I wanted to make a post about fighting shorter guys.......funny because its suppose to be easier and more easing on the mind when you're fighting a guy who's 4-5 inches shorter. (that's the height difference im talking about) but I wanted to see more in depth strategies and approaches to going again someone who you have a large height advantage on. Everyone says, "use the jab" but Im talking as if you're fighting someone who is experienced the first thing the shorter guy should do through out his career is KNOW the jab is coming and learn to counter it, then what? This arguement could take place all night about "fighting tall" or fighting eye level. Standing straight up with good posture sounds ideal but then you always have the bad seed of naturally punching downward which leaves you're face/chin open considerably. Then standing crouched / eye level you have see more but the common phrase is "you're giving up your reach!" Its an on going debate but Ive talked to some guys at the gym about this and they give me their .02 ...... The usual post is about fighting someone taller but ive came here to switch things up, Im posting here to see (for the people who've been around this sport more) what do yous think is the best approach when facing someone who you're looking down on? What tactics do you use and why? Would love to see some input
jab+feints, so he never knows when is safe to come in. i move a lot against shorter guys, circling while changing directions. 1-2, 1-1-2 and 1-2-3 is most used, or 2-1-2 against lefties.. if he is faster then me on legs and if i get tired i do 1-2 and then drown him klitschko style in near distance. very common thing when shorter guy is fighting taller is they have higher guard which is logical but it leaves liver exposed. one also russian school tactic is pulling upper body back and forth, with or without jab (i dont know how to call that). Its not very good for overall balance but its nice feint and good for strong right hand counter.
Thats interesting and Ive came across this before but never actually tried to use it, any specific fighters do this?
Getting low and jabbing at his chest is not giving up your reach, it is extending it. Standing tall and jabbing down shortens your arms. You are correct in what you say about a shorter fighter, in that he should be prepared to deal with jabs, and movement. So you get low and jab at his chest because that truly keeps him at the end of your reach and makes him work to get around it, because he can no longer punch over it. When he starts to get around it, you get your feet closer together so you can punch hard with a hook or an uppercut. That is the game you are playing. Will he let you keep him at the end of your jab? If he doesn't, you have to catch onto what he is trying to do to get around it, then give him the jab and land something off his move. Uppercuts, or a hook. The straight right hand is another long punch.
klitchkos and lomachenko, many fighters, every has it own version. mayweather does this but not continuously. He put his head forward so you can hit him. When you punch, he pulls back and counter. Move that i described is very similar to mayweathers move, but you do it when coming forward and you do it all the time mixing it with slips and jabs.
The old rule of thumb was to accentuate your advantages. If you were tall, fight tall. If you were short, fight out of a crouch.
I'm 5'11 and about 66kg so naturally I'll be fighting smaller people, good thread for me. I really prefer sparring shorter lads, find it a lot easier, something really hard about sparring taller, bigger lads.
