Is switch hitting worth learning for actual fights. I know a lot of pros practice it but don’t do it in matches. I tried it in sparring today and it felt pretty good but my left side felt a lot weaker. It sounds like an obvious yes, but is there any particular reason why most pros don’t do it despite all the time they spend practicing it?
Most fighters don't put in the time or the effort to master fighting orthodox or southpaw, much less both. Just about every time you see a fighter switching stances during a fight, it is not so much to confuse the opponent but because the guy switching is confused. There are exceptions- Crawford, Humberto Gonzalez, for example. But even Marvin Hagler was more effective one way than the other and he switch because he was very right hand dominant and used it to be in better positions to use his right hand. Many fighters use shifts, where they shift their feet to change an angle but don't fight out of the opposite stance for an extended period. The most famous example is the Tyson right to the body/right uppercut combination. James Toney used a shift to knock out Jason Robinson and Michael Nunn. Orlando Canizalez used one in the second Billy Hardy fight. Shifting your feet is also a good way to close distance to pressure an opponent- Brandon Figueroa does this. It isn't really that hard to get good at throwing punches from the opposite stance; the mechanics for the punches are the same. I'm almost 60 and, due to working a lot with a southpaw lately, can hit the reflex bag just as well from a southpaw stance as from the other side. But what is different is the perspective- if that makes sense- and that is why most fighters don't change back and forth.
Well you just explained it perfectly. This training sub has so much damn knowledge, wish it was more active.
I see two main reasons: - some trainers find switching stance wrong which is very wrong itself - it often happens to be easier to evade, attack, throw a punch if you change your stance - some fighters don't put much effort into, because they don't see it worthy or they're don't want to do the extra effort, while they can make their own style of stance switching Taking the first reason I mention, stance switching can be beneficial in evading and be out of your opponent's line of attack, but still having him in target, also getting out of clinch or close distance in a tricky, less predictive way. Can also allow you to throw power punch after power punch in a different way than you would do from an orthodox stance (so less predictive) and be more effective and faster when attacking, while avoiding strikes. Plus, switching your stance changes the dynamics of the fight and can allow you to take some breath for that reason or break the rhythm of the opponent. I remember that I got a better understanding of that when really started practicing it. My Kyokushin classes never mentioned anything about orthodox or southpaw and me, being a newbie, never thought about. I started having some understanding in time, being left-handed myself and seeing how the orthodox treats your right side as the stronger one (which wasn't my case). Then also started boxing where I developed my southpaw skills. Now I can fight the way I want, of course I prefer the southpaw as it's also more confusing for most, but for the obvious reason: my left punches and kicks are more skilled and powerful. But if I go orthodox, my left jab is better than my right when southpaw.
Too much effort typically. Boxing is vast enough in one stance. That being said, switch hitting can be used without learnig in and outs of a whole new stances. Openong new angles inside, draws and improved control of ring geometry. See Walcott, Tyson, Fury etc.
Yeah I was going to mention Hagler myself..he mastered switchhitting but I truly believe that just came natural to him early on if not from his very start fighting one way limits a fighter but I often interchange to hit someone that is back peddling (trying to step back and away from me) but that's not good (to back peddle, at least against myself) people back peddle so often against me that I can change mid-step almost in a walking fashion and hit people with 2's back to back. It doesn't happen consciencely but instinctively. Subconsciously I know that I am not in the position to throw heavy shots so I change sides while moving towards my opponent. I really suggest studying Hagler if you want to switch hit.
I would not say that Hagler mastered 'switch hitting.' What Hagler mastered was ways to use his right hand more effectively and more often because he was very right hand dominant. By comparison his left hand was used far, far less in either stance and was far less effective.
It's worth it if you do it mid combination the way Tyson does it. Otherwise i don't see any point practicing both stances
I guess reason of training other side but not using it in fights is fact that jab hand happend to be faster and more durable, so if you train switch stance it does crossover to faster power hand in your Basic stance. But I might be wrong,thats only what I have noticed on my own. Sure there are also other reasons
