Hey Sharla, i no exactly how you feel on this subject...Usually i find how i start a fight and how i perform in a fight are closely related.

So what i feel you need to do is the following....
Don't dance move and keep a distance, this may see you running for the entire fight....do not run forward attacking as you cannot possibly do this for the entire fight...

What i do is walk forward to middle ring and get in range. From then on i use a light jab to tease his guard and perhaps a point or two...If he throws big punches i just move and get back with the tapping jab...I analyse how he deals with this, how he reacts and what his style is generally...I tap away at his guard until i think i no what his style may be...Then i throw the right cross and get working myself...If he slows down and stands off i usually find this is the stage at which he attempts to alter his style in order to approach me more effectively...at this point i revert and tap at his guard and perhaps body to see how he now wants to fight....