a tall fighter that likes to fight inside

[lynwood1]

hello, i am a tall fighter well not that tall im about 5'11 and 154lbs but like 50% of my opponents are shorter and the other are about my same hieght or taller. but i like fighting inside, as a matter of fact thats the only way i can fight, i tried fighting outside and using my hieght and reach but it just doesnt work for me. so i wanted to know if it was ok for me to fight inside. alote of poeple act like if its a rule to fight outside if your tall. but honestly i fell more at home fighting inside. tell me what you think.thanx

[Sharla]

Can you be a little more specific?

I'll probably leave answering your Q to others but would help to know what exactly bothers you about fighting from the outside? Perhaps then one of the main men can give you some good technical advice.

Is it difficulty timing or measuring your distance or do you naturally move forewards with every punch and end up fighting inside even when you intend to fight from the outside?

Seems a shame to me to give up on that. I have the opposite problem. I struggle getting in under taller people even though most of my sparring partners are taller. I know how down right annoying a taller, moving opponent can be!

Do you or do you intend to compete as an amateur? If so knowing how to fight from the outside will be an advantage to you since long, easily visible punches score more easily than body shots.

I think some of the trainers might recommend some distancing work. One very simple exercise my trainer would get me to practice either on the bag or with a partner is as follows:

1) Measuring your distance with your jab so you are one step away from my target,
2) Then step in, throwing another to jab - or a jab cross combo, to land on the target
3) step back out again, throwing a jab at the same time, to your original distance (perhaps diagonally - not always straight back).

One mistake I find easy to make is stepping in before jabbing which often has me headbutting a punch so don't do that too much. I am not discouraged from using this jabbing of thin air to measure my distance in sparring or fights but i don't need to do it often any more as I have a better idea of my distancing.

That is just something very basic my coaches love but I'm sure there will be more good advice to come from others yet

[Von Milash]

hello, i am a tall fighter well not that tall im about 5'11 and 154lbs but like 50% of my opponents are shorter and the other are about my same hieght or taller. but i like fighting inside, as a matter of fact thats the only way i can fight, i tried fighting outside and using my hieght and reach but it just doesnt work for me. so i wanted to know if it was ok for me to fight inside. alote of poeple act like if its a rule to fight outside if your tall. but honestly i fell more at home fighting inside. tell me what you think.thanx

well, that's fine if you're as strong as the person you're fighting. but the whole idea is for a shorter, stronger person to get under and inside their opponent to take away punching room and to work the body.

Having said that, do what you're best at. Don't change it. Some people like to bang. But in the meantime it BEHOOVES you to learn to use your reach as well.