Quote Originally Posted by leonisABC View Post
Hi guys, I'm a relatively short fighter for my weight and I have had enough of hatton-esque charging in takign shots to get inside and loose off my shots. #has anyone got any tips for getting inside in a different manner.
Hi leonis,

Putting pressure on your opponent can be a good way you to get the distance that you want. Applying pressure doesn't necessarily mean throwing a lot of punches while following your opponent around getting hit. You can stay just out of punching range (not too far away) prepared to move in on the opening that their punches give you. The pressure is that although you're just out of reach, you're close enough that it feels like you're always on them.

For example: Stepping in, slipping to the outside of their jab will give you a nice opportunity to land a left hook, or a right hand right off the slip.

Browse through the "Useful/Important Posts" section and you'll find many more nice counters that you can put to good use.

When you get close enough, focus on a hard counter to onto a weak spot rather than just throwing a lot of punches. This way you give them something to think about which can help deter them from getting too aggressive with you.

The important thing to remember from this is that having your opponent lead can make getting in close a lot easier.

Practice your counters so that you can quickly spring them onto your opponent. That pressure can become like the Sword of Damocles, giving your opponent a lot to worry about.

Once you have that down everything else becomes a little easier. It'll be easier to get your jab going, (stepping in and out) and moving around keeping them where you want them to be.

Don't let your opponent catch you square, it's better to be at stand with your side facing your opponent as you're not giving them free targets. With you being shorter than a lot of guys that you'll face, you can actually use it to your advantage by crouching slightly, with your weight shaded on your back foot, leaning slightly away from their right hand. Use your right hand to pick off their jabs and when they start to jab low, counter with a hard right hand over the top.

Also, by keeping your front foot outside of theirs, and circling to their right you don't have to deal with their right hand as much.

Working on pivots and shifts will help protect you while setting up your shots while you're in range. There's a lot of moves that can help. It all depends on finding something that works for you and putting in the time to get it all right.