What the eff is the deal with Masato's right cross?

[MurphysLawyer]

I've been watching alot of Masatos fights and highlights lately and one thing that strikes me is that despite his normally crisp, excellent hands, he does some just plain old weird shit with his right hand.

He seems to drop it down to his ribs before he is about to throw it, and instead of retracting it he just lets it fall straight down. *WHY* in the name of God does he do this, can anyone shed some light for me? i would put it down to bad technique, but the man in question is a legend so i would have to assume he knows something I dont.

For reference:

‪Masato Highlight by 1000000 Fists‬‏ - YouTube

at about 1:00 he's throwing some on the pads, and at 1:41, 2:00, 2:40, and 2:50 particularly you can see what i mean. hi right uppercut is good, his jab and hook are exceptional, so what gives?

 

[Steakeater**]

It happens if when you extend your upper body forward for further extension.

Its not technique 101, but almost every fighter does it

 

[ambertch]

Yeah, it's not the best technique for high level boxing, but realize a couple of things:

1. You wouldn't just throw this out there. Because you are pushing off the rear foot completely there's a bit of a speed advantage and if you watch Masato's full fights when he throws his right hand like this, he usually has set it up with a few techniques prior to the combo where he launches his right hand

2. The way Masato throws it, he can basically throw the jab+right hand from kicking range. He avoids the risk of stepping in and getting hit by a low kick.

 

[MurphysLawyer]

Thanks for the answers dudes. nice to get straight answers and not ball busting. I also noticed on rewatching that when he does it he tends to 1. lean out to his left side, getting out of the line of fire and 2. move his head immediately afterwards. I think he also does it in close because it lets him choose between that rising cross and an uppercut pretyy easily?

Not something I would see myself using but an interesting wrinkle.

 

[fightingrabbit]

The straight right is actually thrown out from around the ribs. Its just the mechanics of the body.

 

[Zombles]

Pacquiao and Anderson Silva often do the same thing with their straights, the cross Anderson knocks Irvin out with comes from his ribs, as the others said it adds some range and you can generate a lot of power doing it as you're basically throwing in some mechanics of the overhand. Not textbook but it's common, effective, and serves a purpose.

 

[ambertch]

Not something I would see myself using but an interesting wrinkle.

Yeah you definitely shouldn't be doing this. Remember that experts know all the rules and so know precisely how and when to break them.

Until you become an expert, you don't want to be breaking rules.