Is Fighting Off The Back Foot "Running"?

[FightGuyOpenMind]

There is that, but those who have their weight on their front foot while jabbing tend to not have as stable of a base so the jab isn't as solid, plus their face is closer and easier to hit.

I'm thinking Jack Dempsey's falling step or jolt. Yeah, leaning is typically frowned upon. Not good for balance, unless you're trying to counter using distance deception like Mayweather. Cool. Thanks for the input.

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

I'm thinking Jack Dempsey's falling step or jolt. Yeah, leaning is typically frowned upon. Not good for balance, unless you're trying to counter using distance deception like Mayweather. Cool. Thanks for the input.

Well you can still do that, but it still starts on the back foot. It should stay on the back foot after the jab for most of the cases so you can throw the right hand afterwards (usually) for a 1-2, unless you're planning to hook (same/front arm, 1-3) right after in which case be on the front foot after a jab (so you can lever it into a hook), sure.

If you need that little bit more distance after the jab for the right hand (which you often will), you can shuffle a couple baby/half steps really quick and then throw the right immediately (still off the back foot). It takes no extra time. That's the textbook way to do it, too.

 

[Cjsimon1]

Is distributing your weight to your rear leg and fighting in a backwards motion an acceptable method of the sweet science?

Or

Is it taking away from the true essence and intent of the sport, and that being to go for the KO?

Are they "running" or are they boxing smart?

Thoughts?

To haters it’s running but to objective people it’s just a different way to box.

 

[Lots]

It’s not running if your still throwing punches. By that logic dodging punches is running.

 

[PeakyBlinder]

Fighting off the back foot & being effectively offensive is a quality skill to have in the ring

 

[Prefect]

Running is staying too far out of range that you can't actively engage quickly to any opportunity.

 

[FightGuyOpenMind]

It’s not running if your still throwing punches. By that logic dodging punches is running.

Hmmm never thought of it that way. I've heard some people argue that you shouldn't give up ground, no more than 2-3 steps backwards at a time. Then aggress, or shuffle whichever direction and aggress.

What's the best way to defend a punch though? Not be there.

Interesting take. Should we not dodge? Maybe it should be a war of attrition. lol

 

[FightGuyOpenMind]

Running is staying too far out of range that you can't actively engage quickly to any opportunity.

Agreed.

 

[mozfonky]

Hmmm never thought of it that way. I've heard some people argue that you shouldn't give up ground, no more than 2-3 steps backwards at a time. Then aggress, or shuffle whichever direction and aggress.

What's the best way to defend a punch though? Not be there.

Interesting take. Should we not dodge? Maybe it should be a war of attrition. lol

you shouldn't take more than a couple steps back to avoid an onrushing opponent, no. You give too much momentum to a guy and if he catches you, you'll have problems. I noticed Jermaine Taylor did it early in his career but I never thought it would cost him like it did, the old adages have reasons for them. If you take a couple steps back, it's fine, but past that, be ready to do something else, maybe lunge foreward and punch, maybe move left or right but ya, that's bad. I don't think that's what we mean by fighting backwards though. I think it means just moving back to either make it harder for an opponent to get off or to make it easier for you to punch. Taller guys often need to back up to make punching room for themselves, Ali did it, Sugar Ray Robinson did it, Bert Sugar claimed that Ray knocked Fullmer out going backwards, well, it wasn't really going backwards, Ray took a step back, Fullmer lunged in but ray's feet were planted, it's often cited as the greatest kayo punch ever but i wouldn't exactly call that fighting backwards. His feet were perfectly planted. If a shorter guy is swarming in, there are several things you can do, you do like George Foreman did with Frazier, push him back, catch him coming back or like ali did with frazier in the first fight step back, get your punches off while frazier comes in, clinch when he gets inside/repeat.

 

[FightGuyOpenMind]

you shouldn't take more than a couple steps back to avoid an onrushing opponent, no. You give too much momentum to a guy and if he catches you, you'll have problems. I noticed Jermaine Taylor did it early in his career but I never thought it would cost him like it did, the old adages have reasons for them. If you take a couple steps back, it's fine, but past that, be ready to do something else, maybe lunge foreward and punch, maybe move left or right but ya, that's bad. I don't think that's what we mean by fighting backwards though. I think it means just moving back to either make it harder for an opponent to get off or to make it easier for you to punch. Taller guys often need to back up to make punching room for themselves, Ali did it, Sugar Ray Robinson did it, Bert Sugar claimed that Ray knocked Fullmer out going backwards, well, it wasn't really going backwards, Ray took a step back, Fullmer lunged in but ray's feet were planted, it's often cited as the greatest kayo punch ever but i wouldn't exactly call that fighting backwards. His feet were perfectly planted. If a shorter guy is swarming in, there are several things you can do, you do like George Foreman did with Frazier, push him back, catch him coming back or like ali did with frazier in the first fight step back, get your punches off while frazier comes in, clinch when he gets inside/repeat.

Robinson is a great example. They often say he could knock people out going backwards.