#body punching

[malenipshadows]

It is strongly hit a stomach *** Fast, sharp left uppercut to the solar plexus results in a one-punch knockout.  Beautiful.

[malenipshadows]

gut punch ippo(New Challenger)collect (4) 3

Poor Ippo -- he;s getting his ass kicked again, on the short end of a series of devastating body punches.

[malenipshadows]

gut punch hard ippo collect (3)

[malenipshadows]

   This news article remains one of my all-time fave descriptions of boxing body punching.  Mando Ramos, just 23, was the WBC lightweight title holder, a favorite of Southern California boxing fans, a rising celebrity to the Latino community, young, handsome, and charismatic.  But he got cocky and allowed fame to get to his head.  Before this bout, Ramos partied too hard, neglected training, and the result was this big loss, which signaled the end of his once-promising career.  Chango Carmona was crowned the new WBC champion.    See the main article, 13th paragraph:    *** Then he was down twice from body shots in the fifth.  The first sent him sprawling onto the lower rope, but the next left hook, which buried deep into the stomach, sent him crumbling to the canvas. ***    The sidebar quoted Ramos’s co-manager as saying, ***But when did you see Mando ever hurt by a body punch before?  He made the weight, but he wasn’t really in shape.***   If anyone had video of this classic bout, I would luv to see it.

[malenipshadows]

“The Parable of the Body Shot”

By Shawn O’Donnell ***

  “Kill the body and the head will follow” is the old trainer’s credo.  Never has there been a more truthful piece of wisdom extolled by trainers.  A devastating body shot, when executed flawlessly, leaves little measure for resiliency.  It is decisive and cutting as the finest, manicured blade.  The destructive potential is obvious, but little is known about how the body punch effects a fighter’s ability to perform.   In order to understand this, an examination of the anatomy of the body blow itself is necessary.  There are four main regions of the torso that are effected significantly by body blows: the liver, the solar plexus, the heart and the high ribs.  Some of these regions are well known to the average boxing fan, while other spots are more obscure.   Body blows are most effective when they influence the parasympathetic nervous system.  The parasympathetic nervous system slows down the body

