southpaw problems

[Andre]

This sounds weird but it works if you train it in.

As you have found out heading that way just to avoid his strong side has a downside.


'If you just put your arm out a hook can come around it. If you are moving towards the arm you are getting tagged even harder when it does get around or under.

But if you turn and face the hook slightly your arm nullifies the hook and it sets you up perfectly to be able to simultaneously throw a right hand down the pipe as you head further over to your left so you are on the move away from his right :which will definatley come in reaction if you dont either move out or tag him first (so why not set him up so you can do both at the same time).

You'll have to set that up and get the timing right with someone slowly ,speed it up then in real time sparring; anyone can act that out for you a righty or a lefty or even set it up with pad work or zero contact then progress to sparring ,then to the real thing.

So even if you have thrown a committed straight left and you know his right hook is on its way you just keep the jab out and turn bodily to face the hooks path ; your arm is already out there so use it! turn and face the hook and throw your right hand down the pipe, its very natural from there the right has alot of power cause you have opened your hips up and are closing them again as it comes through: be on the move with your legs , move through his right arm on an angle and then set yourself back square and continue the attack as he reacts.

People can't throw two arms at once, so deal with the one and move out slightly from the other, but use the opening you just created.

If his hook is low you can drop your armsface it and go through that way cause its safe, his hook is expended already just make him pay with your right and be ready to continue moving.

If he doubles up the hook you have choked the second one out by shorteneing the distance and if you maintain contact so your glove or your forearm follows his arm,thencause you are moving through, you can open him right up and have his balance and still throw the right straight down the pipe. Its footwork adjustment on his final reaction and if you are in close you will feel him react thats when you can really finish him right on that turning point.

Those are some good ideas, mate. First you're using your extended left arm for cover to block the right, and the second is smothering them so they can't get off the right hook while you have space to throw your right. I'd be careful when coming in, some guys might throw the right uppercut instinctively if you get too close. You'd also have to be aware of his left hand which can come into play when you're in range. It's dangerous business to try to anticipate punches up close, I don't think that I'm that brave.

Anyways as for styles, what would you do against a southpaw opponent whose lead hand low (around their hip), and you could get close enough? Would you try to pin their arm? What would you try to do?

Keep my distance and hope if he stepped forward exactly like that for a start :-) , .

I dont know, maybe beat him to the draw over his arm or nail my left into his ribs above the crook of his elbow so he has to come around to connect and then follow his reactions to that. Because then at least you know the way he is forced to come to get to you (around your arm) so you are ready to get off whats required.

With that other thing about turning and facing a hook,its not something to do all the time but if you are both right into it and you're getting hit anyway ,(what the helll!)
At worse it can make them think twice, and when they do that youre all over them.

[Chris Nagel]

Hey, I was digging through the pack pages and found this:

Personally I hate lefties but I have found this to be true: ain't nothing harder to hit than a jabbing southopaw that steps to his right.

Yeah if you dont deal with it somehow they get free reign as you react.
If you practice before hand and know what your about to do and his only two ways out, you can do some rare stuff that is safe to do as you protect and smother as you change your centre line of fire to where he is going to.

This is outa left field and dangerous too if you dont watch their rear left the whole time and use your rear landing straight or cross to go through its path as your body moves behind it in the same direction .

You can deal with their right jab steppig to their right by turning slightly and facing it (opening up your front foot slightly),checking it with your left hand and extend your left on contact as you step through them (opening them up) as you send through a right straight cross while moving away from his rear arm but through his front one, covering it /maintaining contact, as you move and counter off your rear.
you can move away from that rear and get a shot home as you move into into his right arm maintaining contact with it,depending on where he heads to in reaction ,you can actually end up standing there in south paw yourself (with out moving!) like if he moved back in to your right you just pull your lead leg back so that your right cross is now the lead protector cheking where he moved to etc.
Then you pull that right foot back as you land left and he is now to your right and will clean be walking into your left jab if he wants that same ground again.
At the very least he will have questions occuring next time he wants to move right on you.