Is it true that Cotto is left handed - doesn't fight southpaw?

[Mighty_Fighter]

Originally Posted by FilipMNE

Andre ward is left handed

Really? I didn't know that though I've seen him switch to lefty a few times before.

[MAG1965]

Virgil Hill is left handed also. Helps the left hooks.

[PivotPunch]

Wow I knew there are a few but I didn't know that there are that many fighters fighting this way. But it would explain Frazier's hook, does anyone know if Tua is a lefty?

[Antwuan Maxx]

Originally Posted by Boxing Fanatic

pavlik too

Originally Posted by smegmaa

Mikkel Kessler is left handed and fights orthodox as well.. weird huh?!????????

Both of these guys are said to be ambidextrous. I know Max Kellerman said he watched Kelly Pavlik write his name the exact same way with both hands during a fighter meeting.

[carras]

DLH, tito, juanma(i think), winky, calderon,donaire, among many others

[blacktopbully]

Originally Posted by IntentionalButt

Here all this time I assumed the numerous references to him as a "convert" simply meant he'd joined the Nation of Islam.

[Sinew]

Originally Posted by doylexxx

a lot of these guys were made fight like this by their trainer when they started young thats the real reason

agreed. though i believe it limits a fighter's natural ability.

[miniq]

Originally Posted by Sinew

agreed. though i believe it limits a fighter's natural ability.

Not really...

I'm left handed and footed but prefer the orthodox stance... The straight left hand in a southpaw stance can be a killer but much prefer to have the options of a faster jab, stronger lead left hook which can be also thrown to the body when in the orthodox stance...

If something ain't working then can always switch it up

[freddy-wak]

many of them do that shit, bro...
a lot of trainers will convert a guy just to have his power hand as his lead.....

[FilipMNE]

Brewster is left handed too

[|A|C|S|]

yeah Ortiz is a natural right hander he has decent power in his left tho
unlike Cotto he hardly throws his weaker hand and it hardly as any power in it

[MVC]

Ward too

[Brickhaus]

Originally Posted by Rambo

Interesting if so, didn't know that. Are there any other high-profile boxers past or present who were the same?

Oscar De La Hoya is by far the most prominent, but it's more common than you think these days. Way back when, there were a lot of converted orthodox guys, but that's mostly because anyone who was left-handed was always taught to do everything with their right hand anyway for a number of historical, mostly religious, reasons. There probably are quite a few all time greats who were naturallty left-handed and fought orthodox, but we'll never really know.

A lot of guys these days lead with their strong hand though (DLH, Cotto, Winky Wright, Andre Dirrell (who converted about 10 fights into his pro career), Victor Ortiz, most Filipino fighters not named Pacquiao or Donaire).

Frazier and Tyson are right handed. I'm not sure where those rumors came from, honestly.

[Brickhaus]

Originally Posted by MVC

Ward too

Ward is supposedly ambidexterous. I don't think he's a true lefty though. Watch him in the Showtime series, and he drinks and writes with his right hand.

[Brickhaus]

Originally Posted by MarioBrothers

I'm no pro boxer, but I'm right handed who fights southpaw. The idea is to strengthen your weak arm. Notice if you do bicep exercises the weak one is always the one to give out first, so fighting with the strong hand on front has been advantageous for me

A lot of it depends on where you naturally generate your power. Most people generate their power from their legs, in which case you'd want to fight with your strong arm in back, but some folks generate more power from their midsection, in which case it makes sense to have the strong arm in front. Also, there are some stylistic concerns. Guys who do a lot of damage with the jab may be better served by boxing goofy.