through its neural activities.  This is the reason why you become sleepy and tired after consuming a meal.  In opposition to this, the sympathetic nervous system acts in a manner that causes an excitory reaction.  This is what many would call the “fight or flight” response.  When a blow is enacted with sufficient stimulatory force, it can cause a “braking or slowing” effect on the bodies nervous system.   What also plays a key role in how body punches deteriorate a fighter’s constitution is how much adrenaline is present in the body.  Boxers that warm up correctly and come into fights psychologically prepared are less apt to suffer from the effects of body punches.  Adrenaline, produced by our body, helps to block painful stimuli.  Without adrenaline circulating in a fighter’s anatomy, he is more vulnerable to the detrimental consequences of body shots.  The preceding information explains globally why body punches are so effective; however, most fight fans have a more regional understanding of this fistic art.  I have addressed the remainder of the article with this consideration in mind.   The most well-known body punch is the shot to the solar plexus.  In 1966, when Jose Torres captured the world light-heavyweight title from Willie Pastrano, he executed a very precise blow to the solar plexus, which felled Pastrano, left him out of breath and eventually ended the fight.  Why does this body blow effect fighters in this manner?  The answer lies in human anatomy and how nerves control our body.  The solar plexus is controlled by the phrenic nerve, which originates in the cervical region of the neck; it descends through the trunk of the body and terminates on the diaphragm.  The phrenic nerve controls the contractions of the diaphragm, which in turn, administers the processes of taking in and expelling air.  When a punch of sufficient force hits the diaphragm, it sends a signal of distress to the phrenic nerve.  This impairs the phrenic nerves’ ability to function properly.  The diaphragm becomes temporarily paralyzed, which suspends breathing and causes the sensation of “being winded.”  It is an effective punch, but because it is executed head on, an opponent can make adjustments to the attack.  Because of this, it is a very hard punch to execute.  However, the opposite is true of the liver shot.   The liver punch is something of legend.  It is said that it is a mandatory component of all Mexican fighters’ punching arsenal.  When performed with accuracy, the liver punch comes out of the blue and ends fights in a conclusive manner.  It is as powerful as a knockout blow to the chin.  However, there is a delayed reaction, which leaves the victim fully cognizant of the punch, but with little recourse to resist the energy draining effects of the blow.  It is the punch that unceremoniously ended the Oscar De la Hoya-Bernard Hopkins fight; leaving a helpless De la Hoya writhing in agony and in no position of beating the referee’s toll.  The liver shot was also the punch that ended the Arturo Gatti-Leonard Dorrin fight.  After a brief flurry of punches to Dorrin’s head, Gatti quickly redirected his attack at Dorrin’s unprotected right midsection.  The blow was perfectly timed; it caused the Romanian fighter to collapse to the canvas as if shot by a gun.  These two fights are a testament to the power of the liver shot.  With a punch that is this potent, it leaves a burning curiosity as to how it can wreak such havoc.  Perhaps it is best understood in its kinetic process.   As of recent times, Mickey Ward became an expert marksman in the execution of this punch.  For students hungering for knowledge on how to properly enact this punch, Ward gave an extensive demonstration of the liver shot on a ESPN telecast.  On that show he emphasized that the punch had to be performed with substantial force on an angle to the right side of the torso.   If we look at the body in a downward cross-section view, the liver occupies a considerable amount of real estate on the right side of the body.  When a powerful punch is directed at the liver it pushes the organ inward and stimulates the vagus nerve.  The vagus nerve, which originates in the cranium, descends down the neck and wedges itself between the spinal column and internal organs of the body.  The term “vagus” is Latin for wandering (“Vagabond” also arises from this etymology, as well).  This system of nerves spreads out into tentaclelike patterns that network with every major internal organ of the body.   The nerve is involved in controlling everything from stress to detoxification.  When the nerve is subjected to pressure from violent trauma, it creates a short circuit to the brain.  The brain, sensing eminent danger to the body, shuts down all peripheral operations and retains brain activity as the paramount function.  It is almost like a biological power failure with emergency power supplied only to the brain.  This is why fighters are fully alert after being hit in the liver, but cannot muster the strength to continue.   The secret of the liver punch resides in the manipulation of the body’s internal energy reserves.  However, the effectiveness of the high rib-armpit cavity punch is grounded in pure anguish.  It is a very rare area of the body that few fighters work to their advantage.  When a blow is landed on the upper quadrant of the ribcage, it sends a piercing, radiating pain though the chest cavity.  It often removes the fighting spirit of many of its recipients.  It is said that Christ’s spirit was set free from his body when a lance was thrust into his side, through his upper ribs. This is the approximate location of where this punch is executed.   A fighter that uses this region as a focus of attack is Antonio Margarito; he directs his punches specifically at the upper ribcage.  His adversaries unwillingly pitch forward and contort from the pain. Margarito then times the downward movement of the head with uppercuts and hooks, which eventually causes further trauma, resulting in knockout blows.  He uses the upper rib-armpit cavity punch mainly to set up his finishing blows.  On occasion, he has ended fights with this punch, as well.   The best example of this was his knockout of Kermit Cintron in their second fight.  Margarito sent Cintron to the canvas, in the fifth round of that fight, with a wicked punch to the upper ribs.  Riddled with pain, and mentally defeated, Cintron would concede to the distress in his body.   Another noteworthy punch that can cause significant agony to fighters is the heart punch.  The principle location of the heart punch is 1 inch below the nipple on the left side of the body.  When a punch hits this area a debilitating, radiating pain spreads over the heart, akin to severe heartburn.  The heart punch is very similar to the rib-armpit cavity punch.     Both punching locations have a burning radiating pain when enacted upon.  These punches also act in subtle ways.  They set in motion a series of chaotic events that often lead to knockout punches.  There are two primary reactions to these blows; either fighters lean forward in response to the pain, or they drop their guard to protect their body from further abuse.   A classic example of this occurred during the unified heavyweight title fight between Mike Tyson and Michzael Spinks.  What initially hurt Spinks during the first round was a short right hand to the heart.  When Spinks moved backward into the ropes, Tyson slipped a short right hand under Spinks’ guard and into his chest.  Spinks, reacting to the effect of the punch, leaned forward and fell to the mat.  When he got to his feet, his body was occupied with emanating pain.  His mind was clouded in a fog of discomfort, and he was not prepared for the assault Tyson would inflict.  After being hit by a barrage of punches to the head by Tyson, Spinks would be counted out.  It is clear after watching the fight that the knockout’s genesis arose from that punch to the heart.   Tyson made a habit of studying old fight films.  He probably picked up the punch from watching the bountiful fight archive that his managers owned.  Fighters like Gene Tunney and Harry Greb often used the heart punch in their arsenal to scientifically break fighters down.   Today, those fighting techniques only seem to exist in dusty fight film archives.  One of the reasons why the body punch may have become a lost art in recent years, is that fighting styles have been influenced by the amateur scoring system.  A scoring point in amateur boxing is strictly constituted as contact with the head, while body blows are often overlooked in scoring.   Fighters such as Chavez, Greb, Tunney and Duran largely served their boxing apprenticeships in the professional ranks.  They attained their status in fistic folklore through hard miles and were unscathed by the fraudulent scoring that inhabits amateur boxing.  These were men forged by the conditions of hardship, and poverty and had little value for symbolic, shiny trinkets.   In essence, fighters from those periods were more complete.  They were forced to explore all avenues of their trade to be successful.  The most prolific fighters in the game right now are Pacquiao, Pavlik, Margarito, Cotto, and Hatton.  They attack with courage, and ferocity and recognize the value of body punching.  With the Margarito-Cotto fight surpassing its hype, it leaves us to wonder if there are more of these brilliant fights in the future.  Maybe grizzled trainers will no longer recount the legendary performances of days gone by, when bouts from last Saturday will satiate their appetite.  It is then that the parable of the body shot has been fully realized.

