So, start this MMA place. There's this pretty big guy 263 pds, and about 6'4. I see people working with him, he's pretty good, but doesn't kill ya. They do a lot of kicks, but whenever I sparred him he said he wouldn't kick (since i'm not good at em). MY GOD was this fight awkward! I've fought people around his size, but nobody that was actually GOOD. I'm only 5'6, 165 BTW. So, we start out, and I had the whole plan of going to the body...I'm not even sure I could reach his face LOl. Thing was we were both fighting conventional, but this guy had his left hand by his side...First I thought he was just sloppy, but then realized he's doing that so I can't hit him in the body there very well + he realized I could hardly reach his face. I'd jump in someway, flurry to the body, and he'd throw me out. Tryed to rough him up more, but he was just to damn big/ strong. Finally, he ends up on my foot...with me nowhere to run, and slams me with a right hand! I go down (first time I ever been down) LOL. I was fine, and popped right back up... I know I shoudln't expect to beat a guy like this really, but what do I really want to do? I tryed a lot of head movement, and bobbing and weaving, but he was extremely awkward to get in to. His jab is quite good.
True, but it isn't an all out fight. I wouldn't have sparred him if I didn't see him go easy on other guys around my size. I'm sure I wouldn't stand a chance unless I gave him a hellacious uppercut...To the balls :yep I think most of the reason I even like fighting is so I'm better prepared for a street fight. Getting use to fighting people this size..I'd feel better prepared. Though, if the **** really went down with somebody like that I'm sure I'd have to resort to what some would call "dirty tactics," but I'd rather be called dirty than lying in some hospital bed. So, what's the best way to spar this guy next time? Do I simply try to hit and move, OR get on the inside and don't let him get me out?? The height is bad enough, but the fact he weighs so much more...Hard to stay in against him.
The whole point of sparring is to learn, in a real boxing match you wouldn't fight someone that big and heavy in a lower weight class so sparring someone that big doesn't really benefit you that much. If you're sparring to learn how to street fight, well dunno what to say really.
Sometimes gyms get slow and your choices of sparring partners is limited, so you spar with whoever is in the gym. It isn't ideal to spar with guys so far away in weight, but it is better than nothing. In this particular case, the smaller guy should work on a lot on his movement, alot on his footwork, not letting the bigger guy cut off the ring. Sparring with the bigger guy will improve him in the areas I mentioned , and once he works with guys his size again, he will be able to handle power alot easier. For the bigger guy, he will benefit by working with a smaller guy because it will help him deal with speed, as smaller guys will be faster than guys he will face at heavyweight. Another good way to make this work would be to have the big guy wear heavier gloves, like 20oz or even 24 oz gloves. Wearing the bigger gloves would allow the bigger guy to punch like he normally does and protect the smaller guy more. The bigger guy would also benefit because the big gloves would aid in his conditioning and ultimately help his handspeed. And anyway sparring is not a fight. It is for practice and you are doing it to learn, not take the other guy out, although you do need to spar with intensity. But there are no winners or losers in sparring.
Thanks for the post, very informative! younghypnotiq: My background is boxing for a couple years, and then I took Jeet Kune do for about 7 months. The first place I boxed at kind of sucked, and they were pricks...So, i quit that, and joined the martial arts class. We'd do Jeet Kune do, but a whole lot of sparring (straight punching). The instructor was kind of an idiot, and lost all our members, and I learned everything I wanted to learn...So, all I wanted was to SPAR everybody. Of course nobody else was in the class so nobody to spar besides the instructor. Heard about this place, and heard they actually do a lot of boxing so wanted to try it, and enjoy it. They kick, but the only kicks I learned in Jeet kune do was mule kick (usually snapping somebodies knee), groin kick, or front thrust kick. Thrust kick is really the only thing I can do decently effective in sparring. I never wrestled before, but I lift weights A LOT, and am quite strong for my size. So, learned that based on instincts and strength I out grapple a lot of these guys. They tear me up on physichal conditioning though, but that'll change soon enough. His specialities: I have no idea. All I know about him is he's about 6'4, 263, and for being his size he's a pretty good boxer. Never tryed to wrestle him yet...but if he actually TRYED I'm sure it'd be just like boxing...I wouldn't stande a chance. As for the gym EVERYBODY spars EVERYBODY, but there professional about it, and want you to learn as bad as you want to learn. About 10-15 guys. There's even a guy in there that's abou 6'8, 300 pds with 15 years worth of martial arts experience. I sparred him, but there's NO POINT in asking how to spar this guy. I stood on the outside, and he throws hands, front kicks to keep me at bay...I step inside, and he either knees me, kicks me, or wrestles me. Sparring this guy is no use for me cept if for some reason I wanna get beat up.
So you can't reach his head,he blocks your body attack and you don't have the strength to bull your way inside? Don't know what to say really....
i'm 5'6'' and usually when i know the guy is faster, stronger, has height and weight on me i go for the countering and let him come to me. that's what works for me. my younger brother who's 5'11 with power of a bigger guy got ko'd by a 6'2'' pencil thin guy with one punch ko power. i sparred the same guy, but never stood in front of him. i circled alot to my right to avoid his right and had my right as an earmuff and counter with short left hooks to body and head tyson style and move out. i dropped the guy twice, once with a body shot and the second i had to jump up alittle which is a no no because he could of caught me off balance but i connected with a right hook. once inside hit the heart, chest, but stay on him and watch out for uppercuts and don't punch yourself out. i almost got ko'd myself in the end from using my legs too much and i'm most comfortable flat footed and like to be the aggressor, but a bigger guy that knows how to punch deserves respect. i've lost to them too, but you gotta be literally on your toes and gotta remember they have an achilles heel too.
also maybe this can be helpful, but if u know he has a good jab try to to match him with your right as he's reaching in but you have to side step him, like a bullfighter does with a bull. you have to match him at least speed wise, feint alittle invite him in, and counter. my best friend's a 275-300lb bouncer and the only way i've beaten that whale is by wearing his legs down with kicks or liver shots, otherwise if i stay in front he crushes me pretty bad. i'm guessing your doing 3 rounds? youtube and watch a couple of fights that best compares to your sparring partners style and try to find his weakness, but don't let up. rafael marquez used to get spanked by finito lopez daily until marquez finally got the best of lopez. you'll take him don't worry
One of my current and best sparring partners is 5'8, I'm 6'0. He weighs about twenty pounds more than me but my BMI is lower so we hit about the same power wise. I have a reach advantage obviously but when he eventually gets me to the ropes (assuming your guy is good at cutting of the ring) my ody takes a beating if I dont spin out of there quickly and his hits to my body may make me lower my hand, exposing my head. All in all I think having sparring partners of different heights and styles is great because you can both work on ad******g to whatever it is you may need to for their height.
i feel it is a myth that small fighters have to go inside. montell griffin is a good modern example of this. use your faster hands, use a jab, move and box. the size difference gives you a severe disadvantage but it doesnt mean you are not abel to outbox the guy. bless
