Sparring videos with much to criticize

[Universal Kombat]

Hello there gentlemen of Sherdog.

I have two of my sparring videos that I would like you guys to please watch and criticize.

Yes, I'm aware I'm fat as fuck, I wasn't always like this, I competed in Muay Thai, Sanda, and Judo when I was in shape a few years ago. That being said I received a horrible lower back injury in grappling a few years ago, did nothing but eat all day without exercising, and thus am now a fatty, it's my first day back in the gym actually, and I'm ready to shed off all this dead weight.

I've never boxed before, but I have some experience with my hands due to the Muay Thai and Sanda, I'd appreciate the tips guys, as I am going to be focusing on boxing for the next year as my weight loss routine and will also be competing in amateur fights.





Have at it, laugh your asses off, but don't forget to also give me pointers.

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

hey I'm way worse off then you bro. Keep up the good work and goodluck with your weight loss.

 

[biscuitsbrah]

-Show the right hand, don't always just use it to block jabs.

-You must feint and move your head to get in on that huge dude. Way more feints

-Cut off the ring by stepping laterally. Don't let them go wherever they want

-Work the body... With either hand

-Boxing or wrestling shoes will probably be 100 times more comfortable than converse.

Not bad dude

 

[ARIZE]

What biscuitsbrah says plus:

-You over commit (specially when throwing hooks) while advancing, so you loose your balance.

-Use your jab more, and with the attention to do damage, not just extending your hand to measure distance.

-More combos, no need for complicated ones, or long ones, just one-twos for example.

-You switch stance a lot (not necessarily bad thing) but you don't seem to use the basics of fighting as a southpaw. (not talking about shifting)

-Some times, it seems as you target the gloves, and not the head behind them. (specially on lead hand hooks)

Keep training, it shows that you have some experience and that you enjoy yourself.

Not bad dude

 

[FadeLess]

Good to see you man , thanks for sharing the vídeos.
I really like your defensive skills , you have good head movement and i also like your reflexes.
Imo the problem is the offense ... it seems that you struggle a bit with your footwork , which is totally understandable for a heavy guy thats getting back in there again.
Also your punching technique needs a little work, you are not using your body weight nor your leverage correctly.
Sharp those up and keep up the good training.
I believe that while you will be improving your conditioning and losing some weight , it will be much easier to perfect the technique.
Cheers

 

[Paradigm]

I'm not a boxer so I'll let the boxers chime in...just happy to see people post sparring vids in here again.

 

[a guy]

Be more proactive with your jab. You did too much waiting on him, letting him move around and engage on his own terms. Don't only jab when he jabs, step in with your own and jab from underneath to knock him back. Double it up and throw it to the chest and body because you're not likely to reach his head easily at first. Change up the timing as you feint in and out, always stepping laterally and diagonally forward. Cut off the ring while working your jab, then when you limit his movement start walking him into traps and letting your power hand go.

 

[Sano]

Be more proactive with your jab. You did too much waiting on him, letting him move around and engage on his own terms. Don't only jab when he jabs, step in with your own and jab from underneath to knock him back. Double it up and throw it to the chest and body because you're not likely to reach his head easily at first. Change up the timing as you feint in and out, always stepping laterally and diagonally forward. Cut off the ring while working your jab, then when you limit his movement start walking him into traps and letting your power hand go.

Hey a guy! It's been a while since I've seen you around. Hope everything is well.

TS, you have nothing to be ashamed of. When you were set and planted you reacted and moved with the punches suprisingly well. Seriously, your head movement and timing is actually quite impressive for someone who hasn't stricly boxed. Is that from your Sanda days? You probably want to add a few other looks that the roll and low lead hand. I know it's nice to parry their jabs and roll their rights, but someone will catch you coming in. It's good, and you use it well, just think about your hand placement when moving forward.

The big problem is when you are attacking. You're stumbling all over place with your feet and balance. You are leading with your head and taking too many risks. Punches doesn't look very pretty when you try to catch them either. Pretty stark difference to your planted/defensive game actually. You did time a few good overhands though!

As the other guys said, walk them down by cutting the ring off, don't rush in. A guy gave some nice advice with feinting and doubling the jab up when facing tall foes. You need to make them react, then it's easier to close the distance.

Keep it up! Very good sparring! Refreshing to see.

 

[NHB7]

I'm no better than you are. You looked pretty good. I only watched the first one.

That being said, I felt like you did a lot of waiting on him. When you fight massively taller guys, you kind of have to make them react to slip in. If you wait on them, they will dictate the fight easily including causing you to fall into their combos.

As someone suggested, feints will help with that. Also, when I fight someone that much taller I find a lot of succes with a quick double jab to their body, shortening the second jab as I step in (with head movement) and then throwing for the head.

While you don't want to be predictable, I feel like when he is that much taller, a lot of your combos have to start with the body if you want to succeed at landing well on the head.

