After the right cross...

...always follow with a left hook?

Should one make a habit of doing this?

I see many guys missing the right cross but landing the left hook straight after. Now, I miss with the right alot and end up in trouble because of it - to the point where I am now very tentative to throw a cross. Would following up with the left hook prevent me from getting in trouble?

 

No, because it wont be a combination if you put too much power in the cross, theres going be a 1 sec lag in between, meaning that it will be a lucky it

 

I think you reaching with the cross. Usually happens when you cant pull it back fast enough.

If you saw Arlovski vs Big Foot, Arlovski couldnt even hit him withe the jab, but threw the cross anyway. He ended up reaching and leaving him self open for coutners

 

Maybe the question you need to ask yourself is what to throw instead of a right if it keeps missing...

But don't think there is a correct or incorrect answer. Throw whichever punch or maneuver is gunna be most effective.

The only time I would throw a punch I assume isn't gunna land is to either bully or bait someone

 

Yes, over-reaching may be a problem. I tend to fall forward when I throw the cross - which BTW I notice many pro boxers do as well.

But I recently noticed while shadow boxing that by keeping my stance a bit wider and my front foot further forward I had enough balance to pull my right hand back. Thing is it hasn`t worked in sparring/fighting, ie. against moving targets.

 

You're falling forward wtf?

Keep your knees slightly bent for balance.

 

The follow up punch on a missed right cross, be it left hook or otherwise shouldn't be your concern........ I would encourage you to start with the "cause" of the problem before trying to figure how to adjust to the "effects" of the problem, your gettin a step ahead.

1st - why are you missing your cross? are you landing a jab before the cross, are you leading with the cross, what situation in particular are you missing the cross, are you coming short when you miss or are you over extending, is the cross getting slipped or pulled away from causing you to miss? Figure this out first before trying to add a follow up shot as a safeguard, may work once or twice, but it aint gonna fix the problem!

2nd- you say your getting in "trouble" when you miss..... so define "trouble", are you getting countered? if so, how are you being countered, what shot is the usual counter?

Their is a difference between "falling forward" because your off balance and "falling forward as a technique used by a pro boxer......... from your description above, about moving your front foot forward and widening your base to keep your balance..... that immediately tells me that your not throwing your cross from the ground up, not getting your hip/core/shoulders rotating into the shot, your arm punching. Probably setting your feet flat and throwing the cross, not pivoting on the rear foot, which causes you to "push" the cross, getting your arm/shoulder out in front of your hip..... why when you miss you fall forward, your momentum is moving in forward ahead of your base and flat feet are the anchor holding that base in place and causing your upper body to get out ahead of your feet, ya gots to pivot and throw that cross from your core ground up! this is also why your probably telegraphing the cross and getting in "trouble".....

 

I usually land the jab from very far away but have problems landing the cross from there. To land both I find I need to get much closer. Maybe I`m just used to stay at a comfortable jabbing distance?

By getting in trouble I mean I lose balance, my guard goes allover the place nd my opponent has a chance to do pretty much whatever he wants.

I really think it`s the one in red. At any rate I was watching this vid where the guy (famous pro trainer but don`t know his name) was saying that one has to follow up after the cross by moving to the side or at least ducking. I took it as confirmation that throwing the cross is risky business. So I was wondering if the hook was a nice follow-up since I`ve seen it in many fights I was watching recently. That of course doesn`t mean that I shouldn`t be working on my straight cross too.

 

Footwork, footwork, footwork. If you can land a jab, you should be able to land the cross. Of course, no one stands in one place for you to hit them.

Watch the reaction after the jab, log it, and act accordingly after. Example: if you throw the jab and the guy instinctively retreats pulling his hands up, throw a body kick after as it will have more reach, power, and will be unprotected. If you're just using hands, use footwork to close the distance and cut-off his escape for the follow up punch to the body and then change elevations again to the head.

You could even learn to hit with a cross by itself if you just time it as a counter punch.

That's a problem with basic fundamentals (if it's happening on every miss). You need to shadow box more--maintaining posture and balance and making sure to keep your weight evenly distributed. This again goes back to stance, posture, and footwork.

The idea is that if the punch doesn't ko the guy or misses he's going to try and counter attack...so hit and move. Standard issue stuff. Just like he doesn't stay in one place for you to hit him, you don't stay in one place for him to counter-hit you.

Let me ask, if someone threw a cross at you and missed because you slipped to his outside, what punches do you think would be available for you to counter? Which would you use?

 

in red.....

 

Left hook to body or head goes sweet after the right cross... and the right feint sets up a left kick well.

its nice to hide the right cross behind a double jab as well (or uppercuts/hooks or any left for that matter )

the right cross (for an orthodox stance) is a nice finishing move if you want to commit to it. But its often used as a lead or fake to set up the big left shots in later rounds.

yes... it can leave you exposed if you over reach after a jab or other lead... and is quite easy to defend so setting it up over the course of the fight is essential.

pick your shot... get the timing right and its guaranteed to give you a few knockouts along the way.

 

I folow with right kick. That's the basics: 1,2,right kick.
Just hands: left hook or liver shot.

 

I had a similar problem. Do make sure that your chin is always behind your lead knee? I had a tendency to reach with my right hand, bringing my weight too far forward, and then being off balance to either follow with other punches after throwing my right, or not being able to move because I would first have to reset my stance.

Coach pointed out that I need to keep my chin behind my lead knee to maintain balance, and use my feet to get closer if my punch is coming up short instead of leaning in.

Another thing, try the left uppercut after a right hand. A lot of people are expecting the hook to come and will block it just by having their right hand in the regular position on the side of the chin. They aren't expecting an uppercut to come up the middle. It sucks to get hit with and it really snaps their head back making it obvious that it was a scoring blow (especially helpful in amateur boxing with the computer scoring).

 

There's a few things that I have had success with after throwing a right cross.

1) Throwing a left hook to the body. If you commit with your cross, most likely the opponent will be looking to guard his head, so you can land the hook right to the ribs.

2) Step slightly diagonal with your right foot, then throw a left roundkick to the body or head.

3) Throwing a left uppercut to the chin.

 

I think this is more of a question of fundamentals...not combinations. There's a reason why he's not landing the cross, and why he's off balance.

 

exactly! i would be more concerned that i couldn't land my cross and was getting off balance when i threw it vs. how to throw another shot behind a off balance missed shot, that's just begging to get countered and KTFO!

 

No, or you'll get too used to it and get predictable. Mix it up.

 

There is a lot of good advice in this thread. I think you should, as a few have said, adress the problem of balance and over-reaching. Try leaning into your jab a little more...leading with your hips and a SMALL shuffle forward. That should get you in better cross landing range. Then, perfect the follow up shot.

1st, master the 1,2,3.
Then mix in body hook (Bas Rutten/Mickey Ward style) or the uppercut from the GIF above in place of the 3. I find those to be the best hands to throw after the cross. Body kick works also, if you throw it well.

 

Are you landing a jab before the cross? Then it should be easy to land the cross right after.