Leaping into punches?

You have to time it well and quickly, and make sure it isn't predictable either.

 

It's all about the rhythm and the timing of the punch. For the Gazelle left hook I would suggest doing it of the jab or feinting the jab right before throwing it whilst shadow boxing, then try it in sparring.

 

If you're a bobber-and-weaver you can use exaggerated head movement to set it up a la Joe Frazier and Rocky Marciano

 

@greynotsoold thoughts on the various leaping gazelle hooks? Personally prefer the fish hook but I’m no grey sage.

 

Guys have been throwing those punches forever, but I had never heard "Gazelle punch" in any gym in over 50 years of frequenting such establishments. Last week I saw a video on facebook touting the 'cobra punch.'

 

Oh the Cobra punch - that’s a good one, it’s power relies on hissing right at initiation (the hope is your spit blinds the enemy) lost art really.

 

You have to figure out when the opponent gets out of position to punch. Like if you see a fighter step back properly with the back foot the first time and then pulls the front foot way back so he's squared up for an instant. Sometimes it's on his third step back.

In which case you'd feint, feint, then step in and do the "gazelle, cobra, leaping lizards" punch.

But if you leap in while they're still in punching position, you'll be leaping straight to the canvas.

 

This demonstrates proper technique for the cobra punch:

This content is protected

 

Impeccable form but it lacks the distinct blinding hiss (spit) at initiation - WWE is an athletic exhibition and no gladiator match so I understand.

 

Kangaroo Hook*

 

I don't understand why anybody would want to throw a leaping hook or leaping right hand or leaping anything else. It's the same as lunging, a mistake that new people in the gym make and trainers try to correct. It might work if the other guy is hurt, out on his feet and no threat, but even then you'd probably have more power with your feet on the ground, transferring your weight, and digging in the toes.

 

The Gazelle Punch is the name of a Floyd Patterson punch.
https://vault.si.com/vault/1956/11/26/last-chance-for-old-arch

That's from a 1956 issue of Sports Illustrated so its a really old term.

 

Interesting article. That a writer used the term "Gazelle Punch" in Sports Illustrated, doesn't make it a gym term, maybe it was just a term that Sports Illustrated invented to point out the absurdity of the technique? Like greynotsoold, I've never heard anybody in a gym even mention "Gazelle Punch." I can see why the trainer, Florio would be embarrassed by his fighter doing it, and, D'Amato too. That's the kind of thing that if another trainer sees your fighter do, they might approach your fighter later and tell him that his trainer is teaching him wrong.

Wonder why Patterson thought that jumping and punching at the same time was a good idea? Glad that Florio and D'Amato did not teach that, and were embarrassed that their fighter did it.

 

Patterson knocked a lot of people out with that punch.