Anyone have any general tips on positioning and concepts on inside boxing? Head to head? Shoulder to shoulder? What makes certain fighters get hit less when on the inside than others…
Head to head will see you boxing in a squared stance and presenting a large target to the opponent.
Commiting the lead shoulder to the inside allows a “foot in the door” to sneak in attacks, but also creates a false line of attack between yourself and the opponent.
Weight distribution is important also. Weight commited to the fore leg will see you leaning forward inviting the uppercut from either hand.
Leaning forward also creates a gap between the arms and the body- an opening for body punches.
A vertical spine is important, but not optimal for defense at very close quarters…
To remedy thisl witholding 60% of your weight on the rear foot will allow your spine to remain vertical and rotation is optimal.
The lead shoulder is maintained as a false line of attack.
Weight must be transferred as required for attacks.
[quote]donnydarkoirl wrote:
Head to head will see you boxing in a squared stance and presenting a large target to the opponent.
Commiting the lead shoulder to the inside allows a “foot in the door” to sneak in attacks, but also creates a false line of attack between yourself and the opponent.
Weight distribution is important also. Weight commited to the fore leg will see you leaning forward inviting the uppercut from either hand.
Leaning forward also creates a gap between the arms and the body- an opening for body punches.
A vertical spine is important, but not optimal for defense at very close quarters…
To remedy thisl witholding 60% of your weight on the rear foot will allow your spine to remain vertical and rotation is optimal.
The lead shoulder is maintained as a false line of attack.
Weight must be transferred as required for attacks.[/quote]
Good post, any specific fight to watch for a smart in-fighter?
[quote]shs101 wrote:
Anyone have any general tips on positioning and concepts on inside boxing? Head to head? Shoulder to shoulder? What makes certain fighters get hit less when on the inside than others…
[/quote]
I like being on the inside cause I got short arms and my hook is my best punch, especially to the body. Being a southpaw, I try to keep my lead foot on the outside of theirs (basic footwork) because it opens up their left side. When I hook into it, I’m trying to get them to drop that hand down so I can go upstairs.
This tends to put me in a shoulder-to-shoulder spot, although I don’t mind head-to-head because I can still move pretty well around if I’m that far away and the guy is letting me do it.
For a great commentary on bodypunching and working the inside, watch this. I love Ricky. And for all his other faults, those bodyshots were fucking nasty.
Another one
Hatton is a good inside fighter, though he may not be crafty enough to really shine as an example of what DonnyDarko is saying. Still he was the first one I thought of.
OP,
I would also suggest watching what Hopkins does inside as an example of “craft”.
Video starts with the jab, and then gets to inside work. At 5:25 he talks about setting up his liver punch. Not how he mentions a “fencing” stance and re-read Donny’s comments about position. Note how he steps off line and into his position off of the jab. Contrast that with how Ricky does it with a bump. Both of them achieve the “I can hit you, but you can’t hit me” situation, but differently.
HL vs Trinidad (Good to watch because Tito had the sharp punches and power to KO Hopkins if he wasn’t handled well)
HL vs De La Fishnets (note that De La Hoya’s hook was something different for Hopkins to neutralize. He did)
Regards,
Robert A
Some GREAT points above by Irish and Robert.
Just some thoughts I have.
If a boxer faces the opponent, both in stance, both boxers should be able to take reasonable force without losing balance.
A good stance will allow them to take punches, exert pressure and be shoved by the opponent.
The stance will allow the boxer a much more favourable centre of gravity and should the boxer be caught by a good shot or pushed by the opponent, a small adjustment to the feet will allow the boxer to maintain balance.
At close range a boxer will lower his base, reinforcing his balance for heavy contact.
This would imply we should not attack “head on.”
The opponent has “battened down the hatches” and will be a hard rock to move.
This will result in huge expenditure of energy for minimal reward and even damage to hands on the forehead/skull/shoulders and elbows
Linear attacks are far from optimal.
