Is it common for "beginners" in boxing to shun inside/close range boxing?e

[spacetime]

I haven't started boxing sparring yet in the boxing gym, but I still have this bad habit from Kickboxing sparring of in and out stuff, with no commitment to working the body, etc. Given my superior HAND speed and combinations I should be boxing close range but my brain instinctively shuns this range.

I can of course be a finesse type Boxer but my footwork is not good enough to warrant this style.

Did some of you guys have trouble adjusting to purposely putting you in the line of fire (close range) to effectively fire off your combinations? Also finding out which style of a boxer you are? How do you know if you're a KO boxer vs finesse stylist when the training is so friendly and you never compete?

 

[spacetime]

Note this problem is for boxing sparring (we have hands only sparring as well) in my older club. I still have bad range habits despite firing off combinations and dominating 5th degree black belts...

 

[fluffball]

Yes, you're used to kicking range.

 

[j123]

I would say this depends on the person. Your average city guy who aren't "fighters" tend to keep things much more technical than "ugly"

So what that means is they do what they can to maintain distance, keep people at the end of their strikes. We're taught on day 1 that looping ugly fighting in the pocket is not technical, and it ingrains a habit.

I know because this was my case early on, I had to learn how to "fight", and I'm able to fight in the pocket and grit it out now.

Some people who are rough, blue collar, and grew up street fighting don't really have a problem in the pocket, they excel brawling and banging it out. People who came from a softer place, who didn't have an athletic background don't really have a very competitive spirit and tend to lean more technical.

 

[spacetime]

I would say this depends on the person. Your average city guy who aren't "fighters" tend to keep things much more technical than "ugly"

So what that means is they do what they can to maintain distance, keep people at the end of their strikes. We're taught on day 1 that looping ugly fighting in the pocket is not technical, and it ingrains a habit.

I know because this was my case early on, I had to learn how to "fight", and I'm able to fight in the pocket and grit it out now.

Some people who are rough, blue collar, and grew up street fighting don't really have a problem in the pocket, they excel brawling and banging it out. People who came from a softer place, who didn't have an athletic background don't really have a very competitive spirit and tend to lean more technical.

I have fought no holds barred and have an Iron jaw by all accounts. But I overthink the not getting hit part and don't commit fully. I'm definitely a technical boxer on the spectrum

 

[MaxMMA]

Not sure if it's common, but maybe beginners should stay away from "inside fighting" at first because for a lot of people it can take quite a while to obtain balance and power at their maximum range for each type of punch. If all you're doing is drilling and hitting the bag at an "inside range" then you're not really developing stability and power at the longest possible distance for each punch.

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

A lot of pro's choose not to fight inside these days either. Most of them, from what I've seen.

Even the Mexicans are backing off from it.

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

A lot of pro's choose not to fight inside these days either. Most of them, from what I've seen.

Even the Mexicans are backing off from it.

really? thats sad to hear. why do you think that is?

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

really? thats sad to hear. why do you think that is?

I honestly think the whole boxing paradigm is changing. Body shots aren't being scored by judges as much or at all.
Also, refs break up clinches a lot quicker now, giving warnings for holding or not stopping once the ref says 'break!' which is nearly instant nowdays. Maybe because modern audiences prefer the action at medium or long range.

And then its also a lot more difficult to do and nearly guarantees that you'll take damage as you deal it.

It's just the changing tastes of officiators, audience, and competitors.

I think it's a fading holdover from the older style of boxing, as it was based on wrestling and tripping and throwing and hitting while you're holding the other guy, but since that is illegal now, it makes sense to back up and hit from farther. If grappling were re-integrated back into boxing like the old days, then it would make more sense for the competitors to do it.

---

There's nothing wrong with being an outfighter. But since

1 fewer and fewer coaches are teaching the science of infighting
2 fewer and fewer viewers clamor for it (or even are put off by it)
3 judges dont reward it
4 it is more difficult and takes more effort to learn it


I honestly don't see what the actual payoff is to doing it much anymore. Unless you can finish people from there and you get a rare ref who doesn't separate you, and then you're still left fighting the scorecards.

 

[spacetime]

One of the Taekwondo black belts wanted me to block jabs by slapping down the arm... He showed me and got tagged by 3 straights to the face. I held back of course... I could have dropped him with ONE.

This brings me the question Why beginners in boxing are told to block punches in drills with partners, when pros rarely do so in their fights? They bob and weave and evade, or like Foreman - just eat the punches here and there.

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

One of the Taekwondo black belts wanted me to block jabs by slapping down the arm... He showed me and got tagged by 3 straights to the face. I held back of course... I could have dropped him with ONE.

Lol, his technique can "work" but only against beginners. It's begging for another punch or hook to the face with the same arm. When he slaps it the 2nd or 3rd time, you just limp arm and come back around with a hook, it's real juicy and it always knocks the crap out of them even if you do it lightly (because they dont expect it and thereby cant see it). By itself, it's enough to put them down or half-way out if they tried that in a real fight or competition.

