Tips for a smaller fighter...

[Spacey1991]

Right basically I had sparring today... and it was against my friend, he is about 5'7" and weighs around 11 and a half stone and I am around 5'35" (call it 5'4") and I weight about 8 stone 8. At first we went calm... but obviously people get heated up and friends do usually go rougher on each other, he started hitting me with big punches which isn't the problem I can take it... but I had trouble because whenever I went into jab... he would catch me 3-4 times with descent shots because he has more reach.

I would like some tips for a smaller fighter being one myself, just to see what I can do in the situation of facing bigger guys again... obviously he has more power than me because he is 3 stone heavier than me, but he did have a descent amount of power.

I kinda sometimes hate being a smaller guy, it sometimes pisses me off having a disadvantage and I wish I was bigger... but I love Boxing and might as well work with what I got and I do not intend to quit over it, if anything it has driven me to wanting to get better.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[PrettyBoyRoy 88]

Right basically I had sparring today... and it was against my friend, he is about 5'7" and weighs around 11 and a half stone and I am around 5'35" (call it 5'4") and I weight about 8 stone 8. At first we went calm... but obviously people get heated up and friends do usually go rougher on each other, he started hitting me with big punches which isn't the problem I can take it... but I had trouble because whenever I went into jab... he would catch me 3-4 times with descent shots because he has more reach.

I would like some tips for a smaller fighter being one myself, just to see what I can do in the situation of facing bigger guys again... obviously he has more power than me because he is 3 stone heavier than me, but he did have a descent amount of power.

I kinda sometimes hate being a smaller guy, it sometimes pisses me off having a disadvantage and I wish I was bigger... but I love Boxing and might as well work with what I got and I do not intend to quit over it, if anything it has driven me to wanting to get better.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

My long-time sparring partner/Homeboy, Jonathan, is 5'11" 220 Lbs well-built and very powerful we have been boxing since we were 13yrs old we are he same age now(20). I'm 5'8" 150 Lbs so i'm obviously the smaller man. The best tip I have for you is, Let me see, sounds like your problem is that you have nothing to follow-up the jab. Like Teddy Atlas said about Sam Peter last night "He throws the jab and just stays there posing for a picture" You need to follow up the jab with your right at least. I assure you if you throw him a Jab downstairs(He's taller than you) you'll create better openings on top. I always start my friend off with the body, I want to make him cautious with the Jab to the chest and the body while i stay outside. You must follow up your jab with a right don't just throw the jab and let him throw 3 punches at you, throw it and come back right back with the right, you're smaller so use your legs, bop and weave don't stay stationary, move you legs. I know its easy just writing it but trust me I;m only 20 and i actually have taller and bigger guys asking me for advice once they see me sparring. I'm no expert so all im gonna leave you with is (Follow up that jab with your right, Jab to the body, Jab is very important against any size opponent because it sets up your right, Stay in the outside, Jab to the chest and body cover your chin when you jab). I hope I helped. If you lived around here I would have met up with you to sparr and see your problem in person. Good Luck! and never give up, size is nothing. You're young only 17. At 19 i was getting my ass floored when i decided to fight bigger guys than me, now after a year I hold my own against them and Haven't visit the matt ever since.

[Spacey1991]

My long-time sparring partner/Homeboy, Jonathan, is 5'11" 220 Lbs well-built and very powerful we have been boxing since we were 13yrs old we are he same age now(20). I'm 5'8" 150 Lbs so i'm obviously the smaller man. The best tip I have for you is, Let me see, sounds like your problem is that you have nothing to follow-up the jab. Like Teddy Atlas said about Sam Peter last night "He throws the jab and just stays there posing for a picture" You need to follow up the jab with your right at least. I assure you if you throw him a Jab downstairs(He's taller than you) you'll create better openings on top. I always start my friend off with the body, I want to make him cautious with the Jab to the chest and the body while i stay outside. You must follow up your jab with a right don't just throw the jab and let him throw 3 punches at you, throw it and come back right back with the right, you're smaller so use your legs, bop and weave don't stay stationary, move you legs. I know its easy just writing it but trust me I;m only 20 and i actually have taller and bigger guys asking me for advice once they see me sparring. I'm no expert so all im gonna leave you with is (Follow up that jab with your right, Jab to the body, Jab is very important against any size opponent because it sets up your right, Stay in the outside, Jab to the chest and body cover your chin when you jab). I hope I helped. If you lived around here I would have met up with you to sparr and see your problem in person. Good Luck! and never give up, size is nothing. You're young only 17. At 19 i was getting my ass floored when i decided to fight bigger guys than me, now after a year I hold my own against them and Haven't visit the matt ever since.

Great advice this really helped... I can understand what you are saying now, another problem I had was I ******ly left my guard a little low... so as you said I went into throw the jab and pose for a picture (quality quote haha) he founds it easy to jab me and press his weight down on that rear hand. It knocked my confidence a little bit obviously, it would anybody... but I am not quitting over it, I will gain my confidence back and keep training... it has kinda urged me to want to get better because it would be proving a point to myself, I wont quit I will be back stronger from it.

[KostyaTszyu44]

Right basically I had sparring today... and it was against my friend, he is about 5'7" and weighs around 11 and a half stone and I am around 5'35" (call it 5'4") and I weight about 8 stone 8. At first we went calm... but obviously people get heated up and friends do usually go rougher on each other, he started hitting me with big punches which isn't the problem I can take it... but I had trouble because whenever I went into jab... he would catch me 3-4 times with descent shots because he has more reach.

I would like some tips for a smaller fighter being one myself, just to see what I can do in the situation of facing bigger guys again... obviously he has more power than me because he is 3 stone heavier than me, but he did have a descent amount of power.

