Fighting a taller boxer

[biscuitsbrah]

So there’s this guy I regularly train with who consistently out boxes me. We go pretty hard probably 80% pretty good work in.

Anyway I usually use my physical foot/hand speed and darting in and out to close distance because I’m 5’4 and don’t like getting hit. But this guy is 5’7 and more physically gifted than me in hand speed and has better combos. If we aren’t doing takedowns he’s a stylistic nightmare for me because he fights like me except he’s taller and faster. If I sit back he will outpoint me so I know I need to keep the pressure but I take so many shots just to land one if I stand in front of him.

The only thing that works is:
1) Stalling then attacking. basically footwork the shit out of him while still trying to pressure but ‘wait’ for my opportunity to strike when he gets lazy from missing all these shots or barely grazing me. Same style that lost me my last kickboxing fight. Also a lot of energy expended moving so much

2) Work the body then go up top. Not hitting the body to even do damage but more just to get him thinking of other things so I can close distance. I get hit so much more doing this while trying to engage. Almost not worth it

For those who have seen me fight, any specific tips? He’s basically me but moves his feet less and has better/faster combos.

I was thinking about just running in on him but I don’t think that’s a good habit to develop since it’s just training. Kind of like making it a super ugly fight but that’s not my style and it’s basically conceding that I can’t beat him any other way besides being a dog and brawling. It’s not my style either and I don’t necessarily want to try it out.

 

[spacetime]

There are shorter boxers who do very well and they all have one thing in common: in-fighting, swarming ability.

The reason for this is because they have no other option. And yes this means getting hit, but there is no time to load up punches against those guys if they are fast enough.

 

[shincheckin]

So there’s this guy I regularly train with who consistently out boxes me. We go pretty hard probably 80% pretty good work in.

Anyway I usually use my physical foot/hand speed and darting in and out to close distance because I’m 5’4 and don’t like getting hit. But this guy is 5’7 and more physically gifted than me in hand speed and has better combos. If we aren’t doing takedowns he’s a stylistic nightmare for me because he fights like me except he’s taller and faster. If I sit back he will outpoint me so I know I need to keep the pressure but I take so many shots just to land one if I stand in front of him.

The only thing that works is:
1) Stalling then attacking. basically footwork the shit out of him while still trying to pressure but ‘wait’ for my opportunity to strike when he gets lazy from missing all these shots or barely grazing me. Same style that lost me my last kickboxing fight. Also a lot of energy expended moving so much

2) Work the body then go up top. Not hitting the body to even do damage but more just to get him thinking of other things so I can close distance. I get hit so much more doing this while trying to engage. Almost not worth it

For those who have seen me fight, any specific tips? He’s basically me but moves his feet less and has better/faster combos.

I was thinking about just running in on him but I don’t think that’s a good habit to develop since it’s just training. Kind of like making it a super ugly fight but that’s not my style and it’s basically conceding that I can’t beat him any other way besides being a dog and brawling. It’s not my style either and I don’t necessarily want to try it out.

just boxing right?

cut the ring off and corner him.

reverse #2) go up top first, who care if they even land or are hard shots, just distractions to get to the body. I would focus majority of your punches on getting body shots. Get inside the pocket, rip the body, then go up top.

Watch tyson and zambidis.

Over the years at all the gyms I have trained at, I was usually the shortest and lightest guy there.

Try 3-4 strong hard straight jabs down the pipe to get in. Most guys expect maybe 2, the last 2 throw them off guard.

 

[esum80]

how about using feints or mixing up your timing in addition to your stall/footwork tactic (akin to a change-up or off-speed pitch in baseball)?

 

[j123]

When in doubt double leg

Also finally someone shorter than @Pugilistic

 

[biscuitsbrah]

how about using feints or mixing up your timing in addition to your stall/footwork tactic (akin to a change-up or off-speed pitch in baseball)?

Shit more feints. Should have thought of that. Great specific advice

 

[Ilk]

Well I have this newbie tall friend who is advancing very fast though. What seems to work for me is body jabs and move in or circle right and jab in. I am watching for his own jab. As I am staying pretty low when he trows it I pin it down either with my left and over hand him and blast in or block with my right + jab simultaniously. However no answers for his right hand. Not much clue what to do.

 

[AminoAcid]

You're 5'4"? I don't believe you. This is Sherdog. Everyone is at least 6'2" here.


Pics or it never happened.

 

[aerius]

Hand fight him. I had a similar problem against a guy who was about the same height as me but more advanced with better footwork & punching. What worked for me was covering, pushing, jamming, and putting my hands & arms all over his gloves so that he had to reset or get my hands out of the way first before he could throw any clean punches. I was used to hand fighting and blocking/moving the opponent's hands out of position from wrestling & Muay Thai, he wasn't, and that allowed me to jam/parry/block a lot of his punches while I got up close on him to bang his body, and I'd also try to push him as he disengaged to get him off-balance and land a free punch or 2.

 

[William Huggins]

You're 5'4"? I don't believe you. This is Sherdog. Everyone is at least 6'2" here.


Pics or it never happened.