References:   Kluger, Jeffrey. The Biology of Fistfights, Discover Magazine.  (Summer 2008) pages 23-25.   www.wikipedia.com   Dr. Damon Zavala, physician, Nevada State Athletic Commission.   Dr. Malcom Rondeua, physician, British Columbia Boxing Association.

  *** This post is intended for educational and entertainment purposes.  No copyright infringement is intended nor condoned.

[malenipshadows]

“The 10 Best Knockouts via a Body Blow“

by Graham Houston.***      When we think of great one-punch knockouts, what invariably comes to mind are blows delivered to the chin. There was Rocky Marciano's big right hand crumpling Jersey Joe Walcott; Sugar Ray Robinson’s left hook, blowing away the supposedly blast-proof Gene Fullmer; Bob Foster’s left hook laying out Dick Tiger.   A one-punch finish with a body punch is much more unusual, but every so often it happens, and it’s happened three times this year [2007].  Jose Luis Castillo's collapse against Ricky Hatton was followed by Jhonny Gonzalez and Tomas Rojas dropping dramatically against Gerry Penalosa and Jorge Arce respectively. These endings were startling in their suddenness, surprising

because as a rule body punches are seen as a means of one fighter wearing down the other, slowly eroding his resistance.   When a fighter loses as a result of one punch to the body there can be a suspicion of surrender.  After Hatton's win over Castillo, there were those who thought that the veteran Mexican boxer took an opportunity to bail out.  At the postfight news conference, Castillo's longtime promoter, Bob Arum, wearily explained to the uninitiated: “Once you get hit that way, and it's a perfect shot like the one Ricky hit him with tonight, the guy can't breathe for 30 seconds.  There's nothing he can do, no matter how he wants to get up -- he cannot breathe.”   The one-punch finish resulting from a body punch is a rarity.  To get three in one year is highly unusual.  Here is a personal top 10 of such finishes -- endings that were literally breathtaking.   1.  Oscar De La Hoya vs. Bernard Hopkins -- The highest-profile fight to end with one punch to the body came in September 2004, when De La Hoya dropped like a stone in the ninth round of his middleweight title challenge against Hopkins at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.   De La Hoya had boxed well and one judge had him in front after eight rounds.  Hopkins was coming on strongly, though.  He had swept the seventh and eighth rounds in the scoring and seemed to be quickening his pace, forcing De La Hoya to retreat.  Hopkins had the look of a man certain he was going to win.  At ringside that night, I noticed that his step was jaunty as he went back to his corner at the end of the eighth round.   Everything was flowing Hopkins' way.  De La Hoya landed a crisp left hook in the ninth, but Hopkins came back with a better right hand.  Oscar hooked to the body, but Hopkins walked through it.   Then, Hopkins stepped in with a left hook around the side of De La Hoya's right elbow, and in the next instant the Golden Boy was on all fours.  TV replays on the big screens at the MGM seemed to indicate a cuffing type of hook, rather than a full-impact shot, but its effect was immediate.  De La Hoya rolled over with an agonized expression as referee Kenny Bayless counted him out.  De La Hoya pounded the canvas in frustration, bringing unsympathetic comments from future big-fight rival Floyd Mayweather Jr., the gist of which were: “If he had the energy to punch the floor he had the energy to get up.”   After the fight De La Hoya told the media: “It’s hard for someone to knock me out -- never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get stopped by a body shot.”   2.  Mickey Ward vs. Alfonso Sanchez -- Ward has always been an exponent of the left hook to the liver.  The Lowell, Mass., junior welterweight was artful in his method of delivery, throwing a quick hook upstairs to get an opponent’s right arm to lift up, then sinking in a hook to the body.  He did this to perfection when knocking out Mexico’s Sanchez in the seventh round at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas in April 1997.   Sanchez at the time was a red-hot prospect.  He was dominating Ward, who was cut over the eye and had been dropped in the fifth and battered in the sixth.  At ringside that night, I was thinking it was just a matter of time before Ward got stopped.  But in the seventh he came out and started to throw the left hook in a last-stand type of way, and a perfectly placed drive downstairs had Sanchez down on his hands and knees gasping for air as referee Mitch Halpern counted him out.   3.  Jorge Arce vs. Tomas Rojas -- If Ward pulled off an against-the-tide win against Sanchez, the sixth-round win scored by Arce in his bantamweight fight against Rojas in September at the Hard Rock casino hotel in Las Vegas was not far behind.   The tall, rangy southpaw Rojas was outfighting and outpunching Arce in every round.  It was as if the two-weight world champion from Los Mochis couldn't figure out his fellow Mexican’s style.  Things almost seemed to be too easy for Rojas as he unloaded his rapid-fire bursts.  Then, Arce started to target Rojas’s lanky body.  I thought a left hook that landed in the kidney area affected Rojas a little in the fifth -- a similar shot in the next round closed the show in a startling manner.  Rojas turned away and dropped to one knee.  Although he got up just in time to beat the count, he was done.  Rojas collapsed into the ropes without really being hit, to bring referee Joe Cortez’s intervention.   