This brings me the question Why beginners in boxing are told to block punches in drills with partners, when pros rarely do so in their fights? They bob and weave and evade, or like Foreman - just eat the punches here and there.

Because it's something beginners CAN learn to do. It's a last resort for the more skilled boxers, but after beginners learn simple things like blocking they can later learn more difficult things like slipping, etc. which takes a lot more experience (familiarity with timing, correct form, reading opponents, gauging distance, etc.) than a beginner usually has.

Some beginners might be able to learn it. If you study and practice it privately with the coach and at home, etc. then you might pick it up quicker than might be expected.

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

One of the Taekwondo black belts wanted me to block jabs by slapping down the arm... He showed me and got tagged by 3 straights to the face. I held back of course... I could have dropped him with ONE.

This brings me the question Why beginners in boxing are told to block punches in drills with partners, when pros rarely do so in their fights? They bob and weave and evade, or like Foreman - just eat the punches here and there.

maybe its just hard for you to see them do it.

 

[spacetime]

I wouldn't have tagged him if he wasn't being so arrogant. Yes, I have seen top level boxers block by slapping, but it sure isnt the norm

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

A parry can work, but it seems like it works best when they're far away (so they don't have continuous balance/control) and isn't done repeatedly/predictably. For the person that relies on it as their main defensive strategy, they're in for something rude


I wish I could find it but there's a Bernard Hopkins vid on youtube I saw years ago (can't remember which one) where he shows how easy it is to come back around with a hook (same hand) and knock them silly when they try that.

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

A parry can work, but it seems like it works best when they're far away (so they don't have continuous balance/control) and isn't done repeatedly/predictably. For the person that relies on it as their main defensive strategy, they're in for something rude


I wish I could find it but there's a Bernard Hopkins vid on youtube I saw years ago (can't remember which one) where he shows how easy it is to come back around with a hook (same hand) and knock them silly when they try that.

isnt that only if you stick your hand out too far with the catch?

 

[AusTosh]

I haven't started boxing sparring yet in the boxing gym, but I still have this bad habit from Kickboxing sparring of in and out stuff, with no commitment to working the body, etc. Given my superior HAND speed and combinations I should be boxing close range but my brain instinctively shuns this range.

I can of course be a finesse type Boxer but my footwork is not good enough to warrant this style.

Did some of you guys have trouble adjusting to purposely putting you in the line of fire (close range) to effectively fire off your combinations? Also finding out which style of a boxer you are? How do you know if you're a KO boxer vs finesse stylist when the training is so friendly and you never compete?

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

isnt that only if you stick your hand out too far with the catch?

That's the best part. No, no it isn't. It works even better if they're close and you can hook them


If you look closely, they used the slap-down safely when the jabber was too far to do much anyway.


---

I think i need to differentiate something here. If they're just catching it like turning their glove out and catching your jab in their glove without reaching for it (and just letting it die there), then they're doing it right.

If they're cupping it and slapping/pushing it down, then while they're pushing it down you can recover before they can and hook them with the same hand as you jabbed with (by making a small circle) and there's nothing they can do about it because its so fast and mechanically advantaged.

You use the the energy from their push to rebound so before they're even done pushing down your hand is elastically rebounding back in a small circle. They're providing the power to it's new return position while you make your shoulder limp/springy, its wonderful.

I'll embed the video if/when I ever find it.

 

[Fire of Youth]

Beginners of all styles want to hit from safety. So they throw from too far away, run at their opponent, and look messy in general. A fighter needs to trust their defense before they can feel comfortable fighting from mid and then close range. Trust in their defense is easier to teach with blocks first. They can feel the impact but learn that they are OK with that. From that moment, they can start watching attacks whilst in range, slowly building their cue recognition and thus all defences (blocks, parries and evades). One of the best drills for developing their defensive trust is for the fighter to put their back on a wall/heavy bag, where they can't escape to a safe distance, and make them do full defense while someone throws at them. It doesn't need to be hard or fast at first, but the speed and power can be built up over time.

 

[spacetime]

Since there are plenty of MT Kickboxers in here.. Do you guys think I can connect with more kicks in sparring if I fight close range, like Muay Thai guys, against my Taekwondo black belts? So try out an orthodox tactic in TKD kickboxing?

When I fight side-on stance, they can read my kicks a mile away.

My kicks have decent speed once they are in motion, but it's the set ups which are too telegraphed. I can kick harder than most of them.

 

[j123]

Since there are plenty of MT Kickboxers in here.. Do you guys think I can connect with more kicks in sparring if I fight close range, like Muay Thai guys, against my Taekwondo black belts? So try out an orthodox tactic in TKD kickboxing?

When I fight side-on stance, they can read my kicks a mile away.

My kicks have decent speed once they are in motion, but it's the set ups which are too telegraphed. I can kick harder than most of them.

Depends how close, clinch distance, forget it. Knee at that point. If you're really set on it though, you'd have to take an angle so you the kick won't be jammed.