Being a great boxer isn’t only about being physically powerful. It is that, combined with the mental power to know an opponent and not to fight by just reacting to their actions. There are certain skills that should be refined in order to be able to fight your best fight.
1. Work the Angles
When a Pro punches an amateur, the amateur will feel like it’s coming from everywhere. Why is this? Because the pro will always know their angle for escape and will anticipate the opponent’s angle of escape. A Pro will situate themselves so that their opponent’s punches have little impact, meanwhile their opponent will be trying cover themselves up as best as possible in order to avoid feeling the incoming punch. Know how to best protect each part of your body and anticipate your opponent’s next move.
2. Stay Heavy
A pro will feel solid, and when they punch, you’ll feel it. This comes from them having a powerful core and being able to control their center of gravity. This means that they aren’t lifting their legs too much and are not fidgeting around in the ring. It doesn’t matter if they are out of spare or super ripped, they will act like they are made of bricks. They will be able to stand their ground and won’t be pushed off balance easily. They will also be able to stand where they want, and will only move when they feel like they need to. Having this type of balance allows punches to be thrown with a lot more power, agility, and confidence- something that is helpful in any boxing round.
3. Know When You’ll Miss
Pros will slip a punch with little to no effort. This is the combination of skill, strategy, experience, and natural rhythm. They will be able to guess what your next move is just by analyzing your position, and can even bait their opponent into throwing punches just to avoid them and knock them off of their game. An amateur will likely try to retaliate immediately, as they may feel that they will not get the same opportunity to counter. However, a pro will make sure to act with precision, and not with spontaneity.
4. Walk Around
Walking around will make you appear more relaxed, but will allow you to always be ready. It will conserve energy and keep your feet on the ground. This is one of the best physical and mental strategies that a pro boxer can employ to beat their opponent. It will trick them into thinking that they aren’t in their ready stance, but really it is a set up.
5. Jab
Every pro knows when a jab will interrupt their opponent, no matter what their next move is. It is made up of immense power, high accuracy, and precise timing. It can be fast and sharp to pull a surprise, or maybe a quick touch—just enough to distract before a harder punch. The advantage of knowing when to jab is that you will interrupt your opponent’s thoughts and combinations that they have planned out. The jab can be long, short, hard or soft while moving—when the combination is just right, it will beat any punch.
6. Body Shots that Hurt
A body shot from a pro can make their opponent drop their hands or elbows, leading to their head being exposed. In turn, these body punches will damage the core and make it harder for the opponent to move around. An amateur might only use a body punch to lead to a powerful head punch, but not make it part of their main arsenal of moves. This is a mistake as the right body punch will greatly hurt the opponent, and will likely not be countered. Pros will land body punches that are precisely planned out to do the most damage. A body punch that is perfectly planned can make someone drop to the ground, or even knock them out.
Featured photo credit: World Series Boxing via albumarium.com
