Southpaws: Circle the opposite way the textbooks tell to? Y/N?

[AlexKid]

All conventional wisdom and textbooks say if you are a southpaw circle right around an orthadox fighter, and an orthadox fighter should circle left around a southpaw, to make the rear cross aka straight left/right have to travel a longer distance.

However im seeing an increasing number of southpaws (including pacman) circle the other way, because while going the conventional way increases the range it also makes you slower to defend and its harder to defend also.

Whats the deal here? The more I learn about boxing the more I want to throw the text books into the bin! The pros know better than the so called "experts" that write these books because they are the ones actually boxing day in and day out!

[mconstantine]

Once I got confident in my ability to see right hands coming and either catch them or duck under them, I stopped worrying as much about circling to my right. Circling to your right as a southpaw definitely helps you avoid the straight right hand, but it may also limit your offense.

For example, you can set up beautiful lead right hooks pretty well by circling towards an orthodox right hand; especially if they're near the ropes. When you circle towards an orthodox right hand, most orthodox fighters will react by circling or trying to escape to YOUR right side. When they do this, you can walk them into a nice, short lead right hook. I've caught guys several times doing this to both the body and head.

Should a southpaw be spending 75% of their time in a fight circling towards an orthodox right hand? Probably not. But do they have to feel like they should ONLY be circling away from it, no.

[frosty-g]

All conventional wisdom and textbooks say if you are a southpaw circle right around an orthadox fighter, and an orthadox fighter should circle left around a southpaw, to make the rear cross aka straight left/right have to travel a longer distance.

textbooks written by southpaws methinks.