4.  Gerry Penalosa vs. Jhonny Gonzalez -- Penalosa's seventh-round knockout win over defending bantamweight champ Gonzalez in Sacramento in April was another case of a losing fight being salvaged by one crunching blow underneath.   Gonzalez was under pressure in every round, but he seemed to be cruising along nicely enough against the shorter, stronger Filipino southpaw.   The tough and very seasoned Penalosa is not easy to discourage, though.  He kept coming forward, always looking to land a big punch.  His opening, in the seventh round, was to Gonzalez’s long and lanky body.  He took Gonzalez -- and everyone else -- totally by surprise as he slid forward and slammed a left hand from his southpaw stance into the Mexican’s willowy frame.  Gonzalez dropped to one knee, in which position he was counted out.   5.  Arturo Gatti vs. Leo Dorin -- In a blood-and-guts career, Gatti had one of his easiest wins when he went to the body against chunky Romanian Dorin in their 140-pound title bout in Atlantic City in July 2004.   A bruising, drawn-out battle had seemed likely.  Dorin was unbeaten and had always shown an excellent chin.  A few months earlier he had fought a bloody 12-round draw with Paul Spadafora.   Gatti moved and boxed while Dorin bored in, but in the second round the fight was over in an instant as Gatti shifted his weight to the left and ripped a tremendous left hook to the Romanian’s ribs under his right elbow.  The effect was like the proverbial air going out of a balloon.  Dorin took the count on his knees.   6.  Ricky Hatton vs. Jose Luis Castillo -- Another long fight was generally anticipated when Hatton defended his junior welterweight title against Castillo at the Thomas & Mack Center in June.  Although somewhat faded, Castillo was known for being able to absorb punishment.   It seemed that Castillo might be starting to get into the fight in the third round, but Hatton, who had been trying to get home his noted left hook to the body through the first two rounds, finally found just the right opening, touching Castillo on top with the left glove in the Ward manner, and then banging in the finisher around the Mexican veteran’s right elbow.  Castillo turned away -- the familiar reaction from a boxer who has been hurt to the body -- and, mouthpiece protruding, took the count on one knee.   7.  Roy Jones Jr. vs. Virgill Hill -- A body-blow finish coming from a right hand is extremely unusual, but that’s exactly how Jones took Virgil Hill out of their fight in the fourth round in Biloxi, Miss., in April 1998. Hill had never been stopped, and he was quick enough to get away from Jones’s big shots.  Then, Jones looped a right hand to the body in the fourth, and Hill was instantly undone.  He folded to the floor, instinctively reaching around to the kidney region where the blow had landed, almost as if to reassure himself that Jones hadn't punched a hole in him.  Somehow, Hill dragged himself off the canvas, but he was still bent over as referee Fred Steinwinder III counted him out.   8.  Diobelys Hurtado vs. Randall Bailey -- The surprise effect of a body blast was again in evidence when Cuban Hurtado knocked out heavy-handed Bailey in Puerto Rico in February 2002.   The two had traded knockdowns resulting from right hands upstairs, with Bailey down in the second, Hurtado in the sixth.  Coming out for the seventh round, Bailey was in front on two of the judges’ cards and coming on strongly when Hurtado surprised him with a right to the body.  Before Bailey could gather himself, the Miami-based Cuban fired in several more, quick body blows, and then a particularly debilitating left hook to the liver ended the fight.  Bailey went down as if all the air had been sucked out of him.   Because there had been preceding body punches, this was strictly speaking not a one-punch finish, but the final left hook from Hurtado was such a spectacular shot it is the one that people remember. Bailey will never forget it.   9.  Glenn McCrory vs. Jeff Lampkin -- Just five months after becoming cruiserweight champion, Britain’s McCrory was defending the title against seasoned and dangerous Lampkin of Youngstown, Ohio, on McCrory’s home ground at Gateshead in northeast England in March 1990.   Although somewhat erratic, Lampkin was known to be a good puncher.  McCrory was watching out for his opponent’s big right hand when he got caught by a left hook to the body.  He sank to one knee to be counted out by New Jersey referee Randy Neumann at 2:27 of the third round.   McCrory said afterwards: “It was a fabulous punch -- it took everything I had. I was watching for the big right hand all the time -- maybe I became transfixed watching for it.”   10.  Jorge Barrios vs. Janos Nagy -- A one-punch ending from a body blow in the first round is almost unheard of -- but it happened at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in May 2006, when junior lightweight champion Barrios crunched previously unbeaten Hungarian Nagy in just 49 seconds.   The aggressive Argentinean was on top of his man before the Hungarian knew what was happening. Barrios’ left hook sank home, just under Nagy’s right elbow, and the challenger went down in delayed reaction.  The crowd wasn’t happy, but Barrios’ cuts man Miguel Diaz told me afterward: “I went over to the guy’s corner, and you could see the mark where the punch hit him.  It caught him right in the false ribs (the lower five ribs), and when you get caught there, it’s very painful.”   Every other luckless body-blow recipient mentioned in this article would know the feeling.

