Stickgrappler's MMA page - Frank Benn - Southpaw Help -- Some Info page

Southpaw Help -- Some Info

Chris Sanders wrote:

>
>        So basically, if anyone can give me some good advice as a southpaw vs.
> orthodox boxing strategies I'd really appreciate it.  Kicks are only a 
> minor concern, I can handle them much better than I can boxing. 
>        Thanks in advance.

Fighting southpaw offers distinct advantages, if you know they are there. I've been a right-handed southpaw for almost 20 years -- a conscious decision I made which I've never regretted.

Some tips and information on fighting southpaw:

-- "Southpaws should be drowned at birth" --

There is a saying in boxing that southpaws should be drowned at birth. This is because southpaws are the hardest to deal with. All of their punches come from a different direction than what boxers are trained to expect.

As a southpaw, you have the luxury of training with an opponent in mind who hardly ever if at all trains to fight against you. To an orthodox fighter, your attack feels all wrong. Your jab comes from the "wrong" side, same with your hook and cross. There are advantages to this. Just like a wrestler who conditions himself to attack the left side. People don't train for that, and it catches them off guard.

-- Southpaws draw incorrect responses from orthodox fighters --

Boxing is an art of reflexes. The opponent attacks, and there is only time for a trigger response. A southpaw fighter gives an orthodox fighter fits, since the orthodox fighter generally doesn't have the correct responses to a southpaw attack ingrained in his mind.

Case in point: Roy Jones -- a great boxer, very hard to hit -- has been knocked down exactly *once* in his pro career. And when did this happen? It was against Lou Del Valle. Lou -- a southpaw -- set up and threw a left cross, and Roy reflexively moved in the wrong direction. The punch caught him square on the jaw and put him on the canvas.

-- The Lead Foot --

When you are facing an orthodox lead as a southpaw, you want to place your lead foot outside his lead foot. That is, your right foot should be outside his left. Now he can't line up his cross, but he's right in the firing line of yours.

As a general habit, you want to keep circling outside that lead foot of his. This would be to your right. Stay active with your lead hand. Watch for him to replace his lead foot and set up his cross. As he goes to move his foot, let your cross go before he plants that foot and you'll catch him.

-- Forcing Him Out of His Element --

Often, it will feel so "wrong" for an orthodox lead opponent to face you, that he will change his lead right there just to "match up" with you. Now you've got him. This is a major mistake on his part, and one I've seen many times. The opponent changes his lead to match yours, but now he doesn't have his arsenal anymore. He doesn't have a jab any more. He DEFINITELY doesn't have a cross anymore, since it takes years to develop a knockout cross with the lesser hand. He doesn't know how to attack with the power hand forward and not telegraph. Add to this the fact that he doesn't have the reflexes to slip effectively with a different lead, and now he's crippled.

At a fine-tuned advanced level, this really throws a monkey wrench in an opponent's machine. Switching leads without spending a long time preparing for that contingency is a recipe for disaster. Southpaws generally force this choice on the man who can't make his normal game plan work.

-- Beware The Right Cross --

A southpaw's biggest concern -- as far as the opponent's boxing weapons -- is the right cross. Southpaws are susceptible to the right cross more than any other punch. This relates to the earlier tip on staying outside his lead foot. There are many ways to defeat a right cross, depending on a number of variables: your reach and height relative to his, timing, range, types of movement, which weapons you stress in your arsenal, etc. In general, you want to watch your range. Some fighters will be gutsy about throwing their cross if they are confident in landing it. *You* initiate the combinations. Set his weight on his back foot, so he can't throw a short counter cross as you're coming in, etc. Make him adjust to *your* timing. Keep him very occupied with your lead hand. This can vary from jabs, feints, lead straights, etc.

When he does throw the right cross, make him reach with it. Do not be cowed into backing up when he throws it. Pounce on him. Learn to throw sharp counter combinations as he is overextended after throwing the cross. One of a boxer's biggest dilemmas when facing another man who can box is knowing when to let the cross go. It's the gutsiest punch in boxing.

Do not allow him to back you up in setting up his right cross. That is his best time to land it.

-- Agitate, Threaten, Back Him Up --

A southpaw is most dangerous to an orthodox fighter when he has the better, more active lead hand. Combined with good footwork, closed posture, head mobility, etc., you want to be the one with the dominating lead. It also helps to have the greater reach, and speed.

-- Southpaw and Penetration / Shooting --

Another advantage of the right lead is that a right-hander can change his vertical level and penetrate under the opponent's long or short rhythm boxing counter. That is, if you can box *and* wrestle, then your right lead facilitates both of these. This includes a straight shot under the cross to a double, outside step-in with head inside against the left hook, and numerous other entries to the takedown from arms' each and the clinch.

This fits in with the entire notion of dictating and dominating range, which is very important.

-- Lead leg against lead leg --

Cultivate a strong and quick lead round kick against the opponent's left leg. At boxing range, your lead kicking weapon will be close enough to damage his outside left thigh, buckle his knee, etc., before he can react.

This kick can also be thrown to the ribs with good effect whenever he extends his left arm to punch. Many options here.

-- Study the Game: Southpaw vs. Orthodox --

Look at other successful southpaws -- Chris Byrd, Bronco McKart, etc. -- and see what they do and how they get away with it. Collect and analyze video of these and other fighters who are able to dominate as southpaws against left lead opponents.

For example, look at how McKart lands the right hook against the opponent's right cross, etc.

-- Power Round Kick Across Front of Thigh --

As your are placing, moving, and circling outside his lead leg, or coming in as he is backing up, land your left power round kick against the fronts of his thighs, stepping in at a right 45 with your right foot. Follow it up with your right hand.

-- Protect Your Lead Side --

Beware of attacks against your lead limbs. This is one of the main reasons why many JKD people have gone from a strong side forward to an orthodox stance -- because of Muay Thai's emphasis on attacking the lead side. If your power side gets destroyed, you're in big trouble. One or two solid shin kicks to the lead thigh, and now your attack and mobility are compromised. If you are fighting strong side forward, and he's not, and you both hammer away at eachother's lead legs, he is getting the better of the exchange.

There is much more to be said on the southpaw vs. orthodox situation.

Frank Benn
Integrated Arts
Austin, Texas

Posted to rec.martial-arts 05/07/2000