He has posted a video before but it looks all CGI, like Lord of the Rings and the dwarfs.

I think it's made up of a couple of videos of him benching teh 275......and hanging out with 9.5's at a bar.....(only hanging because nobody bangs 9.5's unless they are drunk) @biscuitsbrah

 

[FighterFirst]

The biggest challenge with taller opponents is cutting the distance. What I liked to do is bait them, this helps make them cut the distance for me.

So I pretend that I want to fight the fight on my back foot, and every time they throw a jab to measure or try to tag me with the cross, I step into them as they are taking a step at me, this avoids me having to take two steps to get to them. My preferred punch is the overhand right over the jab, or a looping left over their cross.

This makes them do some of the legwork for you. Otherwise, if you're chasing them around the ring, they can see you coming because you have to cut the distance first, then strike, and try to smother them.

Watch the Floyd - Corales fight, he does this real well.

 

[rmongler]

With large height differences, the change in angle can decrease the reach you have too his chin; in especially *large* differences in height, this can apply too him too. However... the body will always be the same distance. Body jab is your friend.

See for reference: Andre Ward vs Karl Froch, Andre Ward vs Sergei Kovalev, Andre Ward vs Sergei Kovalev 2.

 

[William Huggins]

The biggest challenge with taller opponents is cutting the distance. What I liked to do is bait them, this helps make them cut the distance for me.

So I pretend that I want to fight the fight on my back foot, and every time they throw a jab to measure or try to tag me with the cross, I step into them as they are taking a step at me, this avoids me having to take two steps to get to them. My preferred punch is the overhand right over the jab, or a looping left over their cross.

This makes them do some of the legwork for you. Otherwise, if you're chasing them around the ring, they can see you coming because you have to cut the distance first, then strike, and try to smother them.

Watch the Floyd - Corales fight, he does this real well.

What bait do you use?? Some nice grilled string beans.......a nice slice of superiority complex pie......

 

[FighterFirst]

What bait do you use?? Some nice grilled string beans.......a nice slice of superiority complex pie......

Usually a knuckle samich.........(since we're doing dad jokes)

 

[dudeguyman]

So there’s this guy I regularly train with who consistently out boxes me. We go pretty hard probably 80% pretty good work in.

Anyway I usually use my physical foot/hand speed and darting in and out to close distance because I’m 5’4 and don’t like getting hit. But this guy is 5’7 and more physically gifted than me in hand speed and has better combos. If we aren’t doing takedowns he’s a stylistic nightmare for me because he fights like me except he’s taller and faster. If I sit back he will outpoint me so I know I need to keep the pressure but I take so many shots just to land one if I stand in front of him.

The only thing that works is:
1) Stalling then attacking. basically footwork the shit out of him while still trying to pressure but ‘wait’ for my opportunity to strike when he gets lazy from missing all these shots or barely grazing me. Same style that lost me my last kickboxing fight. Also a lot of energy expended moving so much

2) Work the body then go up top. Not hitting the body to even do damage but more just to get him thinking of other things so I can close distance. I get hit so much more doing this while trying to engage. Almost not worth it

For those who have seen me fight, any specific tips? He’s basically me but moves his feet less and has better/faster combos.

I was thinking about just running in on him but I don’t think that’s a good habit to develop since it’s just training. Kind of like making it a super ugly fight but that’s not my style and it’s basically conceding that I can’t beat him any other way besides being a dog and brawling. It’s not my style either and I don’t necessarily want to try it out.

How are his combos better?

 

[biscuitsbrah]

How are his combos better?

They land more. He’s in range. My game is more potshot or body head. I land harder but it’s two punches at most. He throws 3-4 punch combos because I’m still in his range

 

[j123]

They land more. He’s in range. My game is more potshot or body head. I land harder but it’s two punches at most. He throws 3-4 punch combos because I’m still in his range

More head moooment

 

[dudeguyman]

More head moooment

 

[dudeguyman]

They land more. He’s in range. My game is more potshot or body head. I land harder but it’s two punches at most. He throws 3-4 punch combos because I’m still in his range

Sounds like you could work on distance control? Are you fighting in his range? You are shorter so you are safer closer to him, relatively. If you are defensive and backing up you will dip back into his range, but if he does that he goes into his range. I see no reason why you can't throw combos as long as him either.

 

[aerius]

Sounds like you could work on distance control? Are you fighting in his range? You are shorter so you are safer closer to him, relatively. If you are defensive and backing up you will dip back into his range, but if he does that he goes into his range. I see no reason why you can't throw combos as long as him either.

I think this is an important concept to consider. When fighting a shorter in & out opponent, a taller fighter has a zone where he can hit the other guy on the way in and out without getting hit back. Every time the shorter fighter crosses that zone he's at a disadvantage, so his setups need to be good to get past that zone and into range and/or he needs to quit crossing the zone so many times. Instead of going in & out and basically fighting on his terms, get in and stay inside, shorter fighters tend to have the advantage when they're up close & personal. Get inside, stick your head on his shoulder, and bang the body. Turn it into a short man's fight, where the taller guy needs to find an answer to the inside game.