  Graham Houston is the American Editor of Boxing Monthly and writes for FightWriter.com.   Original reference: http://espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=3063773, posted 10-23-2007.    *** This post is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only.  No infringement on copyright is intended nor condoned.

[malenipshadows]

Southpaw boxing, liver punching.

   ”Southpaw boxing: An overlooked anatomical advantage,” by Sets All Set. (No copyright infringement was intended.  This post is for the private, noncommercial use of our fans.)

    Southpaws or left-handed boxers are often viewed as “trouble” by most orthodox fighters.  We have many advantages that confuse and irritate right-handers.  Our punches come from the “wrong” direction and at different angles.  This confuses our right-handed opponents.  We are puzzles that need to be solved.  We are accustomed to fighting right-handers, as there are more orthodox people in this world.  We consist of about 7 percent to 10 percent of the adult population.  There is also a correlation that southpaws are more visual than right-handers, which may help us execute our punches.    Besides being more familiar with our enemies and the mental correlations, we also have an anatomical advantage that most people overlook.  From a fighting standpoint, I am talking about southpaws versus orthodox, not stance versus stance.  The most damaging punch that can be delivered to an opponent is the head-shot.  More specifically, a well-placed punch to the chin.  This is the knockout punch.  This punch twists the head rapidly, which results in a knockout.  Arguably, the second most devastating, legitimate, one-punch TKO is the punch to the liver.  There are also scientific studies suggesting that we are more violent than right-handers.  