However, regardless of strength or size, if you push a boxers shoulder from behind, it will disrupt his stance and cause him to stagger to maintain his footing.
This is useful for inside fighting.
Attack to the laterals, upset his balance with rotation and small trigger feints - “steals” as Mike McCallum used to call them.
If you rotate outside of a shoulder, use a small hooking motion to push the back of the shoulder so that he stumbles forward.
Boxer’s must face one another, so he will need to take a step to face you. This is a split second to launch a heavy attack.
[quote]donnydarkoirl wrote
Linear attacks are far from optimal.
However, regardless of strength or size, if you push a boxers shoulder from behind, it will disrupt his stance and cause him to stagger to maintain his footing.
This is useful for inside fighting.
Attack to the laterals, upset his balance with rotation and small trigger feints - “steals” as Mike McCallum used to call them.
If you rotate outside of a shoulder, use a small hooking motion to push the back of the shoulder so that he stumbles forward.
Boxer’s must face one another, so he will need to take a step to face you. This is a split second to launch a heavy attack.[/quote]
Very interesting about pushing the shoulder from behind. So on the inside just put my glove on the back of his shoulder and work from there? Any fights you’d recall someone doing this? And how would you feint at such a close range? I’ll be honest I never even though about feinting on the inside.
[quote]shs101 wrote:
[quote]donnydarkoirl wrote
Linear attacks are far from optimal.
However, regardless of strength or size, if you push a boxers shoulder from behind, it will disrupt his stance and cause him to stagger to maintain his footing.
This is useful for inside fighting.
Attack to the laterals, upset his balance with rotation and small trigger feints - “steals” as Mike McCallum used to call them.
If you rotate outside of a shoulder, use a small hooking motion to push the back of the shoulder so that he stumbles forward.
Boxer’s must face one another, so he will need to take a step to face you. This is a split second to launch a heavy attack.[/quote]
Very interesting about pushing the shoulder from behind. So on the inside just put my glove on the back of his shoulder and work from there? Any fights you’d recall someone doing this? And how would you feint at such a close range? I’ll be honest I never even though about feinting on the inside.
[/quote]
I would have to re-watch the fight but I think Hopkins did that against Trinidad.
As far as feinting, a pro like donnydarkoirl can damn near use mind control over a lower level fighter. It is what makes the masters, masters.
Regards,
Robert A
[quote]shs101 wrote:
Very interesting about pushing the shoulder from behind. So on the inside just put my glove on the back of his shoulder and work from there? Any fights you’d recall someone doing this? And how would you feint at such a close range? I’ll be honest I never even though about feinting on the inside.
[/quote]
(i) From the inside I would work to a lateral - removing your head from direct range. A sidestep/slip or roll will take the head off centre, but also give you a greater view of that shoulder you are preying on.
A small nudge then to the rear of the shoulder will unsettle the opponent and cause him to adjust.
I wouldn’t reach for this from in front, as you could expose your face to some heavy stuff.
But I understand - when directly in front of the opponent sometimes you want to get off a couple of shots to tax an opponent who is in the ascendancy or perhaps just a slick mover.
When in close it an opponent who is getting the upperhand may clinch and kill all action. However , by committing one shoulder only we are unlikely to get caught square.
If you can use that lead arm to underhook his opposing shoulder- a quick elevation of your lead elbow will cause him to rotate internally and open him up for some uppercuts.
You may only get away with this once per fight, but the physical toll is accompanied by a psychological bonus - it leaves guys thinking “he has zero respect for me.”
Robert was 100% correct. Hopkins is the greatest modern example available, tho SOG uses similar tactics extensively.
[quote]Robert A wrote:
I would have to re-watch the fight but I think Hopkins did that against Trinidad.
As far as feinting, a pro like donnydarkoirl can damn near use mind control over a lower level fighter. It is what makes the masters, masters.
Regards,
Robert A
[/quote]
Hopkins vs. Trinidad was where I originally stole this! Great call!
Professional boxing is very much a psychological endevour, but I’m not sure I’m deserving of your praise just yet!