Setting traps.

Basically putting your opponent where you want them to be but they still think that they are actually in charge but they have been led there instead and feints to. Takes a fighter with a high ring IQ to pull it off. Dropping your guard and baiting some one to throw and become reckless so you can get an easy counter. Setting someone up for a money punch like what PBF did to Hatton with the check hook, it often involves retreating to lull your opponent asleep. There are many more these are just some quick examples. Hopkins and PBF set traps all the time in their fights. I suggest watching them.

 

I'm not gonna lie I was very careful clicking this thread. It seemed suspect

 

It's mostly a counter puncher technique, usually when one fighter is baiting another fighter into leading to a place where they want them to be at while using feints and then setting up for a counter shot.

At least that's how I always see it. Hopkin's fight with Tarver is a good example.

 

Essentially, it's tricking the opponent into doing something and surprising/punishing him for that.

 

JMM against Pacquiao in the fourth fight is also good example of setting a trap. When JMM knocked Pac down the first time he was hitting Pac's body to make him lower his guard. JMM would feint another body shot to set up the right that drops Pac. And then again when JMM goaded Pac to come to him before KOing him.

 

Sergio made a career off of it as well.

 

Most basic and easiest to learn is to set traps with the jab. Paw with the jab to get your opponent to react to it. When the opponent counters your pawing jab you counter them with your own punch.

Or it can be as simple as just throwing the left hook to the body. Repeat until you opponent get conditioned to it. Then feint a left hook to the body but throw one to the head instead.

Hamed's entire career was built around those traps. Every silly move he pulled was intended to draw a certain opening from his opponent. High level tactics and immense athleticism.

And one of my favorite type of traps is rhythm breaking. I ****ing love Jersey Joe Walcott.

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Btw, Tim Bradley gives Loma **** for that leaning in that he does. It's actually a way for Loma to hide his punches and set up traps.

 

Loma's ring IQ might be a smidgen higher than Bradley's..

 

Roy Jones Jr. deserves a mention.

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A perfect example of setting a trap would be using a throw away jab to get your opponent to commit to throwing a straight right. You then counter his right with your left hook. Basically, showing an opponent something that puts him in a position you can take advantage of.

 

Pacquiao also sets up traps too, which people seem to overlook. An example would be the 4th round of Pacquiao vs Cotto where Pac gets put on the ropes, baits Cotto to come to him and then turns the tides on Cotto quickly after getting out of the ropes and then drops him. Pac can be a sneaky counter puncher.

Interestingly Floyd Mayweather Jr himself described Pacquiao as a fighter who sets up traps.
“He basically sets a trap. He sets traps for other fighters to where he can load up all of his arsenal and use different angles to win on fighters.”

 

He often hides behind that high guard to probe for openings. And his jab is there to bair for counter opportunities. One of the rare elite southpaws who actually jabs his orthodox opponents(not just to measure distance).

 

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