How the Liver Shot Works    What exactly makes the liver shot so effective?  Those who are familiar with boxing and fighting eventually will feel the effects of this debilitating shot.  Some have

described it as being kicked in the testicles, but the location is in your gut.  I describe it as simply crippling.  When you get hit in the liver, you fall down.  Your legs give, you feel like puking, and you want to cry to your mommy.  Sometimes, it can take a second or two to sink in after the hit.  But when it does, pain ensues.    To those that have never felt a good liver shot, I know you must be laughing right now.  The liver shot is a rite of passage among nearly all hand-to-hand fighting sports.  If you haven't been hit in the liver yet, you are not fighting enough.  If you have experienced this shot, you understand clearly what I mean.  From a common spectator's point of view, sometimes, it looks like a regular body shot, light even.  You'd be smart not to underestimate this punch.    So now that you have a basic understanding of how much a liver shot hurts, how does it actually work? The liver is a vital organ. You would die if you were missing it.    Unfortunately, your body has only so much space.  Your heart and lungs are the most protected organs and well deservedly.  Your liver is somewhat protected, but there are simply not enough ribs to protect everything.  When the liver is punched, hit, compressed or stressed, it releases enzymes called aminotransferases.  These enzymes are released into your bloodstream, signaling that the liver is damaged.  Your body recognizes this and reacts by rewarding you with excruciating pain.    The most common reaction to a liver shot is immediately grabbing and protecting your gut.  It is usually followed by dropping to a knee or crumbling to the ground and curling up into a fetal position.  Take note of Bernard Hopkins versus Oscar De La Hoya.  Bernard Hopkins gave De La Hoya the first KO of his career via a ninth round liver shot.  Ricky Hatton defeated Jose Luis Castillo via a thudding 4th round liver shot which forced Castillo to go to a knee.

Location of the Liver    The liver is located on the right side of your body.  It is a very large organ that extends about two finger widths under the right nipple all the way down, slightly below the lowest rib.  When taking a deep breath, the liver actually extends lower.  This is due to your lungs’ expanding and taking up more room, forcing the liver lower. The location of the liver is mostly irrelevant when a boxer faces another boxer with the same stance.  This is a case where skill will determine the outcome.  When a southpaw faces an orthodox fighter, that's when things get interesting.  In boxing, stance is important to keep balance and be in a position to defend and attack.  Boxers almost never will face each other square.  Instead, they will do a quarter turn.  This reduces the [target] the opponent has to hit and also gives the boxer a good position from which to strike.

   When a southpaw faces an orthodox fighter, jabs become less effective.  A southpaw’s strength will be his straight left hand and an orthodox fighter's strength will be his straight right.  An orthodox fighter is used to throwing the left hook to the body in order to connect with the liver.  This is almost useless against a southpaw, as the angle of his stance will take away much power from the left hook.  Also, southpaws learn very early to defend their lead hand side, the right side.  The liver is located on the right side.  All it takes is a quick elbow tuck and the liver shot is neutralized.     Some of you might be confused as to why southpaws have an advantage here.  Shouldn't this be a disadvantage, since the southpaw's liver will be closer to the opponent than the other way around?  Yes, this is correct, however the closest punch to the liver from an orthodox perspective is the jab to the liver.  In order to pull the off, you need superior speed as to not catch a counter up top.  The other option for orthodox boxers is to throw a right cross to the liver.  This can be done, but your foot position is crucial.  Your lead foot must be on the outside of the southpaw's lead or else the southpaw will dance around you.  This will be especially hard as southpaws will always seek the dominate foot position when we punch.  Quite simply, we are used to foot placement against orthodox fighters.    On the other hand, while it is true that the southpaw boxer must throw a longer punch in order to hit the liver of an orthodox fighter, this is easily negated because our opponent's liver is almost perfectly in line with our power hand.  Our straight left is our best punch, even more important than our jab so we learn early how to utilize this tool.  The straight left almost hits the liver head on.  Another common punch I've seen is the defensive left uppercut. this punch is almost always in line with the body, but only when the opponent is coming in.  The key to this punch is to dodge or slip the right hand straight or cross, plant your feet and drive the uppercut with your legs.  This punch is fast and powerful.  This is a common defensive counter punch often executed by Manny Pacquiao [that antigay bastard].

