When you watch many of the legendary fighters from Mayweather to Ali, most of them have one thing in common. A rock solid defensive strategy. It’s almost impossible for your opponents to win if they can’t land effective shots on you. So defense should always be your first priority when wanting to up your boxing game, yet all too often fighters focus on attack. So here is the ultimate guide to boxing defense to help you up your boxing skills and strategies.
Beginner Boxing Defense Mistakes
One of the most common mistake I see in a beginners’ boxing defense, is that they don’t exhale during their defense. Most boxers are taught to exhale on their punches, but it seems that few are taught to exhale as they defend against punches. Instead they’ll hold their breath whilst covering up and even hold their breath whilst covering and moving. If you do this you’ll get gassed-out very quickly in sparring rounds, as your breathing rhythm will be severely disrupted and you’ll go into oxygen deficit.
Another mistake I see with beginners is that they will freeze up when they hold their breath and cover up. The best analogy here, is rather than becoming a hard ice sculpture that will shatter if the shot is hard enough, try to be like a sandbag. To do this you have to relax into the punches and absorb them, move with them, rather than tense up completely. However there is a trade-off, the more absorptive you are, the slower your counters will be. With this in mind, you need to adapt your defense depending on the situation. If you need a quick counter then you’ll want to tense up and hold firm in order to throw a quick counter. If you are looking to relax, conserve energy and maybe wear down your opponent by letting them throw some shots. Then you’ll want to adopt the “sandbag” technique and relax and exhale with your defense.
A good drill for training yourself to exhale on your boxing defense is to imagine a combo coming at you and practice exhaling a breath as you block each shot. This will work up to about eight breaths, at which point you’ll need to inhale in order to maintain your breathing rhythm. So either inhale on one quick deep breath, or get out of range so you can inhale. Another good method, is to have a partner throw a set of body shots at you and try to relax and exhale into the block of each shot.
When you exhale on your defense it allows you to easily transition to your offence, because you’re already exhaling. This allows you to maintain a consistent breathing rhythm and you’re ready to throw a punch at any time. If you pause and hold your breath, then you break the rhythm and have to inhale before countering, or you’ll start punching without exhaling, in which case you’ll quickly get gassed.
Adopting this technique early in your boxing will give you a big advantage over other new boxers, if you have more oxygen, you’ll be able to move easier and attack harder. So practice this technique in your sparring and even in your shadowboxing and bag work in order to make it a habit.
How to Defend and Counter the Jab
The jab is the most important punch in boxing, it’s the foundation of any good offence. Knowing how to counter it is just as important. Let’s look at four effective ways of countering the jab.
The first technique is to parry the jab. With the parry, you’re aiming to catch the jab with the centre of your palm and nudge it aside just enough to avoid the shot. The shorter and faster your parry, the better. Try not to over extend or reach for the jab, otherwise your opponent can fake to create a reaction, which will open you up.
Another factor with the jab parry is taking a step back to absorb it better. A quick step back will take the power out of the jab and may cause your opponent to over reach on their jab, which will give you offensive opportunities. You can also use the loading of your back foot to launch the counter.
The next jab counter is the pull/lean-back. When you get good at the pull, you may not even need your hands up, but initially you should keep your hands up just in case you misjudge the distance. With an effective pull, you shouldn’t need to move both your feet. Instead you can move your weight back onto your rear foot, which you can use to spring yourself into a counter. Another variant of the pull is to shift angles, this is like a pull and slip combined. So as you lean back you take a small step back and off to the side with your rear foot. This automatically takes you off the centre line and out of danger, it can also open up offensive opportunities.
The third jab counter is the high guard counter. You can see this in action with Andy Ruiz, Miguel Cotto and Mike Tyson. This involves having a good strong high guard and as soon as you feel the jab touch your guard, you throw your counter. If there’s a possibility of the one-two then you can combine a drop of your head as you launch your counter to get you off the centre line.
The forth counter is to simply counter the jab with your own jab. This is particularly effective if you have superior reach, or you’re a better judge of distance. It takes some practice and great timing, but once you get it you’ll be able to shut down their jab in an offensive way.
