I agree with what you've written about the "chin up" situation, I will work on it with my trainers.