today after a long time i sparred, i sparred a 15 year old kid who beat the **** out of me, he went crazy and starts throwing non stop punches, brawling with me, he made me fight like him, trading blows, everything was gone, my timing is gone, i would slip onto a punch and duck onto uppercuts, i probably would have done better if i sparred more often but i have always had this problem, when i spar a pressure fighter he would back me up onto a corner and make me fight his fight.
The number one thing in my opinion is to get your conditioning up. If that's not a problem, then, you're going to have to keep the fight in the center of the ring, and try let your opponent push you back. If you have to move back, move back at an angle and walk around in a circle. Hit him hard as he comes inside. Make your jab and straight like a piston. Try to put him on his ass with your punches as he bullies you. You're probably gonna get hit, but you just have to be harder than him. If you can outbox him though, do it, but still push those straights like they're pistons.
The reason people fight like that in the first place, haf the time, is because so many people have trouble dealing with it. I'm working on stuff now to help me deal with it; my thoughts on it for me at least include getting a bit lower so I can move easier (I think you can be more athletic when your legs are bent, it seems to work for me and it works very well for a tall, thin guy I know who's going to the Olympic Trials) and making sure to keep my hands high and when they get close, just clamping down Winky style and moving out of there or tying up. It might be ugly, but it'll help shut them down, I'm going to try that when I spar again.
As a taller fighter, you HAVE to learn to time him coming in. With the uppercut, the right hand, even the jab. Get his rhythm down. When you see him about to shoot in, drop the right hand, or if he comes in crouched down, the uppercut, then get out of his range - a quick step to the side, pivot out, whatever you need to do. And if you can keep that jab in his face, you'll force him to move his head for strictly defensive purposes, and hopefully give yourself ample opportunities to score with the heavy stuff. Learn to pivot as well, so you can get the angle. Be the matador to his bull. If you let him get in on you, you're playing his game, and his shorter arms and lower center of gravity will give him a lot more leverage in close, and allow him to throw the shorter, more effective punches. And if he gets in on you, TIE HIM UP. Do not try to gun it out with him, because if he's used to fighter taller opponents, he'll more than likely be a better in-fighter than you.
sticking to your gameplan doesn't work, that's the problem. No one goes in thinking they are going to have to deal with a tazmanian devil in there. You need to be able to stay calm and adapt to what your opponent is doing. (easier said than done)
keep your hands up, chin down and eyes on him all the time <-- this may sound like common sense but i bet when u slip your taking your eyes of him, thats part of the reason your getting hit.. Also just work that jab, jab step back one two is a gd combo, work of that jab and keep it stiff.. once you hit him hard with your jab a couple of time he will be a fool to try and pressure you..
Doesn't anyone's coach on this forum teach them to clinch, tie up, maul, side step & push??? its an ugly thing to do but hey its part of the game Next time you spar with him tie him up and lean your tall ass all over him tire him out
For some reason the officials in our LBC don't allow clinching. We've actually written to the chief of officials about it.
try gettin a friend or sparring partner to throw three punch combos at u, all the while u are peddling back or slipping to the side, but u are also punchin too. if u learn how to fight goin back, u can effectively neutralise a swarmer. make him pay for swarmin in, by catchin him coming in.
I was going to reccomend "RUIZing" him down... but If you can't clinch, you are really being deprived of an important aspect of the game. Use angles and the jab. Worse comes to worse, just shell up, and let him puch himself out. That's not a good way to win, but without clinching, and superior stamina... stopping the swarmer is quite a dunting challenge. When you do coem out of the shell to punch, make it count. You'll need a hard enough shot to disqourage. (but since it's just sparing not too hard, don;t want to send your sparring buddies to the er)
