Staying in the pocket (SOUTHPAW)

[Browne]

do you guys have any tips on how to fight and stay in the pocket as a southpaw. being a S.paw (a 5'5 one at that) I cant really use the front shoulder for defense, and I find that when I try and use the peek-a-boo guard my sparring partners just constantly throw a volley of 10+ punches to body and head making it tough to defend and stay in there.

I can fight at a distance, but im tryna work on this as I know i'll need it.
any tips???

[{Pito}]

Hey, SP here too. It's not a different science as opposed to being orthodox. What I do though is give angles while on the inside and usually step diagnally to their left and turn them so they have to reset. Honestly though it seems that it's not to much of a southpaw problem as it is just handling a flurry. If that's the case then you can try something simple like feint so they throw their flurry and counter them. I hope that helps. If it is truly an "inside" problem then bob-n-weave and learn to parry and hit at the same time. Some pad drills with your coach can help you with this. Most importantly I think is that you hAve a coach who is a southpaw, orthodox trainers can teach southpaw because they know their own weaknesses as opposed to knowin how to utilize a SP's advantages. That's not always the case but for the majority it is. Bottomline, do lots of inside pad drills with bobs weaves and parrying while countering at the same time.
Peace

[DeepSleep]

When you are on the inside always try to be in motion. You should either be punching or moving when inside. Keeping your hands up in a tight guard like you described is a good idea but remember that if you block a punch with your guard fully up you must move laterally(to your right) after you block the punch otherwise the situation you described will happen where you will simply eat leather without anything in return.

One trick I use when I'm really far inside as a southpaw is I'll try and keep my lead arm/shoulder pressed up against my opponents lead arm/shoulder as much as possible. What this allows you to do is feel when he is trying to cork off a hook easily since you will feel his lead arm accelerate quickly(You feel a quick jolt on your forearm). Also consider slipping under his jabs (slip to your right) and take a step to diagonally right and towards your opponent. Pin your right arm (while in your guard) to his lead arm and **** a hook off his rib cage and note his reaction, pivot away and hope the judges scored it for you.

[Browne]

thanks guys, i'll be sure to try that side stepping technique next time, i sparred a heavyweight today (who wore 12oz glove whilst I wore 14oz!!!!), my guard was useless!!!