Execute the Punch    Working the body is important if you are boxing for a long time.  Most people tend to just aim at the head and neglect the body.  Attacking the body has many advantages.  It will slow your opponent down.  Like cutting a tree, you must start at the base.  The abs and midsection are good places to start.  You can hit your opponent’s stomach at the right time and cause him to wind out, abruptly forcing the air out of him.  And, of course, a good shot to the liver can take him out of commission.  Here are some tips to executing this punch.    • During the beginning of a match/sparring session, show your opponent respect by setting up the punch.  Do not just throw a straight to the body.  You will get hit with a counter.  Set up the punch by jabbing and then follow with the straight downstairs.  The good old 1-2.  Your goal with the jab is not so much to do damage.  By setting up the liver shot, your main goals are two things.  One, you take away your opponent's sight.  Cover his face with that jab and immediately follow through with the liver shot.  Aim under his right nipple.  The second goal is to raise your opponent's hands.  Once the hands are lifted, the opening will appear.  Fire away.    • Dig deep.  Don't punch for points.  Dig deep into the body and compress that liver.  The harder you dig, the more your opponent will feel it.    • Step outside of your opponent's lead foot.  This is a staple skill.  You must maintain the dominant position before you execute the punch.  Put yourself in a good position, and be prepare for the worst.  If you miss or the punch is blocked, you need to be in a position to defend or dodge a counter.    • Commit to the punch.  Execute the punch with boldness.  Timidity results in hesitation.  Once you throw the punch, there is a point of no return that must be realized.  If your point of no return departs, do not look back.  Throw that punch with commitment.  If your punch fails, you can correct this with more commitment, and your failures will be overlooked.    • Expect the worst.  Expect a counter.  If you expect the worst, nothing will surprise you.  Be ready for a counter, or be ready for your opponent to dodge and block.    • Punch with ferocity.  Do not expect your opponent to go down on a single liver shot.  Sometimes, it can be partially blocked or misdirected.  Continue your assault with ferocity.    • During mid- to late boxing, you can feint your jabs to set the liver shot.  Later, as both fighters are tired, you eventually will be able to throw a straight to the body and have a good chance of hitting the liver, without the need to set up with a jab or a feint.    • Do not telegraph the straight.  Keep it tight and fast.  Roll your right shoulder to hide the straight coming down the pipes.  Practice this.  Do not do it too often, as you may become predictable.    • Visualize the punch.  Southpaws tend to be “visual” people, in general.  Picture yourself exactly as you would, landing the liver shot.  See yourself doing this.  Imagine it.  If you cannot visualize the punch, you will not be able to execute it.  See the opening in your mind and fire.  See the opening in the fight and execute.  Let your mind visualize the punch, and let your actions manifest it into reality.

There Is No Substitute for Hard Work    While southpaws generally have an advantage, due to being accustomed to orthodox fighters, this does not mean we will win all the time.  Training is still important.  We always have to fight for that edge.  We already have the edge, being southpaw.  This is not a substitute for hard work.  All you right-handers reading this now have some homework to do, countering us.  It’s not as easy as it sounds.  Boxing training relies heavily on reaction and reflexes.  IF fast punches are coming from weird angles, reaction and reflexes will take over your reasoning.  It’s especially hard if you’ve been training for a while.  It’s also faster to react than to think.  Compensating and adapting to southpaws are difficult.  That’s another advantage we have.

 Subsequent reference: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?72472-Southpaw-Boxing-An-Overlooked-Anatomical-Advantage. Original reference: http:// Hubpages.com/hub/southpaw-boxing-an-overlooked-anatomical-advantage.  Posted on or before 10-30-2011.

[malenipshadows]

Put that body weight behind that uppercut and drive that fist upward, to shock the liver.