Keys to Victory in the Ring – Have a Fight Plan
How to Prepare a Winning Strategy in Boxing
Jul 27, 2009
One doesn't always know much about his opponent's style, especially on short notice, which is often the case in boxing. Therefore, it pays to prepare for every conceivable style while training. Come fight time, a boxer has to be ready for whatever his opponent brings. A good fight strategy will reveal an opponent's strengths and weaknesses early, so they can be exploited to the fullest extent.
Too often, boxers who look amazing in the gym fall flat in a fight (sometimes literally). What usually happens is that they throw away their talent, the skills they've acquired, and the stamina they've developed, by trying to win their fights in the first thirty seconds of the opening round. By doing so they miss punches, throw away opportunities, and leave themselves open for counters. A boxer needs to win, but he doesn't need to win in the first round. The boxer who keeps his head during the fight, raises his hand after it.
Smart Boxers Establish the Proper Distance
From the opening bell, establish a distance that allows you to see what punches are coming and allows you the space to judge your opponent's speed, reflexes, footwork, and style. By immediately rushing in, a boxer throws away any chance of gauging his opponent's effectiveness and runs the risk of getting caught with a blind shot. This is easier for a taller boxer, but can be accomplished by shorter fighters too.
While counter-intuitive to a fighter, emphasis on landing everything one throws can be counter-productive early in a fight.
Throw your straight, quick jab from a distance just outside of your opponent's range. This will likely be outside of your range too. The idea is to see how he reacts: Does he try to parry it? Does he try to slip? Does he back off? Does he parry and throw his own? How fast is he? Take mental notes (pencils aren't allowed in the ring and it's hard to write with gloves on, anyway) that will serve you later in the fight.
Be the First to Use Lateral Movement
Step to the side before he does. Note how well or how poorly his feet obey his head. The boxer who moves first has given himself an advantage and added to his knowledge base. Does your opponent follow you around the ring or does he attempt to cut it off? How effective is he?Does your movement create punching lanes that otherwise wouldn't be there?
Take an occasional step backward. Does he immediately step forward? Can you use this to walk him into a punch?
Listen to Your Coach and Make Sure You Have a Coach Worth Listening To
The things you've done in the first round determine what your coach tells you between rounds. Listen to him. If he didn't learn anything from observing you in the first round, he isn't worth the spit bucket he carries. After the fight, win or lose, find a coach who can think, if yours cannot.
Many professional and college football teams script their first dozen, or so, plays, just so they can see how the opposing team reacts. They may not gain a single yard during that time, but they stick to the script, knowing that it will pay dividends later.
All of this can often be accomplished in round one. Amateur fights depend more on punch volume than professional fights, but that doesn't mean that patience has lost its virtue. Five two-minute rounds is a lot of time, if you and your coach have done your homework in the first round.
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