Originally Posted by atigerofold
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I thought I would discuss my favourite punch, the right counter (variable)....again the timing factor is critical; and if your opponent throws out those tokenry, fairyfloss left jabs, and leaves his chin unprotected, or even slightly positions his right hand held over his right temple, then this right counter punch is looking good for you.
You bounce up to the zone, expecting and timing yourself for a lightening spring back from his delivered left lead ; you see the left arm about to jab out, and by pushing back from your left (forward) foot, your torso moves back, and you slightly move your right foot back, to allow the opponents left jab to fall short. You rapidly spring forward leveraging an explosive right cross from your back foot (ball of the right foot) which must travel faster than his retracting left hand. (often this retracting left hand lead is dropped lower in retreat, allowing your right cross to travel freely and strike)
This is a classic punch, full of unexpected shock and horror to its receiver. It needs to be practiced for hours and hours of free playing time, in order to perfect it. It is good if you can get some collaboration with a gym mate to play the cat and mouse on this punch; open handed practise so you dont knock each other out(dont poke each other in the eye); the speed of delivery is critical....the play practise needs to focus on lightening speed of the feet, your springback to trigger the right, back-foot leverage, and the rapid right cross; the play practise does not need to demonstrate the massive impact of your right cross, you can actually pull your right counter up.....bro and me, would practise it perfectly by slapping or tapping with right cross, hitting with open hand to the top of the forehead (rapid cleanly delivered, tap on the head) When mastered, the punch can be practised on the bag, by pushing and swinging the bag back, and the spring back and right cross delivered by anticipated imagination of left coming from the bag....(think it through and deliver it by perfect spring back)
There is a big mistake you can make with this punch - this is to leave your head up in the air......as you spring back your head/chin needs to be tucked into your chest, and your left hand is held close to the left side of your forehead. (if you are a trainer, you need to highlight this mistake time and time again) Do not telecast the message that you are going to do this counter ......often, if you are overdoing this punch (repeatedly), an opponent can easily baulk you with his half- left jab and right cross you; hence the need for the tucked in chin, and left hand to be positioned up high and close to the left side of the forehead.
I have seen so many people dropped or knocked right out with a perfectly timed right counter punch. If you hit an opponent once with this punch, it certainly tends to pull him up, and consider his fate during the whole fight. These types of clean, designed counter punches seem to score well from a referee; not that you are out to please them....but they do show mastery of the sport, which is what it is all about.
Cheers fellows, would like to hear your take on right counters......
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