How to Defend the Jab-Cross
The jab-cross is the most fundamental boxing combo, so drilling how to defend against it is a fundamental exercise for your boxing defense. To start this exercise we build on what we’ve covered above. Have a partner throw a step-in jab. As the jab comes in, work on your catch and remember to take a step back to maintain a safe distance between you. Next, have your partner add in the rear-hand and you’ll block this with your lead hand. Finally add in a rear-hand counter off the block. This will help build in an instinctive quick counter. You can even visualize this drill in your shadow boxing and bag work to reinforce the technique.
You can vary the defenses for both the jab and the cross, to open up new counters and attacks. So try swapping the catch/parry for a slip, the rear-hand counter won’t feel so natural from this position, but maybe a body-hook will. Then try swapping the block for a slip, this will actually get you into a new position on the outside of your partner’s rear hand, opening up a different counter opportunity to counter with your lead hook. Try mixing up a few different variants and drill them to find out which feel the most natural for you.
Boxing Defense for Maximum Protection
Normally in boxing you’ll be using an active defense, so slips, parries, rolls and other defensive movements. However, sometimes you need a defensive guard where you can be covered as much as possible whilst requiring minimal movement. It’s important to master this type of boxing defense and there’s two main styles you can use to create a very defensive guard that requires very little movement to be effective.
Peekaboo Style
To set-up this defense, cup your hand, take the thumb part of your palm and place it against the base of your cheek bone on each side. Your forefinger on each side should rest on your forehead just above your brow. Your wrists should be tucked in towards each other to close the gap. This also forces the elbows inwards into a better position to cover your ribs. Crunch your torso downwards slightly, so your elbows rest on your abs and keep your elbows in tight.
This basic position gives you maximum defensive coverage with minimal movement, whilst giving you forward vision through the gap between your hands. The only real exposure in this position is against low body shots, but it only takes a small adjustment of leaning and tucking your elbow into your hip to protect against any low body shots from this position.
A good drill to get used to this position is to set it up and stand with your back to a wall, then have a partner throw a range of punches at you. This forces you to rely on the guard, rather than your movement. Another drill, once you’re comfortable in this position, is to set your guard and practice walking towards your partner whilst they throw several shots at you.
Once you’re comfortable in this position you’ll flinch less, open your eyes more and see punches coming at you sooner. You’ll be able to use it, to close the distance and then launch attacks from in the pocket, which is ideal if you’re a shorter fighter. You’ll also be able to use it once you’ve closed the distance, as a defensive shell to absorb attacks.
Philly Shell Style
The less orthodox Philly Shell style of boxing defense made popular by boxers such as Thomas Hearns and Mayweather Jnr can also offer a lot of coverage if used correctly. To set up the shell, take your lead hand and place it on the opposite side of your abs, just below your ribs. Your forearm will be covering your belly-button and you then tuck your chin into the inside of your lead shoulder, keeping your shoulder tight and high for maximum coverage. Your rear elbow sits on top of your lead hand, so your rear arm covers all of your ribs on that side. Your rear hand rests on your brow, so it’s ready to parry and counter.
Again practice the same drills as with the peekaboo style to improve your comfort in this position and get used to a less active defense. This is an ideal defense if you’re up against the ropes and also works well for taller fighters.
Eliminate the Fear of Getting Hit
If you’re a boxer or participate in any striking-based combat sport, then you’re going to get hit, it’s inevitable and the fundamental basis of any stand-up combat sport.
The fear of getting hit is natural and to a certain extent it is important in making you a better boxer. The secret is to embrace the fear and use it intelligently to motivate you to avoid punches, but also control the fear so that you’re not distracted by it. Fighters with no fear of getting hit, can become reckless and leave themselves open to dangerous attacks. They’ll also likely to take more damage and potentially get badly hurt.
Although it’s natural self-protection response that prevents you from getting hit, it can also cause problems when this fear causes you to freeze up or flinch. This will delay or even restrict your counters. It may sound counter-intuitive, but the best way to reduce the fear of getting hit, is to get hit less.
To picture this, imagine you’ve developed your defense to such a high level you rarely get hit and then you go into sparring with a beginner. You definitely won’t have any fear of getting hit in this situation. Whilst that’s an extreme example, it highlights that if you have better defense and can avoid getting hit, you’ll have far less fear of getting hit.
