If any, what is the real advantage of being southpaw?

The key to beating a southpaw is a good right hand. Hence if you are southpaw fighting an orthodox fighter, which is very likely, you are more vulnerable to the right hand in my opinion.

 

People are used to seeing orthodox fighters and sparring against orthodox fighters. It's harder to find good southpaw sparring partners, and most fighters don't naturally know how to defend against punches coming from a southpaw stance, since 9 times out of 10 you're facing an orthodox fighter. It's really as simple as that.

Also, some fighters (not at the top level much) have a stance where they just can't see punches coming from a southpaw that well, either because of where they naturally place their gloves, or just because they don't have good peripheral vision and they're only trained to see things coming from a different spot.

In any case, the strategies used in successfully fighting an orthodox fighter versus a southpaw fighter are extremely different, and if your body is trained to do one thing when you're supposed to do another, it puts you at a disadvantage. A lot of guys really just fight on instinct, especially if they get hurt, so it's a challenge to face enough southpaws in sparring so that what you're supposed to do against them becomes second nature.

 

yeah i was about to say..... its just a different look

the majority of human beings are right handed.... so when you fight a bunch of guys who are right handed then you fight this one random left hander its just a different rhythm and timing....


same thing applies in a lot of sports... like in basketball left handed guys are always hard to guard because there moves are way different from the regular right hander

 

Sorry I misread, I thought it said the possible disadvantage of being a southpaw.

 

1. Correct

2. Correct, but a good trainer knows all the ins and outs of the game.

3. Rocky had injured his eye in the first fight with Creed (remeber "you gotta cut me Mick), so Micky taught Rocky to fight right handed, that way his injured eye would not be out in front to get raped by Creed's jab. Also, the switching of tactics is an advantage to give the opponent [Creed] something he was unprepared for.


I find it easy to fight south paws. In fact it's for me it's even easier that fighting righties. If you know which way to move, it all falls into place very easily.

 

About the basketball thing..

I'm left handed, and I do have to say that it does give me some subtle advantages on offense and defense.

On offense, the defenders seem to have a bit of trouble with timing my moves, even the very basic ones. It must be the unfamiliarity and the completely reverse angle/mirror image of a lefty player, compared to a righty player that bothers them. They are often jumping too soon, or too early to block my shot.

On defense, the advantage is more noticeable, personally. Because most players are right handed, they dribble the ball and they shoot with their right hand. And because I'm a southpaw, my natural instict when blocking a shot or poking the ball out of a dribbler's hand is to use my left hand.

Because my stance is a mirror image of a righty, it's easier for me to reach the ball using my left hand. I dont have to use my right hand and reach across my body.

Sorry for the basketball off topic.

 

yeah lefties are always tough.... they do everything completely different

 

How about lefties that fight orthodox.... ala me?

 

You mean boxers like Oscar Dela Hoya?

I havent had any proper boxing training/experience, but I noticed that everytime I punch the heavy bags using the orthodox stance, I feel that my jab is much harder (not necessarily quicker, just stiffer) and my left hooks feel really tight and heavy and quick, to the head and to the body, I can feel my body turn into the punch and land on the bag with more power.

My right straight's pretty worthless, though.

 

1. yeah your right but you have to train to be southpaw. a majority of boxing and training in general is to make everything 2nd nature and natural...if a right hander switches and fights southpaw against a southpaw opponant they are thinking about what they have to do. thinking means your slower and thus will lose. but i have seen top world class operators like rob reid turn southpaw and be so awkward that nardiello didnt know what he was doing and get caught heavy. but rob was getting outboxed when he did it.



2. southpaws have a jab, cross, uppercut, hook.

3. i think because it would create a ace in the sleeve. if you are used to fighting a guy who is orthodox. then in the last few rounds he turns southpaw you havent adjusted to it. where as is in most fights the orthy learns the ways of the lefty and knows how he will come in. also rocky was a 1 dimensional fighter adding that dimension to it would of made it awkward for apollo but natural for robert.

 

The key to fighting southpaws is to circle to their right. That's counterintuitive for right handers and why so many fighters have trouble with them.

 

The right handed opponent isn't accustomeed to fighting southpaws, while the southpaw is very comfortable fighting conventional fighters.