Sparring an NON-BOXER (boxing)

thirteen

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Edited for clarity:
A few days ago I had the experience of boxing-sparring a guy that doesn't train boxing. From what I could see of him working the bags he had kickboxing training, and my coach (who had talked to him before I arrived to train) said the guy was into that "mixed fighting".

So anyway I was very tentative and not knowing what to expect.

The round started and I pumped my jab hard whilst circling.
I think the guy was overwhelmed/hesitant/slow to start.
Anyway he starts leaning forward and trying swinging - so I move back and land 1-2 combos off the top off his head.
Round ends.

Next round starts in much the same way as the first - I move and pump a stiff jab.
MMA guy reaches to clinch and I plant a short left hook on his ear and push myself off him with my right. I notice that he turns his head away as he punches and lets his right hand fall from his guard. So I roll past his right hand and land a hook.
Round ends.

The dude starts the round with a hook-flurry. I push a lead uppercut through the gap and leave it forward to parry. I feel confident enough to slip his power shots and am now landing every left 3-2 & 1-2 combo I throw.
Round ends.

With a few rare exceptions I beat him to every punch, and came off better in every exchange. I can't remember how many times I apologized - I'd land a something that I could feel rocked him and I'd say sorry (learned I don't have a killer instinct).

I was a weird experience and I learned at lot about myself.

Title edited so as to not incite MMA v Boxing war.
 
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Interesting story, did you ever get an idea how much experience he had?
 
Yeah. Not enough to come to a boxing gym lol.

Seriously though I wouldn't have a clue and I didn't ask him.
He was shadow kickboxing and practicing leg checks when I arrived - so I imagine he had at least some kickboxing training with his MMA. He definitely knew how to punch, he just wasn't used to being punched. Being made to rely on his hands seemed to head-screw him and I'd catch him instinctually motioning a kick or even a leg check after an exchange had ended and I was 3 feet away.
 
man i spared yesterday for the first time and kept closing my eyes when i got punched and ducking..i give u mad props to be able to do it well even if he trains mma u still had balls to do it..props i wish i could
 
Yeah. Not enough to come to a boxing gym lol.

Seriously though I wouldn't have a clue and I didn't ask him.
He was shadow kickboxing and practicing leg checks when I arrived - so I imagine he had at least some kickboxing training with his MMA. He definitely knew how to punch, he just wasn't used to being punched. Being made to rely on his hands seemed to head-screw him and I'd catch him instinctually motioning a kick or even a leg check after an exchange had ended and I was 3 feet away.

beginners don't go to your boxing gym? where do they learn boxing?

I want to do some MMA fights in the coming year and I've started going to the boxing league where I live and I love it. I am pure beginner but I've been learning a lot. It really is a science.

When you say "left 3-2 combo" what do you mean? I know the 1-2 is a jab-cross combo (I think) but is the 3-2 a jab, cross, hook followed by a 1-2?

I've been going for a month and when I look at people striking I see that a lot of them don't have fundamentally good movement and have some bad beginners' habits. I am still green and I still get really nervous before sparring. It's traumatizing but I am getting over it and learning.

congrats on your success.
 
Thanks mate.
I spar a lot, and only against boxers (who are way more experienced than me).
Good thing I like to go hard and have a coach who looks out for me.
 
Don't feel too bad. You gave him exactly what a lot of MMA guys need, some strict sparring that made him work outside his comfort zone. If all he takes from it is, "Well if I could've _____, I would've won..." then it's his loss. If he takes from it a realization that those bad types of habits would get his ass knocked out in a match and he comes back because of that realization, then he ends up with something useful.

No harm, no foul. You did exactly what you needed to do and (from the sounds of it) exactly what your coach wanted you to do also.
 
beginners don't go to your boxing gym? where do they learn boxing?
I think there has been a mis-communication.
I was only joking with the "not enough to come to a boxing gym" part.

A 3-2 combo is a left hook, right cross (orthodox stance).

congrats on your success.
Cheers. As retarded as it sounds a part of me wishes I'd declined.
I couldn't help but apologize to the guy and a lot of shoots hit him hard because he'd move his head into the punch.
 
Cheers Da_Rev_Ong.
The guy had a good attitude and was very 'clean' in his sparring.
Which was cool.
 
I had the same thing happen to me a few years ago. I was in NYC and my friends wanted me to go to the park and hustle the chess hustlers or just humble them because I am a master.

They were decent players, very tactical, but they lacked a solid foundation and I only played once and felt horrible after I won. I left after that and said I'd never take advantage of someone like that again. I felt like a bully. A big part of me didn't want to win but what was I going to do?

I think you don't know yet if you have the killer instinct. Against someone who knows and is not at an educational disadvantage your conscience might not repress your killer instinct because you know it's fair that he die.

I never feel bad after beating someone who is supposed to be an equal or a superior.
 
I think you don't know yet if you have the killer instinct. Against someone who knows and is not at an educational disadvantage your conscience might not repress your killer instinct because you know it's fair that he die.
{Can't help but laugh}
Yeah good point.
 
Why didnt you talk to him?

Give him tips and stuff , the guy obviously came there to learn.
 
Yeah. Not enough to come to a boxing gym lol.

Seriously though I wouldn't have a clue and I didn't ask him.
He was shadow kickboxing and practicing leg checks when I arrived - so I imagine he had at least some kickboxing training with his MMA. He definitely knew how to punch, he just wasn't used to being punched. Being made to rely on his hands seemed to head-screw him and I'd catch him instinctually motioning a kick or even a leg check after an exchange had ended and I was 3 feet away.

I know how he feels. It feels very unnatural for me to only use my hands. I feel much more comfortable being able to use my whole body.
 
Why didnt you talk to him?
Give him tips and stuff , the guy obviously came there to learn.
My coach was giving him tips - use your jab, don't turn away etc.
For me, too busy dealing with nerves/the whole situation to know what to say.
Plus I keep my mouth guard in between rounds so I would have sounded like a mong. lol
 
I know how he feels. It feels very unnatural for me to only use my hands. I feel much more comfortable being able to use my whole body.
Yeah I give the major props for coming out of his comfort zone.
I'd catch his feigning (sp?) a leg check than he'd throw something ie jab.
(if that makes sense).

The thread is in no means a MMA bashing one, just an experience.
I actually expected to get whooped on tbh.
Anyone who comes to a gym and is prepared to spar someone they don't know is crazy or very brave imo.
 
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It's nice that he understands he has shortcomings and has a willingness to learn and improve his game.
I've met a lot of guys who have been doing MMA for quite some time, talk a lot of shit about boxers, then get tooled around the ring by teenagers, and yet, they never make an effort to correct their mistakes.
 
My coach was giving him tips - use your jab, don't turn away etc.
If the coach had to tell him not to turn away, he's definitely a noob.

It was polite of you not to destroy him. Keep up the good work.
 
I've met a lot of guys who have been doing MMA for quite some time, talk a lot of shit about boxers, then get tooled around the ring by teenagers, and yet, they never make an effort to correct their mistakes.
From what I can gather the volume of punches I threw at him, and how I kept composed when he was coming forward seemed to throw him out of his game.
 
If the coach had to tell him not to turn away, he's definitely a noob.
It was polite of you not to destroy him. Keep up the good work.
Yeah he looked good shadow-kickboxing, but definitely got overwhelmed one it came to sparring. What his MMA training involves and what on earth possesed him to come I can only guess.

But yeah boxing noob for sure.
Hands-only threw him out for certain.
 
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Interesting read. Maybe I should start going to local boxing gyms and start calling people out.
 
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