 

[a guy]

Hey a guy! It's been a while since I've seen you around. Hope everything is well.

TS, you have nothing to be ashamed of. When you were set and planted you reacted and moved with the punches suprisingly well. Seriously, your head movement and timing is actually quite impressive for someone who hasn't stricly boxed. Is that from your Sanda days? You probably want to add a few other looks that the roll and low lead hand. I know it's nice to parry their jabs and roll their rights, but someone will catch you coming in. It's good, and you use it well, just think about your hand placement when moving forward.

The big problem is when you are attacking. You're stumbling all over place with your feet and balance. You are leading with your head and taking too many risks. Punches doesn't look very pretty when you try to catch them either. Pretty stark difference to your planted/defensive game actually. You did time a few good overhands though!

As the other guys said, walk them down by cutting the ring off, don't rush in. A guy gave some nice advice with feinting and doubling the jab up when facing tall foes. You need to make them react, then it's easier to close the distance.

Keep it up! Very good sparring! Refreshing to see.

Yea I've been lurking infrequently. I've had a lot going on this summer, was training a lot but I just banged my knee up at gymnastics so I'm taking some time off and will be around here more. Hope things are going well for you too!

 

[Replay19]

Aye you guys should come to NorCal and spar with us

 

[Sano]

Yea I've been lurking infrequently. I've had a lot going on this summer, was training a lot but I just banged my knee up at gymnastics so I'm taking some time off and will be around here more. Hope things are going well for you too!

Sorry to hear about your injury! Hope it heals up well, be smart about it!
I have started incorporated some gymnastics base building as well. I'll hold off on any fancy tricks then

I am quite well thanks. See you around my friend.

 

[Universal Kombat]

Thank you for all the advice and compliments guys. You're all basically repeating the same thing so it's extra comforting to know that what ya'll are saying is exactly what I need to do, you all can't be wrong right? RIGHT???

To answer some of your questions. I actually learned my head movement from my Muay Thai days. I'm not THAT short but there's alot of guys taller than me obviously (5'9 and a half but I say 5'10 for the dating profile... jk), and I'm tasked with avoiding that dreaded tall guy jab or have my face flattened.

For my Muay Thai I go to The Yard in L.A. so I've sparred with guys like Joe Schilling regularly, and I don't want to get punched by the likes of him, so I developed some sort of defense.

I'm so used to using my kicks to set up my punches from Sanda and Muay Thai, that I realized how useless my offensive game is without my kicks.

And you guys really pointed that out and I appreciate it. My offensive game is horrible as a boxer. Two of you guys said something about showing my right hand more instead of just parrying with it. Did you guys mean throw my straight at him?

I'm reluctant to jab at him coming in because I feel like he's going to counter massively with a jab of his own, and given the 10 inch reach advantage I think he'll beat me to a jab 9/10 times. Same goes for my straights, I feel he'll just lean back and pop me in the face with a left hook. This guy is well known for his counter stirking and though you guys couldn't tell from the video he rocked me twice towards the end. (that poweful jab at the end I ate was my fault though I dropped my hands)

I know this is a very elementary question, so bear with me, but how do you guys deal with coming in with jabs and straights on a much taller guy without worrying about a counter? I feel like I'm playing right into his game by chasing him that way. I was trying to brawl my way in there with haymakers to get him to cover up but that obviously didn't work.

I believe I'm just so used to using my leg kicks to force taller guys into planting themselves and checking it in order for me to come in with my hands without worrying about them leaning back and catching me Anderson Silva vs Forrest Griffin style...

I haven't ever needed to use solid boxing fundamentals apparently (embarrasing). I'm falling in love with boxing so thanks for the advice guys, I can't wait to at least get to an amateur level of boxing.

 

[ARIZE]

I know this is a very elementary question, so bear with me, but how do you guys deal with coming in with jabs and straights on a much taller guy without worrying about a counter? I feel like I'm playing right into his game by chasing him that way. I was trying to brawl my way in there with haymakers to get him to cover up but that obviously didn't work.

Most basic way is to move your head to your right while jabbing,(regular stance vs regular) no need for a big movement. Easy to drill with a partner. Just have someone throwing jabs, and focus on moving the head to the side.
While you move the head and jab, have your right hand glued to the side of your chin to prevent a fake jab to hook from your opponent. Don't turn your head, use your body to move your head to the side, almost like loading a hook...

If your opponent doesn't have a huge reach advantage, you can keep your head straight, but move your right hand in front of your chin as you jab, to catch his. Must be a simultaneous movement.

 

[Universal Kombat]

Most basic way is to move your head to your right while jabbing,(regular stance vs regular) no need for a big movement. Easy to drill with a partner. Just have someone throwing jabs, and focus on moving the head to the side.
While you move the head and jab, have your right hand glued to the side of your chin to prevent a fake jab to hook from your opponent. Don't turn your head, use your body to move your head to the side, almost like loading a hook...

