Speaking of counters...let's talk about Rigondeaux's counter left upper cut

[mconstantine]

If you've seen Rigo fight, you've seen this counter. He's knocked several guys out with it. But as a lefty, he throws a wicked upper cut to the body WHILE his opponent steps in throwing punches.

HOW DOES HE NOT GET HIT WITH THE RIGHT HAND DOING THIS!

I would like to try this, but I feel like it makes me a sitting duck for the right hand.

The only thing I can think of to pull this off safely is to move your head into the guy's chest as you upper cut him to avoid the right hand. That takes incredible timing and athleticism though. All the more reason Rigo is a freak of nature. But I could see a crafty fighter making him pay for that body shot.

Good example at 1:08

[LoadedWraps]

Do you fight? Boxing is all about taking risks, even the best take risks, the first step to success in the ring is controlling the fear or pride of getting hit. Otherwise you will never throw an uppercut at an opponent as you would a bag, if what's on your mind is the opening and chance of getting countered back. It's athleticism, relexes, and hard work. I can do it relatively easily, I have been training for years but don't have that many fights to show for it, but as far as defensive slick movement and countering, I can eat someone up all day. My age, and a lack of power and top level conditioning are what hold me back competitively.

[frosty-g]

If you've seen Rigo fight, you've seen this counter. He's knocked several guys out with it. But as a lefty, he throws a wicked upper cut to the body WHILE his opponent steps in throwing punches.

HOW DOES HE NOT GET HIT WITH THE RIGHT HAND DOING THIS!

I would like to try this, but I feel like it makes me a sitting duck for the right hand.

The only thing I can think of to pull this off safely is to move your head into the guy's chest as you upper cut him to avoid the right hand. That takes incredible timing and athleticism though. All the more reason Rigo is a freak of nature. But I could see a crafty fighter making him pay for that body shot.

Good example at 1:08

most of the time he's moving his head off centre as he throws it to the body, his front foot moves a fraction to the right and the fact he turns his hips nicely does the rest of the job moving his head.
similar principle to what he does at 1:37 with the counter-punch right to Marroquin's head.

what you mentioned about at 1:08, just watch his feet.

in fact for almost all of what Rigo does, watch his feet and figure out the significance of that in relation to the positioning effect on the rest of his body/head and the options it creates for him/takes away from his opponent.

[frosty-g]

Do you fight? Boxing is all about taking risks, even the best take risks, the first step to success in the ring is controlling the fear or pride of getting hit. Otherwise you will never throw an uppercut at an opponent as you would a bag, if what's on your mind is the opening and chance of getting countered back. It's athleticism, relexes, and hard work. I can do it relatively easily, I have been training for years but don't have that many fights to show for it, but as far as defensive slick movement and countering, I can eat someone up all day. My age, and a lack of power and top level conditioning are what hold me back competitively.

this is to an extent true but the confidence has to be based upon something or its just ****iness. put in someone who thinks they're a tough guy against a high level boxer and they'll get sparked quick as you like.

Rigondeaux is not a risk-taker really at all, what he does is so finely tuned that a lot of the risk element is actually taken out of it.
if you're forever taking gambles you're gonna lose plenty of them. with calculated risks, not so much.
like i mention in the previous post, his head goes quickly enough in a line that is really difficult to hit, and upon impact of his own punch his head really is difficult to hit. he also times this so as to make sure that his opponent is not in a good position to catch him with anything in return regardless. to me that is not taking a risk, its just being a badass boxer.


have a nosey at Gavilan as well, see how he doesn't load up on it, but whips it in real fast. speedy with the arm, getting the power from the hips.

i love this punch because it is extremely technical and effective when done right and it looks damn good too. works on EVERYONE.

[mconstantine]

this is to an extent true but the confidence has to be based upon something or its just ****iness. put in someone who thinks they're a tough guy against a high level boxer and they'll get sparked quick as you like.

Rigondeaux is not a risk-taker really at all, what he does is so finely tuned that a lot of the risk element is actually taken out of it.
if you're forever taking gambles you're gonna lose plenty of them. with calculated risks, not so much.
like i mention in the previous post, his head goes quickly enough in a line that is really difficult to hit, and upon impact of his own punch his head really is difficult to hit. he also times this so as to make sure that his opponent is not in a good position to catch him with anything in return regardless. to me that is not taking a risk, its just being a badass boxer.


have a nosey at Gavilan as well, see how he doesn't load up on it, but whips it in real fast. speedy with the arm, getting the power from the hips.

i love this punch because it is extremely technical and effective when done right and it looks damn good too. works on EVERYONE.

That's good insight. The moving head off center was what I was alluding too with putting the head towards the chest of the opponent but you explained it well.

I've competed in an exhibition before but I don't fight. I train a lot and spar on occassion but still always looking to improve/try new stuff. Definitely going to work on this.

[frosty-g]

That's good insight. The moving head off center was what I was alluding too with putting the head towards the chest of the opponent but you explained it well.

I've competed in an exhibition before but I don't fight. I train a lot and spar on occassion but still always looking to improve/try new stuff. Definitely going to work on this.

well make sure you do work on it though, get a partner to work with and have them throw a headshot, nice and light so that you can make sure you get your shot off effectively whilst keeping outta danger.

a soft jab of your own to the face can get into your opponent's line of sight allowing you to shoot in that shot to the body (or head of course) without them knowing much about it til it lands. best to use a light jab here though so you don't have to commit to it, allowing you to stay loose enough to get that speed of foot and hand to whip in the upper.
you'll also probably get your opponent to commit to a counter headshot this way, rather like Rigo does at 1:08, then punish him bad as you're already one step ahead of the guy - this however requires more timing and skill as you're deliberately creating a situation where you let your opponent attack as you open up a lot with your own shot, so make sure you get it right, again, work it through with a mate.

also useful, is push a jab out (or other shot) straight after so as to smother anything they might throw as you are on your way out (see at 1:30, I don't think the right hand straight after was intended for anything other than this form of defence), pivoting off is also a decent idea once you let the shot sink in and rebound off them - actually that's another thing, just as you whip it in real fast, let it hit and then whip it back just as fast to get covered up again.
ENJOY!

[greynotsoold]

In the example you alluded to, at the 1:08 mark, he slipped the right hand and countered under it. That is a basic counter- I used to like it against southpaws. Draw the left hand, slip it and counter with the right uppercut. The theory is that he wants to throw the left (or, if you are a southpaw, the other guy is looking for the right hand), so you get in a position that looks good for him to throw it. And you make it miss because you know it is coming.

[{Pito}]

He steps towards his right while stepping forward simultaneously so as to by pass your left. So his head is next to but outside of your left vasyl lomachenko does the same thing