I kinda sometimes hate being a smaller guy, it sometimes pisses me off having a disadvantage and I wish I was bigger... but I love Boxing and might as well work with what I got and I do not intend to quit over it, if anything it has driven me to wanting to get better.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

hands up and in tight, move side to side constantly, not backwards or forwards, trust your guard, take his punches on your gloves and fire back, then stay in close, throwing to his head and body, then after 5-6 punches move back out with your hands up and keep moving, counterpunch most of the time ( i like to use the winky style guard to parry and block shots, then fire back) but occasionally lead with a flurry to catch him off guard

and always keep a moving target, feet should only be still when you are punching, and even then you should be turning and twisting into your punches properly

[Spacey1991]

hands up and in tight, move side to side constantly, not backwards or forwards, trust your guard, take his punches on your gloves and fire back, then stay in close, throwing to his head and body, then after 5-6 punches move back out with your hands up and keep moving, counterpunch most of the time ( i like to use the winky style guard to parry and block shots, then fire back) but occasionally lead with a flurry to catch him off guard

and always keep a moving target, feet should only be still when you are punching, and even then you should be turning and twisting into your punches properly

Good advice, so basically what your saying is make it really hard for them to hit me... and move around constantly, moving in hitting moving out... then back to circling the ring?

[KostyaTszyu44]

Good advice, so basically what your saying is make it really hard for them to hit me... and move around constantly, moving in hitting moving out... then back to circling the ring?

exactly, and remember when circling them dont just move one way, move around one way, then start going the other way, exploit their lack of footspeed

also be careful when moving towards his power hand...when you are moving towards his power hand (im assuming hes orthodox so its his right hand) dip back a little further away so he cant catch you with it

[potatoes]

Right basically I had sparring today... and it was against my friend, he is about 5'7" and weighs around 11 and a half stone and I am around 5'35" (call it 5'4") and I weight about 8 stone 8. At first we went calm... but obviously people get heated up and friends do usually go rougher on each other, he started hitting me with big punches which isn't the problem I can take it... but I had trouble because whenever I went into jab... he would catch me 3-4 times with descent shots because he has more reach.

I would like some tips for a smaller fighter being one myself, just to see what I can do in the situation of facing bigger guys again... obviously he has more power than me because he is 3 stone heavier than me, but he did have a descent amount of power.

I kinda sometimes hate being a smaller guy, it sometimes pisses me off having a disadvantage and I wish I was bigger... but I love Boxing and might as well work with what I got and I do not intend to quit over it, if anything it has driven me to wanting to get better.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Why is your coach allowing this to happen? Your best advice is to get better instruction before you get spar with opponents who are difficult to handle. Boxing is a dangerous sport and there is a reason for weight divisions. Just because the guy in front of you has a longer reach is no excuse for getting hit. Until you learn the fundamentals you will spend the rest of your sojourn as a boxer blocking punches with your head.

[Spacey1991]

exactly, and remember when circling them dont just move one way, move around one way, then start going the other way, exploit their lack of footspeed

also be careful when moving towards his power hand...when you are moving towards his power hand (im assuming hes orthodox so its his right hand) dip back a little further away so he cant catch you with it

That kinda brings me back to where I went wrong, I moved in jabbed... didn't follow it on with the right hand enough, and stood there without moving out, plus I made the ****** mistake of leaving my guard down a bit low (simple mistake I guess, when your a beginner)... so when I stood there without moving out he caught me with that rear hand (right). Your advice does make sense and is very helpful.

I also sparred with this guy that fights in the amateurs... but he was told not to go rough because he has that advantage, and I remember moving around in the same direction as you said I shouldn't have so that is good advice. He was alright, I think the main purpose was for me to practice moving in and hitting, moving out... and him to just slip punches and that if you know what I mean? Just a bit of technique sparring.

Why is your coach allowing this to happen? Your best advice is to get better instruction before you get spar with opponents who are difficult to handle. Boxing is a dangerous sport and there is a reason for weight divisions. Just because the guy in front of you has a longer reach is no excuse for getting hit. Until you learn the fundamentals you will spend the rest of your sojourn as a boxer blocking punches with your head.

Well in fairness... we were wearing these different head guards with like a case around your face (hard to explain). They are supposed to be for people who haven't brought a gum shield, me and my mate did but he said just use those ones for today... so non of the punches actually caught my face, just snapped my head back a little bit.

Well like I say, there is not a massive load of height difference... and the coach doesn't know that my mate weighs 11 and a half stone so he probably didn't realize that he is outweighing me by 3 stone.

Like Kev told me though, as I spar with bigger and heavier guys it will help me with my strength... and also punch resistance (which isn't too bad at the moment), he said the more I get hit by people with that kinda advantage... will make it harder for people my own weight to snap my head back with a punch.

They did shout when we were sparring like "move around jab and move around", it wasn't that I weren't listening or anything, it was probably the same mistake as I made what Kev said... either way, I thought I would go on here asking people who have been there... people who are shorter facing bigger and heavier opponents so they can give me tips.

Potatoes, you got any advice on what I could do when I am in there?

[bbos]

stick and move baby stick and move

[Spacey1991]

Basically guys when I measured my height, I measured it myself... so it is obviously wrong when you do it yourself, my brother just measured me and said I was about 5'5" and have a reach of 22" from the armpit to the end of the fist, I weighed myself at my Boxing gym 2 weeks ago and the trainer said I was 8 stone 8 pounds.

My mate, says he is 5'7" but hasn't been measured since October... I don't know his reach, but he told me he weighs around 11 and a half stone.

Just to clear that up!

stick and move baby stick and move

Basically you mean, move in jab right hand lead... move out, circle the ring in different directions and keep moving in and out doing this?