If your opponent doesn't have a huge reach advantage, you can keep your head straight, but move your right hand in front of your chin as you jab, to catch his. Must be a simultaneous movement.

Great advice. I'll try it out and hopefully I can make it work. I'll drill it for a while first before I go on my next sparring session.

 

[a guy]

Thank you for all the advice and compliments guys. You're all basically repeating the same thing so it's extra comforting to know that what ya'll are saying is exactly what I need to do, you all can't be wrong right? RIGHT???

To answer some of your questions. I actually learned my head movement from my Muay Thai days. I'm not THAT short but there's alot of guys taller than me obviously (5'9 and a half but I say 5'10 for the dating profile... jk), and I'm tasked with avoiding that dreaded tall guy jab or have my face flattened.

For my Muay Thai I go to The Yard in L.A. so I've sparred with guys like Joe Schilling regularly, and I don't want to get punched by the likes of him, so I developed some sort of defense.

I'm so used to using my kicks to set up my punches from Sanda and Muay Thai, that I realized how useless my offensive game is without my kicks.

And you guys really pointed that out and I appreciate it. My offensive game is horrible as a boxer. Two of you guys said something about showing my right hand more instead of just parrying with it. Did you guys mean throw my straight at him?

I'm reluctant to jab at him coming in because I feel like he's going to counter massively with a jab of his own, and given the 10 inch reach advantage I think he'll beat me to a jab 9/10 times. Same goes for my straights, I feel he'll just lean back and pop me in the face with a left hook. This guy is well known for his counter stirking and though you guys couldn't tell from the video he rocked me twice towards the end. (that poweful jab at the end I ate was my fault though I dropped my hands)

I know this is a very elementary question, so bear with me, but how do you guys deal with coming in with jabs and straights on a much taller guy without worrying about a counter? I feel like I'm playing right into his game by chasing him that way. I was trying to brawl my way in there with haymakers to get him to cover up but that obviously didn't work.

I believe I'm just so used to using my leg kicks to force taller guys into planting themselves and checking it in order for me to come in with my hands without worrying about them leaning back and catching me Anderson Silva vs Forrest Griffin style...

I haven't ever needed to use solid boxing fundamentals apparently (embarrasing). I'm falling in love with boxing so thanks for the advice guys, I can't wait to at least get to an amateur level of boxing.

The secret to jabbing a taller guy is to come in underneath him. Change levels and dip down to your right while jabbing up at him. This gets your head out of the way of his jab and gives you an advantage in leverage. Timing is important factor as well. At first, you're better off parrying his jab then stepping in with your own. Catch it on your rear glove then step forward low with a double jab. Follow his jab back, long guys take a longer time to recover from their jabs. Once you get a sense of his timing you can slip his jab and throw your own at the same time. Mix in a lot of feints so that he doesn't feint his jab and catch you coming in. Your feints will also give you opportunities to step in without needing to counter his jab.

Don't worry too much about whether or not your jab is landing. Worry about where it's making him move. As long as he's moving back and you're keeping yourself between him and the center of the ring, your jab is working. Once he runs out of space, you can use it to cover your entries and get to work.

 

[ARIZE]

Great advice. I'll try it out and hopefully I can make it work. I'll drill it for a while first before I go on my next sparring session.

Try to have someone show you the proper movement (or at least watch how to slip videos), because its very easy to do it wrong feeling that you doing right. For example lot of people bent the waist, instead of rotating the hips/shoulders.
But its a very easy/basic movement once you "get it".

 

[Sano]

The secret to jabbing a taller guy is to come in underneath him. Change levels and dip down to your right while jabbing up at him. This gets your head out of the way of his jab and gives you an advantage in leverage. Timing is important factor as well. At first, you're better off parrying his jab then stepping in with your own. Catch it on your rear glove then step forward low with a double jab. Follow his jab back, long guys take a longer time to recover from their jabs. Once you get a sense of his timing you can slip his jab and throw your own at the same time. Mix in a lot of feints so that he doesn't feint his jab and catch you coming in. Your feints will also give you opportunities to step in without needing to counter his jab.

Don't worry too much about whether or not your jab is landing. Worry about where it's making him move. As long as he's moving back and you're keeping yourself between him and the center of the ring, your jab is working. Once he runs out of space, you can use it to cover your entries and get to work.

^This, while more or less aggressively (depending on your style) cutting off the ring. Most of the time you need to soften them up a little and do it very gradually, even if they have a lot of range on you. At times you can push a little more, as long as you've set it up.

 

[Samuel Reynoso]

You look really sharp man. My only advice is with that tall guy you really have to put cutting of the ring as a priority. He dances too much when you come in low. If you move left and right laterally as he circles left and right he'll run into the rope while out of position eventually.

 

[Lawblaw]

Get on it man! You looked good.