Another way to reduce the fear of getting hit, is to reduce the possibility of taking a devastating hit. Having small shots landing on your guard is a good thing for reducing your flinch response, but being hit with a devastating shot that rocks you or knocks you down, only reduces your confidence. There’s two situations where you are most likely to take a devastating blow:
- First is when you’re coming in with a combo, or stepping in with an opening attack. Your opponent times you and lands a big clean shot. This can lead to fear of coming in, which will damage your confidence in attack. To reduce the chance of this happening, it’s important to have at least 4 or 5 opening combos in your repertoire so that you’re less predictable.It’s also important to maintain lateral motion and head movement before you launch your combo. If you get in the habit of pausing before you launch your opening combo, your opponent will time you and again they’ll catch you with that big shot. Add in some fakes and faints and you’ll become a very difficult fighter to predict.Finally once you’ve thrown that opening combo, you need to have your next move planned. If you stay in the pocket, you’re much more likely to get hit. Finish your combo, then get out.
- The second situation is when someone steps in and opens up on you and you’re caught standing still and freeze with fear of getting hit. They’ll likely see an opening and again land a big, clean shot. This is where developing your guard and defense, which we discuss in the section above, will come into play. You’ll have the ability to take some shots on the guard and then make your next move, rather than freezing and giving your opponent the opportunities to land the devastating blows.
A great drill for reducing your fear of getting hit is to do some rounds with a partner you trust. Specifically tell them that you want them to open up on you with some combos at around 80% power, whilst you just defend. This drill will get you used to the adrenaline response and it’ll improve your reactions. While you’re doing this drill, focus on exhaling in the defense, keeping your guard set as we discussed above, maintain your balance and try not to move around too much. Keep your eyes open and focused on your opponent’s chest, if you focus on the punches coming in, you’ll flinch a lot more, if you focus on their chest your natural flinch reflex will be reduced. If you remember to apply all of the advice from the sections above then you’ll gain a lot of confidence in your defense.
Create Defensive Angles with Footwork
incorporating footwork as part of your boxing defense can help you to deal with an opponent who’s pressuring you. It can help you to create space and angles between you and your opponent. The best way to change the direction is to time it so you change angles as a punch comes in. You don’t want to wait until they’re done punching, otherwise they’ll just track you down. Also you don’t necessarily want to keep trying to change direction while they’re attacking you, otherwise they’ll zero in on you and chase you into a corner. So let’s look at a drill for timing your angle change off the rear hand or lead hook.
Start with your partner throwing a slow double-jab cross. Take a small step back on each jab and then as the cross comes in you block it with your lead hand and take a small step off with your lead foot. Drop your weight onto this foot and pivot backwards and away with your rear foot. Doing this on the punch will create a lot more space and open up counter punch opportunities.
Another option if you know they are going for a head shot with the double jab cross, is to slip to the outside and then pivot. As you slip to the outside, you’ll naturally drop your weight which allows for a faster, better pivot. With this option, you can even include a skip-step or two before the pivot to really increase the distance.
To create the angle off the lead hook you have two options. You can either block or roll. To practice the block, have your partner throw a slow jab-jab-cross-hook. Again use small back-steps to maintain distance on the straight shots and as the hook comes in you rotate your torso inside to block the hook with your rear hand, simultaneously take a small step back and outwards with your rear foot. Then your feet are in position to step out diagonally away from the direction of attack. If you simply go backwards your opponent will just keep throwing and chase you down. A variant of this is to block and move inside with the direction of the punch by simply side stepping. This will not only take the sting out of the shot, but requires less skill in timing.
The roll works best if your partner is closer and you don’t have space to step off. Deal with the straight shots the same way as the block, with small step-backs. Plant the rear foot on the cross to allow you to switch direction for the roll. As you roll you’ll step out to the side to create the angle.
How to Counter Punch more Effectively
The key to better boxing defense and counter punching is timing and balance. Your body and centre of gravity when you are defending against incoming shots is critical to a good counter. You need to be relaxed and centred. If you apply the skills we’ve covered above you’ll be more relaxed and centred in your defensive stance and therefore in a good position to counter.
In terms of timing, your counter should follow the rhythm of your opponent’s attack, or even faster. Aim to throw your counter immediately after blocking so that it lands just as he would have thrown the next shot. A good drill for this is on the heavy bag. Block some imaginary punches, then immediately throw your counter so it lands on the bag just before the next shot would have hit you. Another drill would be to perform this live with a partner throwing a 1-2 and just after you block the cross you throw your counter and work on reducing the time between your block and counter.
There are a few other types of counter, but this is probably the most common and also the simplest to work on, as it simply comes down to your speed.