How do I film study?

Something that worked well for me when I was starting was watching fights when I already knew who had won. Then I could watch the fight and focus on what he did that led to his victory. You have to separate yourself from the idea of seeking what looks good so that you can find what is effective. Sometimes they are the same, just as often they are not.
I learned a lot about southpaws by watching Ricardo Lopez fight them. He was not a southpaw but what works one way will work the other. What you are really looking at is foot position and creating angles; what you really want to avoid is the modern southpaw theology of 'always' having your foot outside his lead foot. I believe it is Hilario Zapata that will show you how effective a southpaw can be circling to his right- once you get outside the line of his right shoulder he can't hit you. You can watch Ralph Dupas v Charlie King; Dupas was not a southpaw but he fought that way inside in this fight. You will learn how to use your right shoulder to take away his left hook in close. You will learn to smother his right hand as you pivot out to your left while lining up a lane for your left hand. You can watch the second Jose Napoles v Billy Backus fight. Again, Napoles is not a southpaw. But you will see how he uses his foot position to set up different punches, what he throw when his lead foot is outside, and how the inside position sets up his jab and left hook.

 

Chris Byrd

 

Oleksandyr Usyk. Terrence Crawford. Marvin Hagler. Vasyl Lomachenko.

Try some of these tricks that Usyk is using in this video.

Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk - Film Study

There are already many film studies available on youtube. Guys who have slowed down footage and broken down what the fighters are doing.

Let me know if you need links to more.

 

Vicente Saldivar… perhaps Pernell Whitaker?

 

Probably the best boxing product Mr Benton built, didn’t see his work on Taylor or Holyfield much.

 

Two really good points here I’d like to underscore from @greynotsoold:

1) Pay attention to footwork. Control the geometry of the fight and you probably control the fight — and footwork is how you do this. Even a subtle change in angle, a few degrees (especially with a southpaw vs orthodox) can make the difference between who is landing and who is getting hit.

2) The idea of the southpaw having his lead foot on the outside (or, conversely, the orthodox opponent) having the advantage is really about when you’re in the pocket. It’s a matter of which has the best path for the power hand. When the distance is greater, it doesn’t matter much.

Watch Nunn vs Kalumbay and you can see he stepped into the pocket with his foot inside and he’s right in Nunn’s wheelhouse. The surprising KO was actually inevitable … watch the entire (less than a round) fight and you’ll see Sumbu stepped in the same way before the KO and Nunn didn’t pull the trigger, but you can also see he noticed it and was poised to pounce on the opportunity when it happened again.

Outside the pocket, different kettle of fish. Inside vs outside with lead foot doesn’t matter if there’s a foot or more distance between your lead feet, as in you’re that far apart.

 

One thing that helped me more than anything else is watching tape with someone more experienced than you, letting them explain what they see and asking them lots of questions. You can do only so much on your own in fighting sports

 

Best way to film study is to pick one thing at a time when you watch, don't just watch the fight like a fan.

• Watch footwork first: how they move into range, out of range, how they circle.
• Then watch defence: head movement, guard, parrying.
• Then offence: how they set up punches, not just when they throw them.
• Watch without sound too sometimes, easier to focus on the details instead of the commentary.

For southpaw fighters, definitely study Marvin Hagler like you said, especially his balance and how he switches ranges. Also check out:

• Pernell Whitaker: master of defence and positioning.
• Zab Judah (early career): very fast, explosive southpaw basics.
• Manny Pacquiao (early-mid career): angles, explosiveness, how to break rhythm.
• Lomachenko: especially his footwork, angles and how he forces opponents to reset.

Pick just one fighter per session and focus hard on what they do before they attack, not just the highlight moments.

 

Hagler was a great example.

Michael Moorer too.

Hector Macho Camaco Sr 3 .

For repertoire Id also study non southpaws such as Salvador Sanchez, Sugar Ray Robinson and Archie Moore. As far as how to study, grandpa used to say boxers study rivals to see their flaws and explode them. But you are not at that level yet I suspect so Id say see what works for those I mentioned and try to apply it for your style at the gym. Practice each punch and movement at least 40 minutes a day with different days dedicated to different things.

Good luck!

 

Because southpaw and orthodox match ups are mirrored never forget anything a “southpaw slayer” is doing can be revered and used by the leftie, you can watch what Kostya Tszyu does and apply it to your wretched, backwards people.

 

If you are studying film of people you are going to fight look for weaknesses. You don't have to plan a strategy, just look for things you can use. As a lefty, one of the first things you should do is find out if your opponent has fought southpaws in the gym or in fights. You might get lucky and find a guy who parries your jab with his right hand (I've seen good fighters do it if they haven't been in with a lefty recently), if so, you have a huge advantage. If you throw your left after the right jab, it should land.

As greynosoold told you, study their footwork, if you notice a weakness take advantage. Some experienced fighters will back up moving their front foot first and squaring themselves which is almost as good for you as a guy defending your jab with his right hand. If you don't find any footwork weakness you can use, watch how your opponent jabs.

Does he bring the jab back low or slow? Does he cover his chin with his shoulders as he jabs? As a lefty your hook should get there quick, if he brings his jab back low/slow and doesn't use his shoulder to cover his chin, hook as he jabs. In general just look for anything that you can use in the film.

Some common mistakes to look for are guys who bring their back hand down as they jab, guys who will take two steps with one foot without moving the other, putting themselves in a "split" and unable to move or punch well. If the guy doesn't keep his elbows in and "chicken wings" his body should be vulnerable. Just look for anything the guy does that you can take advantage of, you don't have to be the most experienced fighter to do that, just look for things that your trainer/coach corrected in your game.