Looking for any general concepts or tips on reading/figuring out your opponent early on? Not just for competition purpose but even for your everyday sparring. What are some things to figure out what they want to do,their mistakes,and so on...... I know you'd have to have a person infront of you making these actions but im talking concepts/principles and anything more advanced you do to read your opponents.
I'm sure there will be better advice from some of the experienced posters on here but personally I like to make it simple. What shots are they throwing, what are they missing with and what are they landing. What shots are they getting hit with, what are they open to. etc. Feints are a good way of seeing what guys are trying to do. Get them to show their hand without allowing them a chance to actually catch you.
Throw a lot of jabs upstairs and down. That's how to start. You won't so much read your opponent as feel their reactions. It's not really something you'll think about while you're in there. Just throw your jab and ideas will come to you as he reacts. It's tough to explain but while you're in there always try to surprise the opponent somehow. You'll know how to do this by 'reading' his reactions, but you have to throw out some jabs to see how he moves/counters/reacts.
Do they lean in when they jab? You can step back, step back, step back, make them lean in and reach for you more, then counter them silly with a right Do they drop their right hand when they jab? That leaves them open for a counter hook. Can they move to their left or right? A lot of fighters can't move sideways at all. Some can move only in one direction. When they step back from attacking or being attacked, do they square up or drop their hands and relax after a certain amount of steps or slips? Once you know their pattern under pressure, you can easily time them. What is their de facto slip to different punches? Once you know where they usually slip, you can set them up. Do they have a one dimensional approach? ie, are they just counterpunchers, attackers, one punch at a time, etc... adjust your game plan accordingly to take them out of their comfort zone. Don't fight their fight. Make them fight, to them, an uncomfortable fight. Do they advance with their head rather than their front foot? If so, uppercuts are in order. Also, they'll be very easy to step around and hit from the side since they're off balance when they're attacking. Are they really good at slipping punches with head movement? Then punch at the chest. At least you'll make contact, and if you're lucky, they'll slip right into your line of fire. Are they 'flashy'? Many times, flashy fighters (fancy trunks and hairdo) are front runners who are more concerned with looking good than fighting hard. If you can convince them that they're looking 'bad', even if they're kicking your ass, a lot of them crumble psychologically. Does the guy look totally dry coming into the ring? Maybe he hasn't warmed up and is tight. A cold fighter is easy to drop while they're tight. Jump on them at the opening bell.
Also, try to keep distance between you and your opponent so you can actually see what they are trying to do. And use your JAB a lot to measure the distance between you and him.
