Setting up the Left Hook?

[BoxingDude66]

I'm a tall, lanky Outside Fighter type boxer, and as such I'm used to work with straight punches (like 1-2, 1-1-2), and some straight punches involving Left Hooks (like 1-2-3, or 1-2-3-2). However, it gets rather predictable with using all that, so I thought I'd reverse the order and start using a Left Hook, Cross instead of vice versa.

I know you can set up Left Hooks with Jabs, or with Crosses, but I need some creative ideas to set up a Left Hooks. I've watched Ali fights and I've seen him wait for his opponent to come into range, and he let loose with Left Hook, Cross, Left Hook. So any ideas? Thanks!

[Youngblood]

I use a left hook a lot actually. I find it fairly effective as a counter. Often slipping a right cross past an oncoming jab, or an overhand right and finishing either way with a left hook.

Or sometimes attacking I just throw a shit ton of punches that somehow always finish with the left hook.

Being orthodox it might seem natural to finish predominantly with the right? ...but for whatever reason a left hook seems to be it for me.

[Chris Nagel]

Emphasis on "setting up", think about how you're going to get into position to throw the left hook, and how you're going to have to make your opponent react in order to land it. Just throwing the left hook out there without any reason at all is wasting it or even worse setting yourself up to get hit.

Typically the left hook is a counter punch, and against a decent opponent requires some sort of set up just be able to land it in the first place. If you merely see the left hook as #3 to stick in your made-up lists of combinations then you're wasting your time.

I recommend tryinh this clever set-up: http://www.saddoboxing.com/boxingfor...left-hook.html Similarly, I found that a couple of the guys at my gym are programmed to catch jabs with their right hands. I've had success with landing the hook after they catch my jab, simply firing my hook after they catch the jab. Better is Ezzard's clever set-up observed by Thomas is definitely worth having down.