Sparring help

**alex w** · 05-25-2005 06:48 PM

you sound like a real bitch to be fighting. you could come into the ring southpaw, get them thinking there gonna have to counterpunch, throw a couple of damading jabs, flip it back to orthadox and *BAM* *BAM* *BAM* its lights out baby.... yeah i get a little carried a way sometimes, but enthusiasm never hurt anyone!
dont worry about it Ant will be able to sort you out, he sorts everyone out!

Hove ABC
Hove
Mr R Smith
01903 761164

those are the contact details for the club btw if you really cant find it! his name is rodger and hes an old bloke, but he had 243 fights, so he knows a fair bit about boxing!

do you have msn, it will make it a whole lot quicker than communicating through this

alex

**Dave_bandit** · 05-25-2005 06:50 PM

lol yeah, jlg7380@hotmail.com, add me

**boyla** · 05-26-2005 02:00 AM

Fight outside and use your height/reach advantage, jab away.
When fighting the guy with the good guard and the bodybuilder, go to the body as well as the head and mix it up, they may be taller but if you can punch faster you will be able to beat them to the punch

**Chris Nagel** · 05-26-2005 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by alex w

thanks for the reply

i just got a phone call froms cott, i got my first amatuer fight in 7 weeks and 5 days YAAY.
im nervous already i cant imagine what its gonna be like when i get there.
i suppose i need tips on how to parry and counterounch properly. when i block i seem to lose the ability to ounch back effectively, i cant seem to time it right.
what should i do when i get in the ring, at 78kg im gonna be top end of middleweight, with 81 being the british max. should i go in first round and try to take him down, or wait for him to make the first move an adjust. am i just being a normal n00b, and thinking too much?

alex

First off your slipping should be your main defence, in boxing defense is about making the other fella miss. Parries and blocks are your backup, your parries are to divert your opponents momentum, and counter.

Are you losing your balance when you block/parry, how's your angle in contrast to your opponent? When you parry don't back up, keep your eyes on the target and commit to your counters. How's your posture, do you maintain your guard when you are attacking, defending or on the move?

-Some tips'n advice...
Your posture should be static in a way to be unpredictable. Practice your head movement your slips and parries should be diverse, in your match, your opponent is going to size-you up, see where you go when he throws and angle to see which way you go, and you need to be diverse or you will get stopped. Practice with Mr. Focus Mitts the a***nal of responses you will use, you need to get a hang of counters, and as for slips make it like a twitch-reflex.
Is particular parry, block, slip you wanna talk about?

-Rocky

**alex w** · 05-26-2005 04:12 PM

thanks rocky, youv been a real dude through this.
Ive never been taught to parry hooks, is there such a thing? i always raise my hands to the side of my head and stop it with my gloves. however whe i do this, i cant commit to another punch, becuase the force of him fitting my glove throws me off balance. if i tried to respong with a hook on the opposite side, id fall over! never a good thing, and it would look like a knockdown!

alex

**greynotsoold** · 05-27-2005 08:06 AM

If you are new to the ring and the others are very experienced, and there are size differences, unless your trainer is a sick sadist, they'll be in there to work with you. Ideally the more experienced boxer should be able to control the fight with movement, defence and a minimum of violence. You get to learn to move about and such. I would suggest that when you spar you know what the other guy is trying to get out of it, so that you can provide it, and that you view each session as a lesson plan, not a bout. For example, he is wanting work on blocking combination and footwork, and you want to learn to cut the ring and how to use slipping punches as a ticket to up close fighting. Is it apparent how those things go together? It has been my opinion for years that many potential fighters leave the ring due to abuse of the concept of sparring, and that not enough modern trainers understand what is supposed to go on and thus young fighters recieve an incomplete education. It is very common for people in gyms to lie to set up unequal sparring sessions, getting a beginner pummeled so somebody else gets an ego boost. In another instance I saw 14yr old 115(@) with an amateur record of 56-4 and the week of hell his trainer and father (2guys) put him through. Monday he spars two with each of 3 guys, some rounds only playing defense, other rounds only countering, etc. So far so good. Tuesday he spars a 24 year old southpaw middleweight. This guy was rusty and pulling his punches but boxing is boxing and he did land some thudding body blows. I don't think the kid had fought many lefties. On Wednesday they put him in with a Chiquita Gonzales clone; this one had had 6 pro fights. Now this youngster could move very well and had good skills, and a sneaky hard counter right and a ton of heart, but he was not strong. He sparred with my boxer, same age same weight but by kid was 60% stronger. Now this pro is hitting him with short punches to the body and the kid had a problem of trying to jab when to close and he'd get a right hand every time. From his corner all he's hearing is to quit moving, to fight and throw more punches. He tried and they did 4 rounds but when he passed by where I was he looked terrified, his face yellowish and looking like he might be sick. The next day he sparred with my kid; the first time they sparred was the first for my boxer and he landed early got cocky and turned the one round into a freeforall. The gym manager tells him this time to go "half speed" . we had worked a week on mistakes he'd made before and they settle into a sparring session, then in the second round I ask that they work "jabs only" because the kids father is red-faced with anger. He's screaming about wanting a fight - my kid for target practice- and it all got ugly. Affected my opinions about sparring a great deal. Sorry for the ramble!

**Howlin Mad Missy** · 05-27-2005 12:36 PM

grey - good post, I'm all for directed sparring not going to war, that can be done occasionally when both guys are ready and under strict supervision.

alex- you have to remember when you fight amateur you should be fighting someone similar to yourself in age, weight and experience. It sounds as if you've been working with some more advanced boxers which is great for bringing you on - also it sounds like a pro/am gym (correct me if I'm wrong)

One guy who I could never figure out, I used to ask his advice on circling and how he always managed to corner me! Quite often I'd end my session working on things he recommended and take them out on the other people in the ring

My advice is ask their advice

if they do something and you're wondering what the hell happened? please please ask. Sparring should be a learning experience.

Rocky is right about slipping BUT for most people that is the hardest part as it takes plenty of practice and timing most get by with blocking is very effective but it means you have to cover up and can't hit.

Good luck.